About the 1790 Census
The first Federal census was authorized by Congress in the “Act Providing for the
Enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States,” approved 1 March 1790.
Although Kentucky was still transitioning from a district of Virginia to a
separate territory, it was counted as its own district for census purposes.
Because the original schedules were later destroyed, these reported totals come
from contemporary summaries and reconstructed records.
Each household schedule recorded the head of household and then counted
individuals in six categories. The summarized totals for Kentucky were:
Reported totals for Kentucky in the 1790 Federal census
| Category |
Reported count |
| Free white males age 16 and over |
15,154 |
| Free white males under age 16 |
17,057 |
| Free white females |
28,922 |
| Other free persons |
114 |
| Enslaved persons |
12,430 |
| Total inhabitants |
73,677 |
These totals offer one of the earliest broad population snapshots for Kentucky,
capturing the region during its final years on the Virginia frontier and just
before statehood in 1792.
Collection Project Beginnings
The 1790 Kentucky census substitute presented here was compiled and contributed
to KYGenWeb by Don Rubarts and Suzanne Yelton
Shephard. Their goal was to bring together scattered early Kentucky
lists into a single, usable tool for researchers with roots in the region.
Earlier versions of this work circulated in a more fragmented form. This
statewide edition preserves the original data while presenting it as a single,
searchable index so visitors can study all available entries in one place.
KYGenWeb is grateful to the original compilers for sharing their work and
for allowing it to be incorporated into this collection.
Historical Sources Used in This Collection
Because the original 1790 census schedules for Kentucky were destroyed, this
collection is based on reconstructed records rather than surviving census forms.
The entries are drawn primarily from:
-
Contemporary county and district tax lists from roughly
the 1789–1792 period
-
Other early county-level records and scholarly compilations that preserve the
names of heads of households present in Kentucky at or near the time of the
1790 enumeration
Use this index as a guide into the underlying records, not as a replacement
for them. When possible, consult the original tax lists and county records to
confirm spellings, locations, and household details, and to identify additional
clues not carried over into this compilation.
