The Evolution Of The United States Census

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The United States census is a census that is legally mandated by the U.S. Constitution, and takes place every 10 years. The first census was taken in 1790. The most current one was in 1950.

We are going to compare these census forms and view some examples to see how our country’s demographics and need of information has changed over the 230 years that the population has been tracked and try to get a better understanding of our country’s growth by asking the age old questions Who, What, When, Where and Why.

Contents 1 In The Beginning 1.1 1810 1.2 1820 1.3 1830 1.4 1840 2 Almost Everyone Becomes A Part Of History 2.1 1850 / 1860 3 Everyone Is Finally Listed by Name 3.1 1870 3.2 1880 3.3 1900 3.4 1910 3.5 1920 3.6 1930 3.7 1940 3.8 1950 4 Sources

In The Beginning

For the first six censuses (1790–1840), enumerators recorded only the names of the heads of household and a general demographic accounting of the remaining members of the household.

1810

1. Who was the head of the family?
2. How many white males were in the home by age?
3. How many white females were in the home by age?
4. How many slaves were owned.

For our first example we are using Thomas Dale who lived in Montgomery County, Kentucky with his wife Jane and their children Alexander, Isabella, Mary, Elizabeth, Jane, James,, William, Nancy and Sarah Dale. There were no other people or Slaves in the home. WikiTree contributors, WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, "Thomas Dale (abt.1763-1813),"

For Census Examples 2, 3 and 4 We are using Robert R. Dale (abt. 1793 - 1844) and his family.

1820

The United States census of 1820 was the fourth census conducted in the United States. It was conducted on August 7, 1820.

It had the the original questions:

1. Who was the head of the family?
2. How many white males were in the home by age?
3. How many white females were in the home by age?
4. How many slaves were owned.

and they added 3 new questions:

1. 16 - 18 years category for males.
2. Number of foreigners not naturalized
3. Number of persons (including slaves) engaged in agriculture, commerce, and manufactures.

1830

For the 1830 census, the age categories were expanded again. Additionally, some social categories were added. They were:

1. The number of White persons and the number of "slaves and colored persons" who were deaf and dumb aged:
2. under 14 years
3. 14 and under 25 years
4. 25 years and upward
5. The number of White persons and "slaves or colored persons" who were blind, respectively
6. The number of White persons who were foreigners not naturalized

1840

In 1840 They wanted to know everything above and they added 5 additional questions:

1. The number of persons in each family employed in mining; agriculture; commerce; manufacture and trade; navigation of the ocean; navigation of canals, lakes and rivers; and learned professional engineers.
2. Name and age of pensioners for Revolutionary or military service.
3. Number of colleges or universities, primary schools, and grammar schools.
4. Number of students or scholars associated with each institution.
5. Number of scholars at public charge.
6. Number of White persons age 20 years and older who could not read and write.

Almost Everyone Becomes A Part Of History

1850 / 1860

The census underwent some drastic changes in 1850. So many in fact that it was divided into 2 separate forms. free persons were listed individually instead of by family. There were two questionnaires: one for free inhabitants and one for slaves.

Schedule No. 1 - Free Inhabitants Listed by column number, enumerators recorded the following information:

1. Number of dwelling house (in order visited)
2. Number of family (in order visited)
3. Name
4. Age
5. Sex
6. Color (This column was to be left blank if a person was White, marked "B" if a person was Black, and marked "M" if a person was Mulatto.)
7. Profession, occupation, or trade of each person over 15 years of age
8. Value of real estate owned by person
9. Place of Birth (If a person was born in the United States, the enumerator was to enter the state they were born in. If the person was born outside of the United States, the enumerator was to enter their native country.)
10. Was the person married within the last year?
11. Was the person at school within the last year?
12. If this person was over 20 years of age, could they not read and write?
13. Is the person "deaf, dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict?"

Schedule No. 2 - Slave Inhabitants Slaves were listed by owner, not individually. Listed by column number, enumerators recorded the following information:

1. Name of owner (Number of slave (Each owner's slave was only assigned a number, not a name. Numbering restarted with each new owner)
2. Age
3. Sex
4. Color (This column was to be marked with a "B" if the slave was Black and an "M" if they were Mulatto.)
5. Listed in the same row as the owner, the number of uncaught escaped slaves in the past year
6. Listed in the same row as the owner, the number of slaves freed from bondage in the past year
7. Is the slave "deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic?"

For our 1850 examples we will use Roberts Widow; Mary Susan (Johnson) Dale (abt.1803-1876) and her household.

Everyone Is Finally Listed by Name

1870

Five years after the Civil War Ended the 1870 Census was taken. We were back to one form that listed everyone. The form consisted of 20 questions:

1. Number of family, by order of visitation from enumerator
2. Name
3. Age
4. Sex
5. Color (Enumerators could mark "W" for White, "B" for Black, "M" for Mulatto, "C" for Chinese [a category which included all east Asians], or "I" for American Indian.)
6. Profession, occupation, or trade
7. Value of real estate
8. Value of personal estate
9. Place of birth
10. State or territory of the United States or foreign country
11. Was the person's father of foreign birth?
12. Was the person's mother of foreign birth?
13. If the person was born within the last year, which month?
14. If the person was married within the last year, which month?
15. Did the person attend school within the last year?
16. Can the person not read?
17. Can the person not write?
18. Is the person deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic?
19. Is the person a male citizen of the United States of 21 years or upwards?
20. Is the person a male citizen of the United States of 21 years or upwards whose right to vote is denied or abridged on grounds other than "rebellion or other crime?"

For the 1870 - 1900 Census Examples we will use the son of Robert and Mary; George Washington Dale (1843-1928) and his family.

1880

The major changes for this census was that for the first time a woman was able to be listed as the head of household and relationship to the head of household was asked. The form was redone to add a total of 26 questions:

1. Number of dwelling home, in order of visitation by the enumerator
2. Number of family, in order of visitation by the enumerator
3. Name
4. Color (Enumerators were to mark "W" for White, "B" for Black, "Mu" for Mulatto, "C" for Chinese [a category which included all east Asians], of "I" for American Indian)
5. Sex
6. Age
7. If the person was born within the census year, what was the month?
8. Relationship to the head of the family
9. Is the person single?
10. Is the person married?
11. Is the person widowed or divorced? (Enumerators were to mark "W" for widowed and "D" for divorced)
12. Was the person married within the census year?
13. Profession, occupation, or trade
14. Number of months the person had been employed within the census year
15. Was, on the day of the enumerator's visit, the person was sick or disabled so as to be unable to attend to ordinary business or duties? If so, what was the sickness or disability?
16. Was the person blind?
17. Was the person deaf and dumb?
18. Was the person idiotic?
19. Was the person insane?
20. Was the person maimed, crippled, bedridden, or otherwise disabled?
21. Had the person attended school in the past year?
22. Can the person not read?
23. Can the person not write?
24. What was the person's place of birth?
25. What was the person's father's place of birth?
26. What was the person's mother's place of birth?

1900

The 1900 census collected the following information:

1. Address
2. Name
3. Relationship to head of family
4. Sex
5. Race (listed as "Color or race" on the census)
6. Age, month and year born
7. marital status and, if married, number of years married for women, number of children born and number now living
8. Place of birth of person, and their parents
9. If foreign born, year of immigration and whether naturalized
10. Occupation
11. Months not employed
12. School
13. Ability to speak English
14. Whether on a farm or Town
15. Home owned or rented, and, if owned, whether mortgaged

1910

The only changes were:

1. They went back to only the year of birth
2. Wheather a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy
3. Wheather blind, deaf, or dumb

1920

The 1920 census collected the following information:

1. Address
2. Name
3. Relationship to head of family
4. Age
5. single or married
6. If foreign born, year of immigration to the U.S., whether naturalized and, if so, year of
7. Naturalization
8. School attendance
9. Literacy
10. State of residence
11. If foreign-born, the mother tongue
12. Ability to speak English
13. Occupation, industry, and class of worker
14. Whether home owned or rented, and, if owned, whether free or mortgaged

1930

The 1930 census collected the same information as the 1920 with one addition:

1. Do you own a a radio set? (FYI 12 million American households owned a radio)

1940

The 1940 census collected the following information:

1. Name
2. Relationship to head of family
3. Address
4. Home owned or rented
5. If owned, value
6. If rented, monthly rent
7. Whether on a farm
8. Race
9. Age
10. Sex
11. Marital status
12. School attendance
13. Education attainment
14. Birth place
15. If foreign born, citizenship
16. Location of residence five years ago and whether on a farm
17. Employment status
18. If at work, whether in private or non-emergency government work, or in public emergency work (WPA, CCC, NYA, etc.)
19. If in private or non-emergency government work, hours worked in week
20. If seeking work or on public emergency work, duration of unemployment
21. Occupation, industry and class of worker
22. Weeks worked last year
23. Wage and salary income last year

In addition, a sample of individuals (1 in 20) were asked additional questions covering age at first marriage, fertility, and other topics.

For the 1940 Census Example we will use the son of George W. Dale; Edward Thomas Dale (1872-1964) and his family.

1950

The 1950 census Enumerators collected the following information:

1. Name
2. Relationship to head of family
3. Address
4. Whether house is on a farm
5. Race
6. Sex
7. Age
8. Marital status
9. Birth place
10. If foreign born, whether naturalized
11. Employment status
12. Hours worked in week
13. Occupation, industry and class of worker

In addition, a sample of individuals were asked additional questions covering income, marital history, fertility, and other topics.

For the 1950 Census Example we will use the son of Edward Thomas Dale; William Farris Dale (1922-1993) and his family. In addition to the regular questions William was selected to answer the bonus questions.

Sources

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_census accessed on 8 Feb 2022. https://www.archives.gov/files/research/genealogy/charts-forms/ accessed on 8 Feb 2022. https://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades accessed on 13 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1810_United_States_census accessed on 8 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1820_United_States_census accessed on 8 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1830_United_States_census accessed on 8 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1840_United_States_census accessed on 8 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1850_United_States_census accessed on 8 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1860_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1870_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1880_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1890_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1910_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1920_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950_United_States_census accessed on 12 Feb 2022. https://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/fast_facts/ accessed on 4 March 2022 https://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/radio-in-the-1930s/ accessed 5 March 2022