The first United States census was conducted in 1790.
The census followed the Constitution’s requirement for a population count every ten years. It was conducted under Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, and marshals gathered information from households across the newly established United States.
The first count recorded about 3.9 million people, excluding most Native Americans under the rules used at the time. The population total helped determine representation in the House of Representatives and the allocation of certain direct taxes.
The 1790 census is relevant to America250 because it shows the young republic beginning to measure and administer itself soon after independence. It also illustrates why historical statistics must be read in context: the categories, coverage, and treatment of Native and enslaved people differed substantially from modern census practice. The Census Bureau itself was not created until later; early counts were managed by federal marshals.