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Agency History
Learn more about our facilities, our innovations, and the who played a role in shaping the U.S. Census Bureau.
Census Records & Family History
The United States has collected data about its population since 1790 and continues to collect data every 10 years. Learn how to find previous census records.
Historical Censuses & Surveys
Learn how the census expanded over time from a simple headcount in 1790, to over 200 different surveys today.
Galleries & Archives
View publications, maps, and more that provide information about the history of the Census Bureau and its programs.

U.S. Census Bureau History

While the U.S. Constitution requires only a population count every ten years via a decennial census, the ever-increasing need for more useful information about the United States' people, governments, businesses, and the economy drove the U.S. Census Bureau to evolve into the premier statistical agency of the federal government.  

Learn more about U.S. Census Bureau history and timeline, and the people, innovations and places that shaped it into what it is today.

Page Last Revised - February 26, 2024
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