Historical Censuses & Surveys

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Historical Censuses & Surveys

As the United States grew, the nation's interests became more complex. People and policy planners needed a more detailed idea of the economic and demographic characteristics of America so that they could make decisions and plan for the future. Because of this, the original census expanded over time from a simple population headcount in 1790 (which only classified Americans by age, sex, and race), to over 200 different surveys, censuses, and statistical and geographic programs today.

Facts by Decade

Get a quick portrait of the U.S. by decade with pop culture milestones, population highlights, census details, and the 10 largest urban places.

Survey and Census History

Learn the history of our different censuses, surveys, and statistical programs, from the Decennial Census and Economic Census to demographic and more.

Program References

In this section we provide links to a variety of reference materials that may be useful in conducting historical and genealogical research.