Skip to Main Content

Historical U.S. census and vital records

1790 census

3.9 million persons

Geography: 13 original states plus Kentucky, Maine, Vermont, and Western Territories (Tennessee)

Publications: https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html

  • Return of the whole number of persons within the several districts of the United States: First census. U.S. Census Office. HA201.1790.C45 1976 (Stokes, reprint)
  • Return of the whole number of persons within the several districts of the United States, according to "An act providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States," passed March the first, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one. Philadelphia: Printed by Joseph Gales, no. 23, South Third Street, 1791. HA201.1790 .A32 (Rare- facsimile) and Return of the whole number of persons within the several districts of the United States [electronic resource]

1800 census

5.3 million persons

Geography: Add Tennessee, North West Territory, Indiana Territory, Miscopy Territory, and District of Columbia.

Publications:

1810 census

7.2 million persons

Geography: Add Ohio, East Tennessee, West Tennessee, Territories of Orleans, Mississippi, Louisiana, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan.

Publications: https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html

1820 census

9.6 million persons

Geography: Add Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana.

Publications: https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html

  • Aggregate amount of each discription [sic] of persons in the United States and their territories, according to the census, taken in virtue of the acts of Congress of 1820-1821: together with a list of the taxable inhabitants, slaves, and deaf and dumbGovernment Documents Collection (DOCS): Census Oversize HA201 1820 .A3q
  • Census for 1820. Published by authority of an act of Congress, under the direction of the secretary of state. Data and Statistical Services (DSS): Decennial Census. Oversize HA201 1820 1990f and Census for 1820 [electronic resource]