Colonel William A. Phillips

The 1910 United States census, conducted by the Census Bureau on April 15, 1910, determined the resident population of the United States to be 92,228,496, an increase of 21 percent over the 76,212,168 persons enumerated during the 1900 census. The 1910 census switched from a portrait page orientation to a landscape orientation.

This was the last census in which Texas did not record any top 50 largest cities by population, despite being the 5th most populous state at the time. It was also the first census in which all the top 50 largest cities had population over 100,000, and the first census to occur after New York City's five-borough amalgamation — Brooklyn was previously the 4th largest city in the United States on its own.

The 1910 census was the first to use metropolitan districts, the predecessor to modern metropolitan statistical areas, which were defined for all cities with at least 200,000 people.[1]

Census questions

The 1910 census collected the following information:[2]

  • address
  • name
  • relationship to head of family
  • sex
  • race
  • age
  • marital status and, if married, number of years of present marriage
  • for women, number of children born and number now living
  • place of birth and mother tongue of person, and their parents
  • if foreign born, year of immigration; whether naturalized; whether able to speak English and, if unable, language spoken
  • occupation, industry and class of worker
  • if an employee, whether out of work during year
  • literacy
  • school attendance
  • whether home owned or rented, and, if owned, whether mortgaged
  • whether farm or house
  • whether a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy
  • whether blind, deaf, or dumb

Full documentation for the 1910 census, including census forms and enumerator instructions, is available from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.

Column titles

The column titles in the census form are as follows:

LOCATION. Street, avenue, road, etc.
House number (in cities or towns).
1. Number of dwelling house in order of visitation.
2. Number of family in order of visitation.


3. NAME of each person whose place of abode on April 15, 1910, was in this family.

Enter surname first, then the given name and middle initial, if any.

Include every person living on April 15, 1910. Omit children born since April 15, 1910.


RELATION.

4. Relationship of this person to the head of the family.


PERSONAL DESCRIPTION.

5. Sex.

6. Color or race.

7. Age at last birthday.

8. Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced.

9. Number of years of present marriage.

10. Mother of how many children: Number born.

11. Mother of how many children: Number now living.


NATIVITY.

Place of birth of each person and parents of each person enumerated. If born in the United States, give the state or territory. If of foreign birth, give the country.

12. Place of birth of this Person.

13. Place of birth of Father of this person.

14. Place of birth of Mother of this person.


CITIZENSHIP.

15. Year of immigration to the United States.

16. Whether naturalized or alien.


17. Whether able to speak English; or, if not, give language spoken.


OCCUPATION.

18. Trade or profession of, or particular kind of work done by this person, as spinner, salesman, laborer, etc.,

19. General nature of industry, business, or establishment in which this person works, as cotton mill, dry goods store, farm, etc.

20. Whether as employer, employee, or work on own account.


If an employee – 21. Whether out of work on April 15, 1910.

22. Number of weeks out of work during year 1909.


EDUCATION.

23. Whether able to read.

24. Whether able to write.

25. Attended school any time since September 1, 1909.


OWNERSHIP OF HOME.

26. Owned or rented.

27. Owned free or mortgaged.

28. Farm or house.

29. Number of farm schedule.


30. Whether a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy.


31. Whether blind (both eyes).


32. Whether deaf and dumb.


State rankings

Rank State Population as of
1910 census[3]
Population as of
1900 census
Change Percent
change
1  New York 9,113,614 7,268,894 1,844,720 Increase 25.4% Increase
2  Pennsylvania 7,665,111 6,302,115 1,362,996 Increase 21.6% Increase
3  Illinois 5,638,591 4,821,550 817,041 Increase 16.9% Increase
4  Ohio 4,767,121 4,157,545 609,576 Increase 14.7% Increase
5  Texas 3,896,542 3,048,710 847,832 Increase 27.8% Increase
6  Massachusetts 3,366,416 2,805,346 561,070 Increase 20.0% Increase
7  Missouri 3,293,335 3,106,665 186,670 Increase 6.0% Increase
8  Michigan 2,810,173 2,420,982 389,191 Increase 16.1% Increase
9  Indiana 2,700,876 2,516,462 184,414 Increase 7.3% Increase
10  Georgia 2,609,121 2,216,331 392,790 Increase 17.7% Increase
11  New Jersey 2,537,167 1,883,669 653,498 Increase 34.7% Increase
12 California 2,377,549 1,485,053 892,496 Increase 60.1% Increase
13  Wisconsin 2,333,860 2,069,042 264,818 Increase 12.8% Increase
14  Kentucky 2,289,905 2,147,174 142,731 Increase 6.6% Increase
15  Iowa 2,224,771 2,231,853 −7,082 Decrease −0.3% Decrease
16  North Carolina 2,206,287 1,893,810 312,477 Increase 16.5% Increase
17  Tennessee 2,184,789 2,020,616 164,173 Increase 8.1% Increase
18  Alabama 2,138,093 1,828,697 309,396 Increase 16.9% Increase
19  Minnesota 2,075,708 1,751,394 324,314 Increase 18.5% Increase
20  Virginia 2,061,612 1,854,184 207,428 Increase 11.2% Increase
21  Mississippi 1,797,114 1,551,270 245,844 Increase 15.8% Increase
22  Kansas 1,690,949 1,470,495 220,454 Increase 15.0% Increase
23  Oklahoma 1,657,155 790,391 866,764 Increase 109.7% Increase
24  Louisiana 1,656,388 1,381,625 274,763 Increase 19.9% Increase
25  Arkansas 1,574,449 1,311,564 262,885 Increase 20.0% Increase
26  South Carolina 1,515,400 1,340,316 175,084 Increase 13.1% Increase
27  Maryland 1,295,346 1,188,044 107,302 Increase 9.0% Increase
28  West Virginia 1,221,119 958,800 262,319 Increase 27.4% Increase
29  Nebraska 1,192,214 1,066,300 125,914 Increase 11.8% Increase
30  Washington 1,141,990 518,103 623,887 Increase 120.4% Increase
31  Connecticut 1,114,756 908,420 206,336 Increase 22.7% Increase
32  Colorado 799,024 539,700 259,324 Increase 48.0% Increase
33  Florida 752,619 528,542 224,077 Increase 42.4% Increase
34  Maine 742,371 694,466 47,905 Increase 6.9% Increase
35  Oregon 672,765 413,536 259,229 Increase 62.7% Increase
36  South Dakota 583,888 401,570 182,318 Increase 45.4% Increase
37  North Dakota 577,056 319,146 257,910 Increase 80.8% Increase
38  Rhode Island 542,610 428,556 114,054 Increase 26.6% Increase
39  New Hampshire 430,572 411,588 18,984 Increase 4.6% Increase
40  Montana 376,053 243,329 132,724 Increase 54.5% Increase
41  Utah 373,351 276,749 96,602 Increase 34.9% Increase
42  Vermont 355,956 343,641 12,315 Increase 3.6% Increase
 District of Columbia 331,069 278,718 52,351 Increase 18.8% Increase
 New Mexico 327,301 195,310 131,991 Increase 67.6% Increase
43  Idaho 325,594 161,772 163,822 Increase 101.3% Increase
 Arizona 204,354 122,931 81,423 Increase 66.2% Increase
44  Delaware 202,322 184,735 17,587 Increase 9.5% Increase
 Hawaii 191,874 154,001 37,873 Increase 24.6% Increase
45  Wyoming 145,965 92,531 53,434 Increase 57.7% Increase
46  Nevada 81,875 42,335 39,540 Increase 93.4% Increase
 Alaska 64,356 63,592 764 Increase 1.2% Increase

City rankings

Rank City State Population[4] Region (2016)[5]
01 New York New York 4,766,883 Northeast
02 Chicago Illinois 2,185,283 Midwest
03 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 1,549,008 Northeast
04 St. Louis Missouri 687,029 Midwest
05 Boston Massachusetts 670,585 Northeast
06 Cleveland Ohio 560,663 Midwest
07 Baltimore Maryland 558,485 South
08 Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 533,905 Northeast
09 Detroit Michigan 465,766 Midwest
10 Buffalo New York 423,715 Northeast
11 San Francisco California 416,912 West
12 Milwaukee Wisconsin 373,857 Midwest
13 Cincinnati Ohio 363,591 Midwest
14 Newark New Jersey 347,469 Northeast
15 New Orleans Louisiana 339,075 South
16 Washington District of Columbia 331,069 South
17 Los Angeles California 319,198 West
18 Minneapolis Minnesota 301,408 Midwest
19 Jersey City New Jersey 267,779 Northeast
20 Kansas City Missouri 248,381 Midwest
21 Seattle Washington 237,194 West
22 Indianapolis Indiana 233,650 Midwest
23 Providence Rhode Island 224,326 Northeast
24 Louisville Kentucky 223,928 South
25 Rochester New York 218,149 Northeast
26 Saint Paul Minnesota 214,744 Midwest
27 Denver Colorado 213,381 West
28 Portland Oregon 207,214 West
29 Columbus Ohio 181,511 Midwest
30 Toledo Ohio 168,497 Midwest
31 Atlanta Georgia 154,839 South
32 Oakland California 150,174 West
33 Worcester Massachusetts 145,986 Northeast
34 Syracuse New York 137,249 Northeast
35 New Haven Connecticut 133,605 Northeast
36 Birmingham Alabama 132,685 South
37 Memphis Tennessee 131,105 South
38 Scranton Pennsylvania 129,867 Northeast
39 Richmond Virginia 127,628 South
40 Paterson New Jersey 125,600 Northeast
41 Omaha Nebraska 124,096 Midwest
42 Fall River Massachusetts 119,295 Northeast
43 Dayton Ohio 116,577 Midwest
44 Grand Rapids Michigan 112,571 Midwest
45 Nashville Tennessee 110,364 South
46 Lowell Massachusetts 106,294 Northeast
47 Cambridge Massachusetts 104,839 Northeast
48 Spokane Washington 104,402 West
49 Bridgeport Connecticut 102,054 Northeast
50 Albany New York 100,253 Northeast
51 Hartford Connecticut 98,915 Northeast
52 Trenton New Jersey 96,815 Northeast
53 New Bedford Massachusetts 96,652 Northeast
54 San Antonio Texas 96,614 South
55 Reading Pennsylvania 96,071 Northeast
56 Camden New Jersey 94,538 Northeast
57 Salt Lake City Utah 92,777 West
58 Dallas Texas 92,104 South
59 Lynn Massachusetts 89,336 Northeast
60 Springfield Massachusetts 88,926 Northeast
61 Wilmington Delaware 87,411 South
62 Des Moines Iowa 86,368 Midwest
63 Lawrence Massachusetts 85,892 Northeast
64 Tacoma Washington 83,743 West
65 Kansas City Kansas 82,331 Midwest
66 Yonkers New York 79,803 Northeast
67 Youngstown Ohio 79,066 Midwest
68 Houston Texas 78,800 South
69 Duluth Minnesota 78,466 Midwest
70 St. Joseph Missouri 77,403 Midwest
71 Somerville Massachusetts 77,236 Northeast
72 Troy New York 76,813 Northeast
73 Utica New York 74,419 Northeast
74 Elizabeth New Jersey 73,409 Northeast
75 Fort Worth Texas 73,312 South
76 Waterbury Connecticut 73,141 Northeast
77 Schenectady New York 72,826 Northeast
78 Hoboken New Jersey 70,324 Northeast
79 Manchester New Hampshire 70,063 Northeast
80 Evansville Indiana 69,647 Midwest
81 Akron Ohio 69,067 Midwest
82 Norfolk Virginia 67,452 South
83 Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania 67,105 Northeast
84 Peoria Illinois 66,950 Midwest
85 Erie Pennsylvania 66,525 Northeast
86 Savannah Georgia 65,064 South
87 Oklahoma City Oklahoma 64,205 South
88 Harrisburg Pennsylvania 64,186 Northeast
89 Fort Wayne Indiana 63,933 Midwest
90 Charleston South Carolina 58,833 South
91 Portland Maine 58,571 Northeast
92 East St. Louis Illinois 58,547 Midwest
93 Terre Haute Indiana 58,157 Midwest
94 Holyoke Massachusetts 57,730 Northeast
95 Jacksonville Florida 57,699 South
96 Brockton Massachusetts 56,878 Northeast
97 Bayonne New Jersey 55,545 Northeast
98 Johnstown Pennsylvania 55,482 Northeast
99 Passaic New Jersey 54,773 Northeast
100 South Bend Indiana 53,684 Midwest

Locations of 50 most populous cities

First language of the foreign-born population

Rank Language White population[6]
1 English and Celtic 3,363,792
2 German 2,759,032
3 Italian 1,365,110
4 Yiddish and Hebrew 1,051,767
5 Polish 943,781
6 Swedish 683,218
7 French 528,842
8 Norwegian 402,587
9 Spanish 258,131
10 Hungarian 229,094
11 Czech 228,738
12 Danish 183,844
13 Slovak 166,474
14 Dutch 151,825
15 Lithuanian and Latvian 140,963
16 Slovene 123,631
17 Finnish 119,948
18 Greek 118,379
19 Serbo-Croatian 105,669
20 Portuguese 72,649
21 Russian 57,926
22 Romanian 42,277
23 Arabic 32,868
24 Ukrainian 25,131
25 Armenian 23,938
26 Bulgarian 18,341
27 Turkish 4,709
28 Albanian 2,312

Data availability

An example of a 1910 U.S. census form with August H. Runge

The original census enumeration sheets were microfilmed by the Census Bureau in the 1940s; after which the original sheets were destroyed.[7] The microfilmed census is available in rolls from the National Archives and Records Administration. Several organizations also host images of the microfilmed census online, along with digital indices.

Microdata from the 1910 census are freely available through the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. Aggregate data for small areas, together with electronic boundary files, can be downloaded from the National Historical Geographic Information System.

Notes

  1. ^ Gardner, Todd (February 2021). Changes in Metropolitan Area Definition, 1910–2010 (PDF). Center for Economic Studies (Report). United States Census Bureau. p. 12. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  2. ^ "Library Bibliography Bulletin 88, New York State Census Records, 1790–1925". New York State Library. October 1981. p. 45 (p. 51 of PDF). Archived from the original on January 30, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2008.
  3. ^ 1910 Census: Volume 1. Population, General Report and Analysis
  4. ^ Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990, U.S. Census Bureau, 1998
  5. ^ "Regions and Divisions". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 3, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  6. ^ "Tech Paper 29: Table 6. Mother Tongue of the Foreign-Born Population: 1910 to 1940, 1960, and 1970". June 2, 2000. Archived from the original on June 2, 2000. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  7. ^ Algonquin Area Public Library District. "Census Secrets" (PDF). Retrieved May 17, 2012.[permanent dead link]

External links