1900 United States Census

Topics recorded and organization

The 1900 schedules collected information about households and individuals to support governmental and economic planning. Typical categories included name, relationship to head of household, sex, race, age, marital status, place of birth and parents' birthplaces, year of immigration, and naturalization status. Enumerators also recorded home ownership and basic employment details. Separate schedules covered farms and certain institutional populations.

Historical context

This census fell at the turn of the century, when the United States was shifting from a rural to an increasingly urban and industrial society. Large waves of immigrants arrived in prior decades, altering regional demographics and labor forces. Although the official 1890 population total was used for comparisons, many original 1890 census documents were later lost or damaged, complicating some historical research.

Uses and importance

Data from the 1900 census informed congressional apportionment, tax and infrastructure planning, and public health and education policy. Historians, demographers, and genealogists rely on these records to study family histories, migration patterns, and economic trends. Many of the surviving schedules have been preserved in archives and are accessible through public and commercial research services.

Notable features and legacy

• The 1900 census was the twelfth decennial census of the United States; contemporary sources often refer to it as the Twelfth Census.
• It was carried out by the federal Census Office and is part of the long series of decennial counts of the United States.
• Comparisons were made with the 1890 Census, showing substantial population growth during the 1890s.

Together the 1900 census records offer a detailed portrait of American life at a pivotal historical moment and remain a vital resource for quantitative and genealogical research.