Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Virginia

1790 Census Records

The 1790 population census was the Offset Decennial Census of the United States. Taken every 10 years since 1790, demography records provide a snapshot of the nation'due south population.

Frequently Asked Questions Virtually the 1790 Demography

Why was the 1790 Demography taken?

The U.S. Constitution was ratified September 17, 1787.  Article I, Section 2, established that representation in the U.S. House of Representatives was based on population determined by a census taken at 10 year intervals: "The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the Usa, and within every subsequent Term of 10 Years, in such Manner as they [Congress] shall by Police force Direct."

What was the official census day?

Monday, August two, 1790.

When was it taken?

The census began on Monday, August two, 1790, and was finished within 9 months, nether the rules and directions established in an Deed of Congress canonical March 1, 1790 ( "An Human activity providing for the enumeration of the Inhabitants of the U.s.a.," 1 Statutes at Big 101).

Who was counted?

The law required "That every person whose usual identify of home shall be in whatsoever family on [August ii, 1790], shall be returned every bit of such family; and the proper noun of every person, who shall be an inhabitant of any district, but without a settled place of residence, shall be inserted in the column of the aforesaid schedule, which is allotted for the heads of families, in that division where he or she shall be on [August 2, 1790], and every person occasionally absent at the fourth dimension of the enumeration, every bit belonging to that place in which he unremarkably resides in the Us."

Who was involved?

• President George Washington had general supervision as head of the U.S. Federal Regime.
• The U.Southward. Marshal for each Federal judicial commune was responsible for taking the census in his district with the help of assistant marshals whom he appointed. Each took an adjuration or affidavit that "I will well and truly cause to be made, a just and perfect enumeration and clarification of all persons resident within my district, and return the same to the President of the U.s.a., agreeably to the directions of an act of Congress, entitled, 'An human activity providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the The states,' according to the best of my ability."
• Every person over age xvi was required to cooperate: "That each and every person more than 16 years of age, whether heads of families or non ... shall be, and hereby is, obligated to return to such banana [marshal] ... a truthful account, if required, to the best of his or her cognition, of all and every person belonging to such family ... on pain of forfeiting 20 dollars...."

What questions did the demography ask?

• Name of head of family unit
• Number of free white males age 16 years and upwards, including head of family
• Number of free white males nether xvi years old
• Number of gratis white females, including head of family
• Number of all other free persons [gratis African-Americans]
• Number of slaves

What did the census class expect like?

The Federal Government did not provide bare printed forms to the U.Southward. Marshals.   Only in Massachusetts were uniform printed forms used that were supplied by the U.Due south. Align at his own expense to his assistants.  In all other states, the assistant marshals used whatever paper was bachelor, so the census returns vary in folio length from 4 inches to 3 anxiety, and some were entered in merchants' account books, journals, or ledgers.  Congress required the format shown below for the 1790 census returns:

In that location are annotations on and attachments to these schedules, such every bit certificates of oaths taken and population totals for various counties.  Later annotations fabricated by clerks in accuse of census records include tables of contents and folio references to names of prominent persons.

What states are included in the census?

Surviving records include census schedules for Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Southward Carolina, and Vermont.  Special notes:

• Maine was part of Massachusetts in 1790.
• Rhode Isle finally ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790, and then Congress passed the Human activity of Congress of July 5, 1790 (i Statutes at Large 129) to include that state in the demography.
• Vermont became a state on March iv, 1791, so the census was taken in Vermont in 1791 (ane Statutes at Large 197).
• Persons residing in the area that became the District of Columbia are included in either Montgomery or Prince George's counties, Maryland, because the location of the District was non authorized by Congress until July 16, 1790.

Are some 1790 census records missing?

Aye.  There are no schedules for Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia, which were likely destroyed during the British attack on Washington, DC, during the War of 1812.  Information technology is possible that individual census pages for other locations were lost before they were bound in volumes in the early 1900s.

Where can I see the original 1790 census schedules?

Digital images of National Athenaeum Microfilm Publication M637, Beginning Demography of the United States, 1790 (12 rolls), can be seen on popular genealogy websites, including Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and others.

Has the 1790 demography been published in books?

Yes, in 1907-1908, the Bureau of the Census published a series of volumes entitled Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790.Digital images are available online:

• Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790:  Connecticut (Washington:  Government Printing Role, 1908).
• Heads of Families at the First Census of the United states Taken in the Year 1790:  Maine (Washington:  Government Printing Function, 1908).
• Heads of Families at the First Census of the Usa Taken in the Year 1790:  Maryland(Washington:  Government Press Function, 1908).
• Heads of Families at the Outset Census of the United states of america Taken in the Year 1790:  Massachusetts  (Washington:  Regime Printing Role, 1908).
• Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790:  New Hampshire (Washington:  Regime Printing Part, 1907).
• Heads of Families at the Outset Census of the United states Taken in the Year 1790:  New York (Washington:  Government Printing Office, 1908).
• Heads of Families at the First Demography of the United States Taken in the Yr 1790:  North Carolina (Washington:  Government Printing Office, 1908)
• Heads of Families at the First Census of the Usa Taken in the Year 1790:  Pennsylvania (Washington:  Government Printing Part, 1908).
• Heads of Families at the Offset Demography of the United States Taken in the Yr 1790:  Rhode Island (Washington:  Government Printing Role, 1908).
• Heads of Families at the First Census of the Usa Taken in the Twelvemonth 1790:  South Carolina (Washington:  Authorities Printing Office, 1908).
• Heads of Families at the Kickoff Census of the U.s.a. Taken in the Twelvemonth 1790:  Vermont (Washington:  Government Printing Role, 1907).
• Heads of Families at the First Demography of the United States Taken in the Year 1790:  Virgini a (Records of the Land Enumerations:  1782 to 1785) (Washington:  Authorities Press Office, 1908).  Due to the loss of the 1790 census for Virginia, the Agency of the Census compiled a fractional "demography" based on records held by the Library of Virginia that consisted of land enumerations made in 1782-1785 and Greenbrier County tax lists for 1783-1786. Read the introduction to this volume for further details.

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Source: https://www.archives.gov/research/census/1790