1910 United States census

The 1910 United States census, conducted by the Census Bureau on April 15, 1910, counted the number of people living in the United States at that time. It found that 92,228,496 people lived in the country, which was 21 percent more than the 76,212,168 people counted in the 1900 census.

This census was special because it changed the way the information was recorded, switching from a portrait page orientation to a landscape orientation.

This census was also important because it was the last time that Texas did not have any cities in the top 50 largest cities by population, even though it was the fifth most populous state at the time. Another interesting fact is that for the first time, all of the top 50 largest cities in the United States had more than 100,000 people living in them.

The 1910 census introduced something new called metropolitan districts. These were the beginning of what we now call metropolitan statistical areas. They were used for cities that had at least 200,000 people. This helped to better understand how people lived and worked in larger city areas.

Organization

Dr. Edward Dana Durand, who led the Bureau of Corporations at the time, was chosen in 1909 to be in charge of the census. The government set aside $14 million to count the country's people.

Census questions

The 1910 census collected important details about people living in the United States. It asked for information such as each person's address, name, age, sex, race, and family relationships.

It also gathered data on where people were born, their languages, jobs, whether they could read and write, and if they attended school. Other questions covered home ownership, whether someone served in the Civil War, and any special conditions like being blind or deaf. Full records from this census can be found in the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.

Column titles

The 1910 United States census recorded information about families and people living in the country on April 15, 1910. The census form had many columns with titles such as:

• Location: The street name and house number.
• Name: The full name of each person in the family, listed with the surname first.
• Relationship: How each person was related to the head of the family.
• Personal Description: Information like sex, race, age, and marital status.
• Nativity: Where each person and their parents were born.
• Citizenship: Year of immigration and whether the person was naturalized or still a foreign alien.
• Occupation: Job title, type of industry, and employment status.
• Education: Whether the person could read, write, or had attended school recently.
• Home Ownership: Whether the family owned or rented their home.

These columns helped the government learn more about the population and its needs.

State rankings

The 1910 United States census counted the population of the country to be 92,228,496 people. This was an increase of 21 percent from the 1900 census, which had recorded 76,212,168 people. During this census, the way information was recorded changed from a portrait style to a landscape style.

At this time, Texas was the fifth most populated state, but it did not have any cities among the top 50 largest cities in the country.

City rankings

The 1910 United States census counted the people living in the country. The total was 92,228,496. This was a big increase, 21 percent more than the census in 1900. In this census, the way information was written changed. Instead of standing upright, it was written lying flat on its side.

This census was also notable because Texas, the fifth most populated state at the time, did not have any cities in the top 50 most populated cities in the country.

Locations of 50 most populous cities

The 1910 United States census listed the 50 biggest cities in the country. Major cities included New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. Other important cities were Boston, San Francisco, Washington, and Seattle.

The map shows where these cities were across the United States. Some cities, like Paterson, New Jersey, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Bridgeport, Connecticut, were smaller but still mattered at the time. Texas, a large state, did not have any cities in the top 50 even though it was the fifth most populous state.

First language of the foreign-born population

The 1910 United States census gathered information about the languages spoken by people born outside the United States. This helped officials learn about the different backgrounds of immigrants living in the country at that time. The data showed which languages were most commonly spoken among immigrants.

Data availability

The original papers from the 1910 United States census were filmed by the Census Bureau in the 1940s and then destroyed. You can see these filmed records in rolls from the National Archives and Records Administration. Some websites also show these films online and have digital indexes to help you search.

Data from the 1910 census is available for free through the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. You can also download aggregate data for smaller areas and electronic maps from the National Historical Geographic Information System.