What is the Census?
"A census is a count of the population of a country at a fixed date. National governments conduct censuses to determine how many people live in a different areas of the country; to assess whether or not the population is growing, stable, or declining in the country as a whole, and in particular parts of the country; and to describe the characteristics of the population in terms of age, sex, ethnic background, marital status, income and other variables." (Encyclopedia of the U.S. Census, p. ix.)
The first census of the United States was in 1790. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts a census of the population every 10 years.
Additional information on the census and the Census Bureau is available from: For more information about the Census, see the Encyclopedia of the U.S. Census 2 NORTH Reference HA 37 U55 E53 2000 that provides articles on topics concerning the U.S. census.