The 1830 census was the first census for which the Federal Government provided blank printed forms to the U.S. Marshals.  Congress required the format shown below.

The law required "That every person whose usual place of abode shall be in any family on [June 1, 1830], shall be returned as of such family; and the name of every person, who shall be an inhabitant of any district or territory, but without a settled place of residence, shall be inserted in the column of the schedule which is allotted for the heads of families, in that division where he or she shall be on [June 1, 1830], and every person occasionally absent at the time of the enumeration, as belonging to that place in which he usually resides in the United States."

Secretary of State Martin Van Buren had general supervision of census operations and tabulating and reporting the results to the President and Congress.

The U.S. Marshal for each Federal judicial district was responsible for taking the census in his district with the help of assistant marshals whom he appointed.  Each marshal took an oath or affirmation that "I will truly and faithfully cause to be made, a full and perfect enumeration and description of all persons resident within my district (or territory,) and return the same to the Secretary of State, agreeably to the directions of an act of Congress, entitled, 'An act to provide for taking the fifth census, or enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States,' according to the best of my ability."  Each assistant marshal took an oath or affirmation that "I will make a just, faithful, and perfect enumeration and description of all persons, resident within the division assigned to me for that purpose ... and that I will take the said enumeration to the best of my ability, and that I will take the said enumeration and description, by actual inquiry at every dwelling-house within said division, or personal inquiry of the head of every family, and not otherwise."

Every person over age 16 was required to cooperate: "That each and every free person, more than sixteen years of age, whether heads of families or not ... shall be, and hereby is, obligated to render to the assistant [marshal] of the division, if required, a true account, to the best of his or her knowledge, of every person belonging to such family ... on pain of forfeiting twenty dollars...."

The census began on Tuesday, June 1, 1830, and was finished within 6 months.

U.S. marshals conducted the 1830 census under the rules and directions established in an Act of Congress approved March 23, 1830.

Free White Persons

• Name of head of family
• Number of free white males under 5 years of age
• Number of free white males of 5 and under 10 years of age
• Number of free white males of 10 and under 15 years of age
• Number of free white males of 15 and under 20 years of age
• Number of free white males of 20 and under 30 years of age
• Number of free white males of 30 and under 40 years of age
• Number of free white males of 40 and under 50 years of age
• Number of free white males of 50 and under 60 years of age
• Number of free white males of 60 and under 70 years of age
• Number of free white males of 70 and under 80 years of age
• Number of free white males of 80 and under 90 years of age
• Number of free white males of 90 and under 100 years of age
• Number of free white males of 100 years of age and upwards
• Number of free white females under 5 years of age
• Number of free white females of 5 and under 10 years of age
• Number of free white females of 10 and under 15 years of age
• Number of free white females of 15 and under 20 years of age
• Number of free white females of 20 and under 30 years of age
• Number of free white females of 30 and under 40 years of age
• Number of free white females of 40 and under 50 years of age
• Number of free white females of 50 and under 60 years of age
• Number of free white females of 60 and under 70 years of age
• Number of free white females of 70 and under 80 years of age
• Number of free white females of 80 and under 90 years of age
• Number of free white females of 90 and under 100 years of age
• Number of free white females of 100 years of age and upwards

Slaves

• Number of male slaves under 10 years of age
• Number of male slaves of 10 and under 24 years of age
• Number of male slaves of 24 and under 36 years of age
• Number of male slaves of 36 and under 55 years of age
• Number of male slaves of 55 and under 100 years of age
• Number of male slaves of 100 years of age and upwards
• Number of female slaves under 10 years of age
• Number of female slaves of 10 and under 24 years of age
• Number of female slaves of 24 and under 36 years of age
• Number of female slaves of 36 and under 55 years of age
• Number of female slaves of 55 and under 100 years of age
• Number of female slaves of 100 years of age and upwards

Free Colored Persons

• Number of free colored males under 10 years of age
• Number of free colored males of 10 and under 24 years of age
• Number of free colored males of 24 and under 36 years of age
• Number of free colored males of 36 and under 55 years of age
• Number of free colored males of 55 and under 100 years of age
• Number of free colored males of 100 years of age and upwards
• Number of free colored females under 10 years of age
• Number of free colored females of 10 and under 24 years of age
• Number of free colored females of 24 and under 36 years of age
• Number of free colored females of 36 and under 55 years of age
• Number of free colored females of 55 and under 100 years of age
• Number of free colored females of 100 years of age and upwards

Total (in each household)

White persons included in the foregoing

• Number who are deaf and dumb under 14 years of age
• Number who are deaf and dumb of 14 and under 25 years of age
• Number who are deaf and dumb of age 25 and upwards
• Number persons who are blind
• Number who are ALIENS--Foreigners not naturalized

Slaves and colored persons included in the foregoing

• Number who are deaf and dumb under 14 years of age
• Number who are deaf and dumb of 14 and under 25 years of age
• Number who are deaf and dumb of age 25 and upwards
• Number persons who are blind