The Bowen family web
Bowen's on the census research program:
The 1790 Federal census.

The census information placed here is gathered or donated by and from various sources. We do our best to place only true and accurate work here, however researchers should use this information as a guide only in order to independently determine and qualify it's accuracy.

Should you have census information to contribute or a link to on-line resources that are not included or can add to this information please send it to us.

In 1908, the Census office began the project to index the 1790 census name lists. The publication : Bureau of the Census, Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790, 12 vols. (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1908 can be found in most research libraries. It includes the name lists for 12 of the 16 federal court districts that were originally enumerated in the 1790 census.

The National archves Microfilm Research room and the 13 Regional Records Services facilities hold microfilmed indexes that the Federal Government prepared for the 1790 census. The Government Printing Office published and indexed the 1790 schedules of 11 States, along with Virginia data that was reconstructed from state enumerations from 1782 to 1785 and was intended to replace the missing 1790 schedules. National Archives Microfilm Publication T498, First Census of the United States, 1790, reproduces these works, which are also commercially reprinted. List of Free Black Heads of Families in the First Census, 1790, Special List 34, compiled by Debra L. Newman (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Service, rev. 1974), indexes names of free black heads of families nationwide.

The 1790 original Federal Census is at the National Archives and Records Administration microfilm number M637 on 12 rolls.

Note : The State of Vermont entered the Union as the 14th state in early 1791, its census was taken as of April 1st,1791.
Also in 1790, Maine was still part of Massachusetts, but had its own census because it was a separate federal court district. The same was true of Kentucky,which was part of Virginia.

1790-1890 Federal Population Censuses

First Census of the United States, 1790.

M637. 12 rolls.

These are the original census schedules for 1790.
Schedules for some counties are missing. No schedules are known to exist for Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia; apparently they were destroyed during the British attack on Washington during the War of 1812. The 1790 schedules for Virginia that appear on microfilm publication T498 were reconstructed from state enumerations.

1. Connecticut

2. Maine

3. Maryland

4. Massachusetts

5. New Hampshire

6. New York

7. North Carolina

8. Pennsylvania: Berks, Chester, Delaware, Huntington, Mifflin (part), Luzerne, Dauphin, Northampton, Cumberland, Fayette, Westmoreland (part), Bucks, and Lancaster Counties

9. Pennsylvania: Montgomery, Westmoreland (part), Allegheny,Washington, Bedford, Franklin, York, Northumberland, Mifflin (part) and Philadelphia Counties

10. Rhode Island

11. South Carolina

12. Vermont

First Census of the United States, 1790.

T498. 3 rolls.

These are the printed schedules as published by the Bureau of the Census in 1907-8.
At the end of roll 3, the 1840 Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services has also been reproduced.

1. Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire

2. New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania

3. Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia

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1790 Bowens' on the census by state:

[ Connecticut ]

[ Massachusetts ]

[ Maine ] was part of Massachusetts in 1790

[ Maryland ]

[ New Hampshire ]

[ New York ]

[ North Carolina ]

[ Pennsylvania ]

[ Rhode Island ]

[ South Carolina ]

[ Vermont ]

The following census schedules were destroyed by the damn British in the war of 1812.
Listed below each state are sources for alternative or reconstructed information.

[ Delaware ]

Ronald Vern Jackson, Delaware 1790 Census: Reconstructed from Tax Lists (book, AIS microfiche, and Internet census searches).

Leon DeValinger, Jr., Reconstructed 1790 Census of Delaware (book, film, and fiche).

[ Virginia ] This census was "reconstructed" from tax lists.

Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790: Records of the State Enumerators, 1782 to 1785, Virginia (book and film).

Augusta B. Fothergill, Virginia Taxpayers, 1782-1787, Other Than Those Published by the Unites States Census Bureau (book and fiche).

Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florence Speakman Love, The 1787 Census of Virginia . . . (book only).

[ Kentucky ] [ Kentucky Gen web ]

Charles Brunk Heinemann, First Census of Kentucky, 1790 (book, film, and fiche).

In 1790, the area which was to become the state of Kentucky in 1792, was within the state boundry of Virginia.
As a result, the 1790 Federal Census for Virginia contains records for residents of the soon to be created state of Kentucky.
For information see:
Reconstructed Federal Census of Kentucky, 1790.
Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1940.
By Charles B. Heinemann.

[ Georgia ]

Marie De Lamar and Elizabeth Rothstein, The Reconstructed 1790 Census of Georgia (book only).

[ New Jersey ] [ New Jersey gen web ]

Ronald Vern Jackson, New Jersey Tax Lists, 1772-1822 (book, AIS microfiche, and Internet census searches).

[ Tennessee ] [ Tennessee genweb ]

Betty Goff Cook Cartwright and Lillian Johnson Gardiner, North Carolina Land Grants in Tennessee, 1778-1791 (book only).

 

The information gathered for the 1790 schedule is as follows:
Name of the head of family; number of free white males of 16 years and up; number of free white males under 16; number of free white females; number of all other free persons; number of slaves.

Page	Name of Head of Family	Free White Males 16 years & upwards including heads of families	Free White Males under 16 years	Free White Females including heads of families	All Other Free Persons	Slaves	Dwellings/ Other information

Online census resources for genealogists :

[ US GenWeb census index ] [ census online ] [ rootsweb census ] [ gen web states listing ]

[ The Boen Researcher ] [ The Bowen Depository ][ National Archives ][ genealogy info nara ]

 

 

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