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1790 1800 1810 1820 1830 1840 1850 1860 1870
ABOUT FEDERAL CENSUS RECORDS
The first federal population census was taken in 1790. It was mandated
by the Constitution for the purpose of apportionment in the House of Representatives.
Since 1790 Federal censuses have been taken every ten years and, with the exception of
1890 which was destroyed, these records are available for public use up through 1920.
Census records are considered confidential information and are not opened to the public
for 73 years after they are taken. The original census schedules were hand written and
have been microfilmed by the National Archives.
Censuses prior to 1850 list heads of household by name and identify other family members
only by sex and age group. During times when many Americans moved westward and local
records were scarce early census records can verify names of heads of families and
locations of families each decade.
Beginning in 1850 each member of the household is listed by name. Also recorded are: age,
occupation, value of real estate, birth place, whether married or attended school within
the year, and if over 21 whether able to read or write. With each succeeding year
additional information was recorded on the census and by 1920 researchers can discover the
birthplace of not only the individual listed but also the mother and father. Other
information listed includes the year a person immigrated, whether naturalized, and if the
home is owned or rented.
Population censuses are arranged by state and within each state by county; within each
county by township or enumeration district; and within each district households are listed
as they were taken by the enumerator as he went door to door.
The Federal Population
Censuses
Catalogs of NARA Microfilm 1790- 1920