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Content of Federal Decennial Censuses 1790-1920

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The following charts provide a list of the information contained in the federal decennial censuses for the years indicated. This information was taken from Val D. Greenwood, A Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy, (2nd ed, 1990) pp.183-85 [1920 added].

Sections of this document include:

Census Content (1790-1840)
Content 1790 1800 1810 1820 1830 1840
Names of heads of families only. X X X X X X
Number of free white males under
16 in family.		 X          
Number of free white males 16
and over in family.		 X          
Number of free white females in
family (no age breakdown).		 X          
Number of free white males and
females (separately) in family, in
age groups: under 10, 10-15,
16-25, 26-44, 45 and over.		   X X X    
Number of free white males and
females (separately) in family, in
5-year age groups under 20 years
of age.		         X X
Number of free white males and
females (separately) in family, in
10-year age grous, ages 20-99.		         X X
Number of free white males and
females (separately) in family,
100 years of age and over.		         X X
Number of free white males in
family, ages 16-18.		       X    
Number of all other free persons
(including colored).		 X X(a) X(a) X(a)(b) X(c) X(c)
Number of slaves. X X X X(d) X(e) X(e)
Number of foreigners not
naturalized.		       X X  
Number of deaf and dumb (white and
colored enumerated separately).		         X(f) X
Number of blind (white and colored
enumerated separately).		         X X
Number of insane or idiotic (white
and colored enumerated
separately).		           X(g)
Civil division of place of residence. X X X X X X
Number of persons engaged in
agriculture.		       X   X
Number of persons engaged in
commerce.		       X   X
Number of person engaged in
manufacture.		       X   X(h)
Number of person employed in
mining.		           X
Number of persons employed in
navigation of canals, lakes, and
rivers.		           X
Number of person employed in
navigation of the ocean.		           X
Number of person employed in the
learned professions and engineers.		           X
Names and ages of pernsioners for
Revolutionary or military service.		           X
Number of white males over 21 years
of age who cannot read and write.		           X
Number of scholars (of various types).           X
Total number of person in household.         X X
General note: All of the above categories which refer to "number of persons" have to do with each household individually.
(a) Except Indians, not taxed.
(b) Free colored persons in age groups (under14, 14-25, 26-44, 45 and over) by sex.
(c) Free colored persons in age groups (under 10, 10-23, 24-35, 36-54, 55-99, 100 and over) by sex.
(d)
In age grous (under 14, 14-25, 26-44, 45 and over) by sex.
(e) In age groups (under 10, 10-23, 24-35, 36-54, 55-99, 100 and over) by sex.
(f) In age groups (under 14, 14-24, 25 and over). Slaves and free colored are grouped together.
(g) Those in public charge and those in private charge are separately listed.
(h) And the trades.

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Census Content (1850-1920)
Content 1850 1860 1870 1880 1900 1910 1920
Name of every person whose usual
place of abode on the census date
was in this household. (1)		 X X X X X X X
Dwelling houses are numbered in
order of enumerator's visit.		 X X X X X X X
Families are numbered in order of
enumerator's visit.		 X X X X X X X
Enumeration districts listed at top
of pages.		 X     X X X X
Post office addresses at top of pages.   X X X X X X
Street addresses given in cities.       X X X X
Age of every person at last birthday
prior to census date. (1)		 X X X X X(9) X X
Sex of every person. X X X X X X X
Color or race of every person. (2) X X X X X X X
Profession, occupation, or trade of
every person. (3)		 X X X X X X X
Value of real estate owned by person. X X X        
Value of personal property owned
by person.		   X X        
Place of birth (state, territory, or
country) of each person.		 X X X X X X X
Place of birth (state, territory, or
country) of each person's father
and mother. (7)		       X X X X
If person was married within the
census year. (1)		 X X X(8) X      
If person attended school within
the census year. (1)		 X X X X X(12) X X
If person could not read or write. (4) X X X X X X X
If person was deaf and dumb, blind,
insane, idiotic. (5)		 X X X X   X  
If person was a pauper or a
convict. (6)		 X X          
Month of birth if born within year
prior to census date. (1)		     X X      
If person's father/mother were of
foreign birth. (7)		     X        
If person was a male citizen of the
U.S. age 21 or over.		     X        
If person was a male citizen, age 21
or over, whose right to vote was
denied or abridged on grounds other
than rebellion or other crime.		     X        
Relationship of each person to head
of family.		       X X X X
Civil (marital) condition.       X X X X
Time unemployed within census
year. (10)		       X X X X
Sickness or disability, if person was
sick or temporarily disabled
(on date of enumerator's visit).		       X      
If person was maimed, crippled,
bedridden, or otherwise disabled.		       X      
Length of time in U.S. (for
immigrant) and whether naturalized.		         X X X(13)
If a farm or a home was owned or
rented and whether owned property
was mortgage free.		         X X X
Number of years of person's
present marriage.		         X X  
If person spoke English.         X X(11) X(11)
How many children a mother had had
and how many were still living.		         X X  
If person was a Civil War veteran
or widow.		           X  
Mother tongue of person's father
and mother.		             X
(1) Census date was June 1 for 1850-1900; April 15 for 1910; January 1 for 1920.
(2) In 1850 and 1860 this included white, black, and mulatto. In 1870 and 1880 it added Chinese and Indian. In 1900 and 1910 there was only a blank space to record "color or race."
(3) In 1850 this included only males over 15; in 1860 it included all persons over 15; in 1870 and 1880 it included all persons; in 1900 it included all 10 and older; and in 1910 it included all persons and indicated thetype of business in which employed and whether "employer, employee, or working on own account."
(4) In 1850 and 1860 this specifically related to only persons over 20. In 1870 and later there were twoseparate columns. Also in 1880 and later it identified those who "can," not those who "cannot."
(5) In 1850, 1860, and 1870 the correct word was to be written in the column; in 1880 and 1910 there were separate columns, but 1910 included only "deaf and dumb" and "blind in both eyes."
(6) The correct word was to be written in thecolumn.
(7) There are separate columns.
(8) Gives the specific month.
(9) Gives month and year of each person's birth.
(10) In 1880 and 1900 this figure is stated in number of months; in 1910 it is in number of weeks.
(11) Identifies language spoken.
(12) Asked for number of months attended, while all others only inquired as to whether the person attended school during the year.
(13) Gives year naturalized.

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