The first official census (after the revolution) conducted in the . The last one was taken in the year 2000 and the next one is planned for 2010. As stated in an earlier post, the United States of America has enacted a 72 year privacy law, meaning that census information will only be released to the general public 72 years after it was first taken. This means that the 1790 through 1930 censuses are available to the public.
Now the first six censuses (1790-1840) are sadly void of much helpful information, genealogically speaking. Only the name of the Head of the household is listed. If you have an ancestor that may have been listed anytime before 1840, you won’t be able to determine exactly where your ancestor was living just based on census information, unless they had a very unique name. Often, the census information you find prior to 1850 can only be claimed as circumstantial “proof” based on family records, land records or more recent census information. Now, let’s take a look at the first 6 censuses and what they can tell your
1) 1790 Census – The first enumeration began on August 2, 1790 and a total of 6 questions was asked of each household:
* Name of the head of the Family
* Number of free white males 16 years and up
* Number of free white males under 16 years
* Number of free white females
* Number of all other free persons
* Number of slaves
Surviving 1790 Census information is available for Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachussetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.
2) 1800 Census – The 1800 census asked each household the following:
* Name of the head of the family
* Number of free white males under age 10
* Number of free white males over 10 and under 15
* Number of free white males over 16 and under 25
* Number of free white males over 26 and under 44
* Number of free white males age 45 and over
* Number of free white females under age 10
* Number of free white females over 10 and under 15
* Number of free white females over 16 and under 25
* Number of free white females over 26 and under 44
* Number of free white females age 45 and over
* Number of all other free persons
* Number of slaves
* Town/city and county of residence
Surviving 1800 Census information is available for Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont.
3) 1810 Census – The 1810 Census asked each household the following:
* Name of the head of the family
* Number of free white males under age 10
* Number of free white males over 10 and under 15
* Number of free white males over 16 and under 25
* Number of free white males over 26 and under 44
* Number of free white males age 45 and over
* Number of free white females under age 10
* Number of free white females over 10 and under 15
* Number of free white females over 16 under 25
* Number of free white females over 26 and under 44
* Number of free white females age 45 and over
* Number of all other free persons
* Number of slaves
* Town/city and county of residence
Surviving 1810 Census information is available for Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia.
4) 1820 Census – The 1820 Census asked each household the following:
* Name of the head of each household
* Number of free white males under age 10
* Number of free white males over 10 and under 16
* Number of free white males between age 16 and 18
* Number of free white males over 16 and under 26
* Number of free white males over 26 and under 45
* Number of free white males over age 45
* Number of free white females under age 10
* Number of free white females over 10 and under 16
* Number of free white females over 16 and under 26
* Number of free white females over 26 and under 45
* Number of free white females over age 45
* Number of all other free persons except Indians
* Number of Slaves
* Number of how many persons not naturalized
* Number of persons engaged in agriculture, commercial or manufacture
* Number of colored persons
* Town/city of residence
Census information for 1820 is available for Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia.
We see that in the 1820 census the government has added the age 16 to 18 male question for military purposes and also a naturalization question which can be useful for determining how long an ancestor has lived within the U.S., helpful in securing naturalization papers for that ancestor.
1830 Census – The 1830 Census asked each household the following: * Name of the head of each household
* Number of free white males and free white females age 0-5
* Number of free white males and free white females age 5-10
* Number of free white males and free white females age 10-15
* Number of free white males and free white females age 15-20
* Number of free white males and free white females age 20-30
* Number of free white males and free white females age 30-40
* Number of free white males and free white females age 40-50
* Number of free white males and free white females age 50-60
* Number of free white males and free white females age 60-70
* Number of free white males and free white females age 70-80
* Number of free white males and free white females age 80-90
* Number of free white males and free white females age 90-100
* Number of free white males and free white females over 100.
* Number of males slaves under age 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over age 100.
* Number of female slaves under age 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over age 100.
* Number of free black males under age 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over age 100.
* Number of free black females under age 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over age 100.
* Number of deaf and dumb whites under age 14, over 14 and under 25, over 25 years of age.
* Number of blind whites.
* Number of deaf and dumb slaves and free blacks under age 14, over 14 and under 25, over 25 years of age.
* Number of blind slaves and free blacks.
* Number of white foreigners not naturalized.
Census information for 1830 is available for Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia. As you can see, there are new categories for deaf, dumb and blind persons. This can lead to research in institutions, schools and hospitals for records.
1840 Census – The 1840 Census asked each household the following:
* Name of the head of each household.
* Number of free white males and free white females age 0-5
* Number of free white males and free white females age 5-10
* Number offree white males and free white females age 10-15
* Number offree white males and free white females age 15-20
* Number of free white males and free white females age 20-30
* Number of free white males and free white females age 30-40
* Number of free white males and free white females age 40-50
* Number of free white males and free white females age 50-60
* Number of free white males and free white females age 60-70
* Number of free white males and free white females age 70-80
* Number of free white males and free white females age 80-90
* Number of free white males and free white females age 90-100
* Number of free white males and free white females over 100.
* Number of males slaves under age 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over age 100
* Number of female slaves under age 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over age 100
* Number of free black males under age 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over age 100.
* Number of free black females under age 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over age 100.
* Number of individuals engaged in mining, agriculture, commerce, manufacturing and trades, navigation of the oceans, navigation of the lakes, canals, and rivers, learned professions and engineering.
* Number of deaf and dumb whites under age 14, over 14 and under 25, * Number of blind whites.
* Number of idiotic or insane whites.
* Number of white males over 21 who cannot read and write.
* Number of deaf and dumb slaves and free blacks under 14, over 14 and under 25, over age 25.
* Number of blind slaves and free blacks.
* Number of idiotic or insane slaves and free blacks.
* Number of white foreigners not naturalized.
* Names and ages of all Revolutionary War pensioners
Census information for 1840 is available for Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin. This census includes the wonderful list of 1840 Revolutionary War Pensioners.
In the next post we’ll be looking at the united States Census 1850-1930.
