1850 United States census

Seventh US census

1850 United States census

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Filled-out census-taker's form from 1850 U.S. census, including household of Abraham Lincoln

General information
Country| United States
Authority| Census Office
Results
Total population| 23,191,876 ( 35.9%)
Most populous state| New York
3,097,394
Least populous state| Florida
87,445

The 1850 United States census was the seventh decennial United States Census Conducted by the Census Office, it determined the resident population of the United States to be 23,191,876—an increase of 35.9 percent over the 17,069,453 persons enumerated during the 1840 census. The total population included 3,204,313 enslaved people.

Although the official date of the census date was June 1, 1850,[1] completed census forms indicate that the surveys continued to be made throughout the rest of the year.[2][3]

This was the first census where there was an attempt to collect information about every member of every household; women and children were named. Slaves were included by gender and estimated age on Slave Schedules, listed by the name of the owner. Prior to 1850, census records had recorded only the name of the head of the household and broad statistical accounting of other household members (three children under age five, one woman between the age of 35 and 40, etc.). This was also the first census to ask about place of birth of free residents.

Hinton Rowan Helper made extensive use of the 1850 census results in his influential anti-slavery book The Impending Crisis of the South (1857).

## Census questions

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The 1850 census, Schedule 1, Free Inhabitants, collected the following information:[4]

* name
* age
* sex
* color (white, black or mulatto) for each person
* whether deaf and dumb, blind, psychologically ill or idiotic
* value of real estate owned (required of all free persons)
* profession, occupation or trade of each male over 15 years of age
* place (state, territory or country) of birth
* whether married within the year
* whether attended school within the year
* whether unable to read and write (for people over 20)
* whether a pauper or convict

Full documentation for the 1850 population census, including census forms and enumerator instructions, is available from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.

## Economy

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The 1850 United States census collected a great amount of data that gave insight into the state of the U.S. economy in 1850. Some of the data revealed the growth of the economy with regard to agricultural and manufactured production, international trade, federal debt, taxation, transportation, education, and land expansion.

Agricultural Production
This census calculated the total land by state (in square miles), the total production of major goods and livestock per state (in respective units), the total value of each good produced, the total number of plantations per state, and various other statistics. The total agricultural production between in 1850 was calculated at about 1.3 billion dollars.

Manufactured Production
This census included the total manufactured production (in dollars), the total amount of capital invested, the total value of wages paid, the percent of profit (by state and total), the profit by state of major industries (cotton, wool, various iron work, breweries, fishing, salt), and other less significant statistics. Total manufactured production was valued at just over one billion dollars. This is a great increase over the totals estimated in 1820 and 1840. Also, in total, the manufacturing industry recorded an overall profit of 43%.

International Trade
The 1850 census contains the total value of imports and exports by state, statistics and names of the major imports and exports, the total values of shipping by state, and the value of imports and exports with various individual countries. The United States traded most with the United Kingdom. The imports and exports with the United Kingdom were both valued around 145 million dollars.

Federal Debt
This census contains yearly federal debt totals, total federal revenues, and total expenditures from 1790 to 1853. The total debt of the United States on July 1, 1854, was roughly 47.2 million dollars.

Taxation
The census contains some calculation of total annual federal taxes, but it is incomplete. It does however, give state taxation totals.

Transportation and Communication
This census calculates the total cost, size, and quantity of railroads and canals. The funded debt for railroads and canals in 1853 was 130 million. Their gross earnings were more than 38 million dollars. This census also contains estimates for growth in mileage of telegraphic lines in the United States. In 1853 the country contains 89 telegraph lines that stretched 23,261 miles (37,435 km). When published in 1854, the country had an estimated 30,000 miles (48,000 km) of telegraphic lines, a drastic increase.

Education
This census displays the advances of the United States in education and literacy by documenting the number of libraries, the number of schools (public, private, and colleges), state literacy rates, the total newspaper production and consumption, the educational levels of differing races, the total value of tuition costs, the amount of federal land given for education, and other various statistics.

Land Expansion
The 1850 census shows the great amount of territorial expansion that took place in the United States, following the Admission of Texas, the Oregon Treaty, and the Treaty with Mexico following the war in 1848. These three pieces of territory totaled an addition of more than a million square miles to the nation. In 1850, the United States contained 31 states and 4 organized territories (Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah).

Significance
The 1850 United States census can be seen as a historical document that gives insight into the state of the nation's economy in 1850. It is much more detailed and provides more information than the 1840 census.

This census was conducted during a very important period of growth and innovation in the United States, the Industrial Revolution. The statistics in this census provide data on the rate of growth that was taking place in 1850, which resulted in the emergence of the United States as an economic world power. Many of the statistics were compared to those of Great Britain and other world powers. This shows where the United States stood economically relative to the rest of the world.

## Data availability

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Microdata from the 1850 population census are freely available through the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. Aggregate data for small areas, together with compatible cartographic boundary files, can be downloaded from the National Historical Geographic Information System.

## State rankings

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Rank | State | Population

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01 | New York | 3,097,394
02 | Pennsylvania | 2,311,786
03 | Ohio | 1,980,329
04 | Virginia [5] | 1,421,661
05 | Tennessee | 1,002,717
06 | Massachusetts | 994,514
07 | Indiana | 988,416
08 | Kentucky | 982,405
09 | Georgia | 906,185
10 | North Carolina | 869,039
11 | Illinois | 851,470
12 | Alabama | 771,623
13 | Missouri | 682,044
14 | South Carolina | 668,507
15 | Mississippi | 606,526
16 | Maine | 583,169
17 | Maryland | 583,034
18 | Louisiana | 517,762
19 | New Jersey | 489,555
20 | Michigan | 397,654
21 | Connecticut | 370,792
22 | New Hampshire | 317,976
23 | Vermont | 314,120
24 | Wisconsin | 305,391
X | West Virginia [6] | 302,313
25 | Texas | 212,592
26 | Arkansas | 209,897
27 | Iowa | 192,214
28 | Rhode Island | 147,545
29 | California | 92,597
30 | Delaware | 91,532
31 | Florida | 87,445
X | New Mexico | 61,547
X | District of Columbia [7] | 51,687
X | Oregon | 12,093
X | Utah | 11,380
X | Minnesota | 6,077
X | Washington | 1,201

## City rankings

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Rank | City | State | Population[8] | Region (2016)[9]

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01 | New York | New York | 515,547 | Northeast
02 | Baltimore | Maryland | 169,054 | South
03 | Boston | Massachusetts | 136,881 | Northeast
04 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 121,376 | Northeast
05 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 116,375 | South
06 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 115,435 | Midwest
07 | Brooklyn | New York | 96,838 | Northeast
08 | St. Louis | Missouri | 77,860 | Midwest
09 | Spring Garden | Pennsylvania | 58,894 | Northeast
10 | Albany | New York | 50,763 | Northeast
11 | Northern Liberties | Pennsylvania | 47,223 | Northeast
12 | Kensington | Pennsylvania | 46,774 | Northeast
13 | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 46,601 | Northeast
14 | Louisville | Kentucky | 43,194 | South
15 | Charleston | South Carolina | 42,985 | South
16 | Buffalo | New York | 42,261 | Northeast
17 | Providence | Rhode Island | 41,513 | Northeast
18 | Washington | District of Columbia | 40,001 | South
19 | Newark | New Jersey | 38,894 | Northeast
20 | Southwark | Pennsylvania | 38,799 | Northeast
21 | Rochester | New York | 36,403 | Northeast
22 | Lowell | Massachusetts | 33,383 | Northeast
23 | Williamsburgh | New York | 30,780 | Northeast
24 | Chicago | Illinois | 29,963 | Midwest
25 | Troy | New York | 28,785 | Northeast
26 | Richmond | Virginia | 27,570 | South
27 | Moyamensing | Pennsylvania | 26,979 | Northeast
28 | Syracuse | New York | 22,271 | Northeast
29 | Allegheny | Pennsylvania | 21,262 | Northeast
30 | Detroit | Michigan | 21,019 | Midwest
31 | Portland | Maine | 20,815 | Northeast
32 | Mobile | Alabama | 20,515 | South
33 | New Haven | Connecticut | 20,345 | Northeast
34 | Salem | Massachusetts | 20,264 | Northeast
35 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | 20,061 | Midwest
36 | Roxbury | Massachusetts | 18,364 | Northeast
37 | Columbus | Ohio | 17,882 | Midwest
38 | Utica | New York | 17,565 | Northeast
39 | Charlestown | Massachusetts | 17,216 | Northeast
40 | Worcester | Massachusetts | 17,049 | Northeast
41 | Cleveland | Ohio | 17,034 | Midwest
42 | New Bedford | Massachusetts | 16,443 | Northeast
43 | Reading | Pennsylvania | 15,743 | Northeast
44 | Savannah | Georgia | 15,312 | South
45 | Cambridge | Massachusetts | 15,215 | Northeast
46 | Bangor | Maine | 14,432 | Northeast
47 | Norfolk | Virginia | 14,326 | South
48 | Lynn | Massachusetts | 14,257 | Northeast
49 | Lafayette | Louisiana | 14,190 | South
50 | Petersburg | Virginia | 14,010 | South
51 | Wilmington | Delaware | 13,979 | South
52 | Poughkeepsie | New York | 13,944 | Northeast
53 | Manchester | New Hampshire | 13,932 | Northeast
54 | Hartford | Connecticut | 13,555 | Northeast
55 | Lancaster | Pennsylvania | 12,369 | Northeast
56 | Lockport | New York | 12,323 | Northeast
57 | Oswego | New York | 12,205 | Northeast
58 | Springfield | Massachusetts | 11,766 | Northeast
59 | Fall River | Massachusetts | 11,524 | Northeast
60 | Smithfield | Rhode Island | 11,500 | Northeast
61 | Wheeling | Virginia[10] | 11,435 | South
62 | Newburgh | New York | 11,415 | Northeast
63 | Paterson | New Jersey | 11,334 | Northeast
64 | Dayton | Ohio | 10,977 | Midwest
65 | Taunton | Massachusetts | 10,441 | Northeast
66 | Norwich | Connecticut | 10,265 | Northeast
67 | Kingston | New York | 10,232 | Northeast
68 | Nashville | Tennessee | 10,165 | South
69 | New Brunswick | New Jersey | 10,019 | Northeast
70 | Portsmouth | New Hampshire | 9,738 | Northeast
71 | Newburyport | Massachusetts | 9,572 | Northeast
72 | Newport | Rhode Island | 9,563 | Northeast
73 | Auburn | New York | 9,548 | Northeast
74 | Camden | New Jersey | 9,479 | Northeast
75 | Augusta | Georgia | 9,448 | South
76 | Covington | Kentucky | 9,408 | South
77 | Fishkill | New York | 9,240 | Northeast
78 | New London | Connecticut | 8,991 | Northeast
79 | Penn | Pennsylvania | 8,939 | Northeast
80 | Schenectady | New York | 8,921 | Northeast
81 | Memphis | Tennessee | 8,841 | South
82 | Hempstead | New York | 8,811 | Northeast
83 | Alexandria | Virginia | 8,734 | South
83 | Chenango | New York | 8,734 | Northeast
85 | Montgomery | Alabama | 8,728 | South
86 | Portsmouth | Virginia | 8,626 | South
87 | Brookhaven | New York | 8,595 | Northeast
88 | Concord | New Hampshire | 8,576 | Northeast
89 | Seneca | New York | 8,505 | Northeast
90 | Nantucket | Massachusetts | 8,452 | Northeast
91 | Georgetown | District of Columbia | 8,366 | South
92 | Chicopee | Massachusetts | 8,291 | Northeast
93 | Lawrence | Massachusetts | 8,282 | Northeast
94 | Augusta | Maine | 8,225 | Northeast
95 | Dover | New Hampshire | 8,196 | Northeast
96 | New Albany | Indiana | 8,181 | Midwest
97 | Elmira | New York | 8,166 | Northeast
98 | Lexington | Kentucky | 8,159 | South
99 | Danvers | Massachusetts | 8,109 | Northeast
100 | Indianapolis | Indiana | 8,091 | Midwest

## Controversy

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The Utah Territorial census was taken in 1851. Secretary Broughton Harris refused to certify the census of Utah territory. Harris complained that Brigham Young had conducted the census without him, claimed several irregularities, and consequently withheld funds reserved for the census.[11] The controversy contributed to Harris' decision to join other Runaway Officials of 1851 and abandon his post in Utah Territory. Relationships with the federal government continued to sour and eventually resulted in the Utah War.

Local government officials feared having an enslaved population might impede the territory's quest for statehood, since certain members of Congress were concerned about expansion of slavery into the western territories.[12] The 1850 census slave schedule for Utah Territory reported only 26 slaves, with a note that all of them were heading to California, and did not include any enslaved people remaining in the territory.[13] John David Smith estimates that there were 100 blacks in Utah by 1850, with two-thirds of them enslaved.[14]

## See also

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* Joseph C. G. Kennedy – Supervisor of the 1850 and 1860 census

## References

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1. ^ "What day was the census taken each decade?". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
2. ^ "United States Census 1850, Maryland, Washington county Film Viewer – Image 127 of 529". familysearch.org. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
3. ^ "United States Census, 1850, Tennessee, Bedford county Film Viewer – Image 250 of 389". familysearch.org. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
4. ^ "Library Bibliography Bulletin 88, New York State Census Records, 1790–1925". New York State Library. October 1981. pp. 44 (p. 50 of PDF).
5. ^ Includes population in future state of West Virginia.
6. ^ Until 1863, the state of West Virginia was part of Virginia; the data for each state reflect the present-day boundaries.
7. ^ The District of Columbia is not a state but was created with the passage of the Residence Act of 1790.
8. ^ Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990, U.S. Census Bureau, 1998
9. ^ "Regions and Divisions". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 3, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
10. ^ Is located in present day West Virginia
11. ^ W. Paul Reeve; Ardis E. Parshall (2010). Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia. p. 26\. ISBN 978-1-59884-107-7.
12. ^ Nathaniel R. Ricks (2007). A Peculiar Place for the Peculiar Institution: Slavery and Sovereignty in Early Territorial Utah (MA thesis). Brigham Young University. hdl:1877/etd1909.
13. ^ Ronald G. Coleman (1976). "Blacks in Utah History: An Unknown Legacy". In Helen Z. Papanikolas (ed.). The Peoples of Utah. Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society. pp. 115–140\. ISBN 978-0-913738-26-9.115-140&rft.pub=Utah+State+Historical+Society&rft.date=1976&rft.isbn=978-0-913738-26-9&rft.au=Ronald+G.+Coleman&rft_id=https://historytogo.utah.gov/blacks-utah-history/&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:1850+United+States+census" class="Z3988">
14. ^ Randall M. Miller; John David Smith (1997). Dictionary of Afro-American Slavery. Greenwood Publishing. p. 506\. ISBN 978-0-275-95799-5.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1850 United States Census.

* Statistical View of the United States... (report on the seventh census, with tables)
* Library of Congress research guide for 1850 census \- links to primary documents

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