The first U.S. census recorded a population of 3,929,214 in 1790.
The census counted the population as of August 2, 1790, shortly after the new federal government began operating under the Constitution. Article I, Section 2, required an enumeration so congressional representation and direct taxes could be apportioned among the states.
U.S. marshals conducted the count rather than a separate permanent census agency. Enumerators visited households and recorded categories defined by law, including free people and enslaved people. The census therefore reflects the population and legal system of its era, not a modern demographic classification.
Virginia was the most populous state in the 1790 count, with 747,610 people, while Delaware was the least populous among the states counted. The total excludes some Native Americans who were not counted under the census rules.