The United States Federal Census, also known as the Decennial Census, is enumerated every ten years. The first census was conducted in 1790 with the “census day” set on August 2nd. The recent 2022 US Census was the 24th Decennial Census, using April 1st as the census day.
The federal census is constitutionally mandated. Article One, Section Two of the United States Constitution mandates a “headcount” of “residents” every ten years for the purposes of apportioning the number of legislative seats in the House of Representatives in an equitable manner across the entire population.
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Enumeration process
The first US census was taken in 1790, conducted by enumerators in rural areas on horseback, and required 18 months to complete. In addition, the census day representing the day on which a “snapshot” of the population was captured, was August 2nd. Why August 2nd instead of the current April 1st? In 1790, the population of the United States was more agrarian with the majority living on farms and not urban with the minority of the population living in cities. It was also thought that the chances of making contact with a farming family was better in the summer months and during the harvest period than in the winter. Starting in 1960, the US Census was conducted by mail, and more recently the 2020 Census enumeration was online with each person completing a form via the Internet.
Census day
Since the Decennial Census is meant to be a “snapshot in time” of the population of the United States on a specific date, for each census Congress passed laws setting the “census day” as well as other procedures in order to meet the constitutional mandate. The Census Day has ranged from January 1st (1920 Census) and as late as August 2nd (1790 Census). Since the 1930 Census, the Census Day has been April 1st.
Population and non-population schedules
Most genealogy researchers rely only on the Population Schedules created for each census when looking for facts and clues about their ancestors. However, a variety of other schedules covering agriculture, business, and even mortality were also created during specific censuses. These “other schedules” often contain valuable insights into how your ancestors lived.
Names of household members
For the 1790 Census through the 1840 Census only the name of the head of household was collected. Other household members were “counted” based on gender, age, and other factors. It wasn’t until the 1850 Census that all household members were enumerated on each line by name, with the head of household listed first, and the relationship to the head of household listed for each member.
Slave schedules
Starting with the 1850 Census and continued through the 1860 Census, enslaved persons were enumerated on a separate schedule; however only the first names were listed along with the name of the slave owner. Beginning with the 1870 Census, after the Emancipation Proclamation Act of 1862, formerly enslaved persons were listed on the Population Schedule by name and in household groups.
Special schedules and listings
Periodically specific groups of the population were enumerated. One example: the Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Schedule enumerated during the 1880 Census listed those who were classified as insane, idiots, deaf-mutes, blind, homeless children, inhabitants in prison, and pauper & indigent. Included in this list are groups of records that are not necessarily separate schedules, but groupings of information at the end of a population schedule listing those living in institutions (prisons, veterans homes, convents, etc.) or in the military.
US census record sets
The types of records created as a part of the US Federal Census varies not only by census, but also by state and other thresholds (ex: the 1850 Agricultural Census did not include small farms producing less than $100 USD of product each year). They include:
Population schedules
The most widely used record set among the various United States Census schedules. The population schedule is considered a “snapshot” of residents on a specific date and in a specific location. Starting with a simple list of names of heads of household and a count of other household members, the population schedule expanded each decennial census to include more information. Starting with the 1850 Census, all household members were listed by name and included their relationship to the head of household. The 1950 US Census released to the public in April 2022 included over 40 different questions asked of those enumerated.
Agricultural schedules
For the 1850 through 1880 US Census (and for certain states that conducted a census in 1885), separate schedules were created for farms. These schedules contain data including name of the farm owner, number of acres of land, value of land, crops produced, and livestock raised.
Defective, dependent, and delinquent schedule
A separate schedule for Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent classes was enumerated for the 1880 US Census. Persons were classified as insane, idiots, deaf-mutes, blind, homeless children, inhabitants in prison, and pauper & indigent.
Institutions
Census population schedules often placed those enumerated in prisons, hospitals, poor houses, farms, and insane asylums at the rear of the pages for each enumeration district. Later censuses, such as the 1940 and 1950 US Census, specified that institutions be enumerated starting on a specific page number at the end of the schedule.
Manufacturing schedules
For the 1810, 1820, and 1850-1880 US Census, schedules were created using data enumerated for various types of manufacturers. The 1810 schedules are considered lost, and the 1820 schedules do not include detailed information. The 1850-1880 schedules included name of business or manufacturer, types of products produced, information on raw materials used and value of products produced annually.
Merchant seamen
For the 1930 US Census, seamen aboard merchant ships under the US flag were enumerated on Form 15-202, Crews of Vessels.
Similar to enumerated information for Institutions, population schedules for military forts, bases, and Navy ships appear at the rear of the pages for each enumeration district. For the 1950 Census, military personnel serving overseas were enumerated on separate schedules which were not microfilmed and were not part of the release of the 1950 Census date in April 2022.
Mortality schedules
For the 1850-1880 censuses, a list of people who had died the previous year was created as a separate schedule. The schedule references the Family Number from the population schedule for that census and lists the name of the decedent, the date of death, the cause of death, and in some censuses the name of the physician.
Slave schedules
A separate enumeration of enslaved persons was created for the 1850 and 1860 Census. Slaves were grouped by slave holder and listed the number of slaves owned, age, gender, color, whether the person was a fugitive, had been freed, and whether they were disabled (deaf, dumb (mute), blind, insance, or idiotic). On some schedules enslaved persons were listed by name.
Special inquiries relating to Indians
Also known as the “Indian Population Schedules,” created for the 1900 and 1910 US Census. These schedules contained only 20 lines (as opposed to 50 lines) and the bottom half contained special questions for Native Americans living on and off reservations.
Veterans schedule
Separate schedules enumerating veterans were created during the 1840 and 1890 Census. Although the 1890 population schedules do not exist (due to fire damage in the 1920s), the veterans schedules for that census does. The 1840 veterans schedule lists living pensioners going back to the Revolutionary War and lists the pensioner’s name, age, and the persons with whom they were living. The 1890 veterans schedule (“Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War”) lists Union Civil War Veterans (although some schedules also list Confederate veterans) as well as their name, rank, company, regiment or vessel, dates of enlistment and discharge, length of service, residence, disability, and remarks.
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) maintains a detailed list of Non-Population Schedules by State.
Accessibility of US federal census records
In 1952, Congress passed a law commonly known as the “72 Year Rule” meant to keep census records “private” and inaccessible to the public until 72 years after the Census Day. On April 1, 2012, the population schedules for the 1940 Census were released which was 72 years to the day of the Census Day. Recently, the 1950 Census records were released on April 1, 2022. And the 1960 Census is anticipated to be released on April 1, 2032.
In recent releases, only the population schedules were released. For the 1950 Census, although the back of the population schedule collected housing information (due to a post-World War II housing shortage), that side of the form was never microfilmed and the forms were destroyed once archiving was completed.
MyHeritage offers the full set of US federal census in a fully digitized and searchable format.
The 1890 US census
Most of the records for the 1890 Census were destroyed in a fire in 1931 at the Commerce Department Building in Washington, DC, and therefore no longer exist. Less than 1% of all the 1890 Census schedules are available for research. A list of 1890 Census records that are available can be found here.
1960 - 2020 US census records
Despite the 72-year privacy hold on census records, for a fee, those who are named in the 1960-2020 US Censuses or a person’s heirs or legal representatives can complete the Age Search Service application. A transcript of the record for that specific person will be sent, not the entire page of the population schedule.
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See also
Explore more about the United States federal census
- 1950 United States Federal Census on MyHeritage
- 1910 United States Federal Census on MyHeritage
- 1840 United States Federal Census on MyHeritage
- 1800 United States Federal Census on MyHeritage
- The U.S. Census: Tracing Your Family in Census Records at MyHeritage Knowledge Base
- Genealogy Cheat Sheets by Thomas MacEntee at Genealogy Bargains Blog
- History of United States Census Enumeration Procedures at IPUMS USA
- Charts and Forms at National Archives
- https://www.census.gov/history/www/faqs/genealogy_faqs/how_do_i_request_census_records_that_are_not_available_from_the_national_archives.html Age Search Service] at United States Census Bureau
- Privacy & Confidentiality at United States Census Bureau