Virginia had the largest population in the 1790 United States census.
The first federal census recorded Virginia’s population as 747,610, making it the most populous state in the new Union. The census was conducted on August 2, 1790, under authority granted by Article I, Section 2, of the Constitution.
Virginia’s total included the area that later became West Virginia, as well as Kentucky, which was still part of Virginia when the census was taken. This geographic fact can cause confusion when comparing the 1790 figure with later state populations.
United States marshals conducted the enumeration by visiting households. The census counted free white males by age group, free white females, other free persons, and enslaved people. The nationwide total was reported as 3,929,214 inhabitants, although later corrections produced a slightly different aggregate in some historical tables. The results helped determine congressional representation and direct taxation.