An official website of the United States government                

----

end of header

# History

###### You are here: Census.gov ›  History ›  FAQs › Demographic FAQs › Why do the schedules used in the 1790-1820 censuses differ?

Skip top of page navigation

                - History Main
                - Agency History                    - Director Biographies
                  - Census Facilities
                  - Suitland, MD
                  - Notable Alumni
                - Innovations                    - Data Collection
                  - Technology
                - Programs                    - Agriculture
                  - Demographic
                  - Housing
                  - Economic
                  - Geography
                  - Governments
                - Through the Decades                    - Fast Facts
                  - Overview
                  - Index of Questions
                  - Questionnaires
                  - Census Instructions
                - Genealogy                    - Decennial Census Records
                  - Other Resources
                - Reference                    - Data@Museums
                  - Artifacts
                  - Lesson Plans
                  - Legislation
                  - Maps
                  - Oral Histories
                  - Privacy & Confidentiality
                  - Apportionment
                  - Publications 
                - Home Page Archive                    - 2024
                  - 2023
                  - 2022
                  - 2021
                  - 2020
                  - 2019
                  - 2018
                  - 2017
                  - 2016
                  - 2015
                  - 2014 
                - FAQs                    - Genealogy
                  - Agency History
                  - Demographic
                  - Economic
                  - Governments
                  - Agriculture
                  - Geography
                  - Innovations
                  - Miscellaneous

### Demographic FAQs

### Also in this Section:

                          - What day was the census taken each decade?
                          - When was Puerto Rico first included in a census of the United States?
                          - When was the first census in the United States?
                          - When did the U.S. Census Bureau begin using statistical sampling?
                          - Why do the schedules used in the 1790-1820 censuses differ?
                          - When did the U.S. Census Bureau begin collecting housing data?
                          - Have census records always been confidential?

## Why do the schedules used in the 1790-1820 censuses differ?

From 1790 to 1820, the U.S. Marshals conducting the census only received instructions about what to ask.  Each marshal supplied his own paper and used whatever method he chose to divide the paper into the columns needed to collect the required information.  The method for recording the data was not standardized until 1830 when marshals received uniform printed schedules.

CONNECT WITH US**********

                            - Information Quality
                            - Data Linkage Infrastructure
                            - Data Protection and Privacy Policy
                            - Accessibility
                            - FOIA
                            - Inspector General
                            - No FEAR Act
                            - U.S. Department of Commerce
                            - USA.gov

----

Measuring America's People, Places, and Economy

Is this page helpful?
YesNo

NO THANKS

255 characters maximum255 characters maximum reached

Thank you for your feedback.Comments or suggestions?