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Decennial Censuses of the United States

Our representative form of government requires that a census of the population be taken every 10 years to apportion representatives fairly among the States. Penrose Library holds many of these materials. This guide will help you gain access to these materials, and will direct you to other local resources when appropriate.

Penrose Library has been a federal depository library since 1909. We have most decennial census materials since then, and selected materials before then. Please be aware that many of these earlier materials have not yet been cataloged in Peak: The Library Catalog.

The U.S. Census Bureau has produced a helpful online guide to decennial censuses: Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses From 1790 to 2000.

Penrose Library does not own census population schedules. Users doing research on population schedules are directed to go to the Denver Public Library, the Colorado State Archives, or the National Archives Denver office.

|  Decennial Census Publications in Penrose Library |  Decennial Census Materials Online |  Helpful Related Resources | 
Decennial Census Publications in Penrose Library
The following list presents locations of materials in the Penrose Documents Stacks.
1790: First Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
C 3.11:

1860: Eighth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
I 9.5:

1870: Ninth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
I 10.5:

1880: Tenth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
I 11.5:

1890: Eleventh Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
I 12.5:

1900: Twelfth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
I 13.5:

1910: Thirteenth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
C 3.16:

1920: Fourteenth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
C 3.28/5:

1930: Fifteenth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
C 3.37/5:

1940: Sixteenth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
C 3.940-5:

1950: Seventeenth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
C 3.950

1960: Eighteenth Census
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
C 3.223/9:960

1970: Nineteenth Census Documents Stacks
C 3.223/9:970

1980: Twentieth Census Documents Stacks
C 3.223/6:980

1990: Twenty-first Census Documents Stacks
C 3.223/6:990

2000: Twenty-second: Summary Population And Housing Characteristics Documents Stacks
C 3.223/18:2000

2000: Twenty-second: Summary Social, Economic, And Housing Characteristics Documents Stacks
C 3.223/23:2000


Decennial Census Materials Online
Several Web sources, official and unofficial, provide decennial census statistics.
United States Historical Census Data Browser http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/
Coverage includes the 1790 through 1960 decennial censuses.

American Factfinder http://factfinder.census.gov/
Census Bureau data archive for the 1990 decennial census and Census 2000. Follow these suggestions in searching it:

  • Use the Data Sets section, rather than Basic Facts.
  • When formulating a query with Detailed Tables, but sure that the "show all geographic types" box is checked. Otherwise, you will not be able to retrive data by zip code or other geographic types.
  • The 1990 census is not as well developed in American Factfinder as Census 2000 is. Many of the tables are incomprehensible unless you select a table and click the "What's This" button. This is the only way to discover the Universe for the table.
Selected Historical Decennial Census Population and Housing Counts http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/hiscendata.html
The Census Bureau has provided online versions of several subject reports relating to historic decennial censuses.

Census Bureau: 1990 Census Background and Publications http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen1990.html
Provides access to technical background, questionnaires, search strageties, background papers, and subject reports for the 1990 census.

Your Gateway to Census 2000 http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html
This Census Bureau Web page provides access to technical background, questionnaires, search strageties, background papers, and subject reports for Census 2000.


Helpful Related Resources
The following resources include or summarize historic decennial census data.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
See PEAK Catalog 		Documents Stacks
C 3.134:
Penrose Library owns most of the annual volumes of this Census Bureau publication, generally considered the best starting point for U.S. statistical research.

Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970
See PEAK Catalog 		Ready Reference Docs
C 3.134/2:H 62/789-970/
This standard census reference source is an excellent way to do longitudinal census research.


Christopher Brown
Reference Librarian/Government Documents Librarian
303.871.3404
Christopher.Brown@du.edu
http://www.du.edu/~cbrown/
Copyright University of Denver, Penrose Library, 22-Aug-03
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