1790 United States census
The 1790 United States census was the first United States census. It recorded the population of the whole United States as of Census Day, August 2, 1790, as mandated by Article 1, Section 2, of the Constitution and applicable laws. In the first census, the population of the United States was enumerated to be 3,929,214 inhabitants.
| 1790 United States census | ||
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Title page of 1790 United States census | ||
| General information | ||
| Country | United States | |
| Authority | Office of the United States Marshal | |
| Results | ||
| Total population | 3,929,214 | |
| Most populous | Virginia (747,610) | |
| Least populous | Delaware (59,094) | |
Congress assigned responsibility for the 1790 census to the marshals of United States judicial districts under an act, which with minor modifications and extensions, governed census taking through the 1840 census. "The law required that every household be visited, that completed census schedules be posted in 'two of the most public places within [each jurisdiction], there to remain for the inspection of all concerned...' and that 'the aggregate amount of each description of persons' for every district be transmitted to the president."