Enumerators of the 1790 census were asked to include the following categories in the census: name of head of household, number of free white males of sixteen years and older, number of free white males under sixteen years, number of free white females, number of all other free persons, number of slaves, and sometimes town or district of residence.In 1790 the enumerator could arrange the records as he pleased.

Additional Information

The United States was the first country to call for a regularly held census. The Constitution required that a census of all "Persons...excluding Indians not taxed" be performed to determine the collection of taxes and the appropriation of seats in the House of Representatives. The first nine censuses from 1790-1870 were organized under the United States Federal Court system. Each district was assigned a U.S. marshal who hired other marshals to administer the census. Governors were responsible for enumeration in territories.

The jurisdiction of the original thirteen states canvassed an area of seventeen present states. Schedules survive for eleven of the thirteen original states: Connecticut, Maine (part of Massachusetts at the time), Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont. (Vermont became the fourteenth state early in 1791 and was included in the census schedules).

Enumerators were only required to make one copy of the census schedules to be held by the clerk of the district court in their respective area. In 1830, Congress passed a law requiring the return of all decennial censuses from 1790-1830. At this point it was discovered that many of the 1790 schedules had been lost or destroyed. Thus, we have about two-thirds of the original census from the time period. The 1790 census suffered district losses of Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Virginia. However, some of the schedules for these states have been re-created using tax lists and other records. Virginia was eventually reconstructed from tax lists as well as some counties from North Carolina and Maryland.

Taken from Chapter 5: Research in Census Records, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy by Loretto Dennis Szucs; edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Incorporated, 1997).



 

1790 Census Database - Saratoga County, New York  --None Found
1790 Stokes County, North Carolina Census -- None Found
1790 Surry County, North Carolina Census --None Found
Hampden County, Massachusetts Granville 1790 Census --None Found
Massachusetts, Bristol County 1790 Census --None Found

Ancestry.com 1790 Census Database  (includes Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, New York, South Carolina, Maryland, North Carolina, Vermont, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania

Abraham Piatt Esqr, Northumberland Co PA Roll M637_9, Unknown Township
James Pyott  Delaware Co, PA, Roll: M637_9,  Upper Darby Township
John, Junr Pyat, Northumberland Co,  Roll: M637_9, Unknown Township
John, senr Pyat, Northumberland Co, PA, Roll: M637_9, Unknown Township
Elizabeth Peate, Washington Co, PA, Roll: M637_9, Unknown Township

John Pyatt, Westchester Co, NY Roll: M637_6, Poundridge Township
Lemuel Pyatt,  Westchester Co, NY Roll: M637_6, Salem Township

Peter Pyatt, Charleston Co, SC Roll:  M637_11, St. Phillips And St. Michaels Township
John Pyatt, Georgetown Co, SC Roll: M637_11, Prince Georges Township
John (Overseer for his Daughter) Pyatt, Georgetown Co, SC Roll: M637_11, Prince Georges Township
John Peyot , Chatham Co, SC, Roll: M637_7, Unknown Township

John Piet, Litchfield Co, CT,  Roll: M637_1, Kent Township

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