The front page of the Shore Line Times on April 21, 1910, included an article regarding the 1910 census, which at that time was in progress.
Each time the census has been taken it has included different questions to collect data for different reasons.
The census, required by the Constitution to be taken every 10 years, began in 1790 when only 6 questions were asked: The name of the head of the household, the number of free white males 16 years and older, the number of free white males under 16, the number of free white females (no age broken down), all other free persons, and the number of slaves.
The main reason for the census was to determine the number of Congressional seats allocated for electoral votes and funding for government programs. Slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person. The number of free white males was also used to assess the country’s industrial and military potential.
Over the years, Congress has authorized additional questions, to understand the changes occurring within the country, such as industrial trends, and to better understand the nation’s inhabitants, their activities and needs.
The 1810 Census collected economic data on the quantity and value of manufactured goods.
The 1820 census was the first census when data was collected on the number in the household who were foreigners who were not yet naturalized.
The 1830 census was the first census when the number in the household who were deaf and dumb or blind was collected.
The 1840 census noted those who were pensioners of the American Revolution or other military services. This census also recorded those in school, the number of insane and idiots, and the number of white persons over the age of 20 who could not read or write.
The 1850 census was the first census to record the names of each person, their exact age, their sex, and race. Race was broken down into white, black or mulatto. (Indians, not living on reservations, were recorded as “B” for black or “R” for red). The occupation of each male person over the age of 15 was recorded, as well as the value of their real estate, where they were born, and if they were married or had attended school within that year.
The 1860 census included a question on the value of their personal estate (different from real estate).
The 1870 census was the first census where race was further broken down to add “C” for Chinese, and “I” for Indian. People were also asked if either parent was of foreign birth. In that year, male citizens who were 21 years and older were asked if their voting rights had been denied on other grounds than rebellion or other crimes.
The 1880 census was the first census to record the relationship of each person to the head of the household. Marital status and the number of months a person was unemployed were also recorded.
Most of the 1890 census was destroyed by a fire in 1921, including the census records for Guilford.
The 1900 census recorded the month and year of birth, number of years of their present marriage, number of children born to a mother, and how many of those children were still living, whether they owned their home or rented, and if they lived on a farm. If they were not a citizen, they were asked what year they immigrated to the U.S., and if they were naturalized.
The 1910 census recorded if each person could speak English, and if not, what was the language they spoke. Veterans of the Civil War were also noted.
The 1920 census recorded whether they were an employer, salary or wage worker, or self-employed.
If you owned a radio in 1930, that was recorded in the census that year.
The 1940 census recorded the highest grade of school completed, if the person had a social security number, if deductions were made for Federal Old-Age Insurance or Railroad Retirement in 1939, and if so, what portion of their wages or salary was paid. Additional employment information was recorded for those 14 years old and over, including the number of weeks worked and the amount earned in 1939. These questions helped society understand the impact of the Great Depression.
These decennial census records are confidential for 72 years to protect respondents’ privacy (The 1940 census is the most recent census available to the public).
Through the decades, the census has collected data on race, ancestry, education, health, housing, and transportation. An examination of the questions asked during each census illustrates changes in our nation’s understanding of race, the impact of immigration, and the growth of the population.
As a result of the census’s evolution, the constitutionally mandated census has grown to provide information about the U.S. population and its housing. Coupled with data from the economic and government censuses and demographic and economic surveys, the U.S. Census Bureau provides governments, scholars, planners, businesses, and individuals the data they need to build schools, plan highways, open businesses, and distribute the billions of dollars in federal spending that sustains a growing population.
Compiled by Tracy Tomaselli (February 2020)
Sources:
https://www.census.gov/history/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/first-us-census-only-asked-six-questions-180964234/
