How many people did the 1790 United States census record?
Answer
3,929,214
The 1790 United States census recorded 3,929,214 people.
It was the first census conducted under the new Constitution. Census Day was August 2, 1790, and Congress assigned the work to marshals of the federal judicial districts. They visited households and recorded categories including free white males, free white females, other free people, and enslaved people.
The census covered the thirteen states and the Southwest Territory, but Vermont was counted separately after joining the Union in 1791. The results were published in 1791 in a report of 56 pages. Virginia was the most populous state, with 747,610 inhabitants in the published totals.
The figure is not a modern population estimate and was probably an undercount. George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson both suspected that some residents had been missed because communities were dispersed, travel was difficult, and participation depended on household visits. The census nevertheless created the first official nationwide population baseline.