For more info...
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Encyclopedia of the U.S. CensusSee the entry under "History of Decennial Censuses". Includes bibliography for each census.
Historical Census Populations of Counties and Cities in California
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Population Totals by Township and Place for California Counties: 1860 to 1950This report shows decennial census data on the population of California counties by minor civil division (usually townships) and place from 1860 to 1950, which is the period for which data on township population were published for California. This period also covers major historical developments in California’s settlement patterns and population distribution as the State’s population grew extremely rapidly in most decades, from 380,000 in 1860 to 10.6 million in 1950. Townships refer to judicial townships, and places include, for example, incorporated cities and towns, and unincorporated places. For each county, the data are shown in hierarchal fashion, with townships and their component places (or place parts). In addition, places in each county are listed in alphabetical order, with township parts where places crossed township boundaries.
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Historical Census Populations of Counties and Incorporated Cities in California, 1850–2010Total population counts for the state, counties, and incorporated cities in California from seventeen decennial U.S. censuses, 1850–2010.
Raw Data Files
These are computer files intended to be loaded into statistical software for analysis and creating your own tables. In some cases these files can be used with spreadsheet software as well.
Population Schedules
Note: 1950 population schedules have not been released.
Census population schedules (or "name schedules" or "manuscript census") are copies of the original questionnaires collected during each decennial census. They list the individual names and family information of the people enumerated. Unlike the statistics published soon after the census, the population schedules remain confidential for 72 years. 1930 is the most recent population schedule available.
- Online version: Heritage Quest [UCSD only]
Contact
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about the 1950 census
Highlights
- 17th decennial census
- US population: 150,697,361
- California population: 10,586,223
Questions asked
Information obtained from all persons: Address; whether house is on farm; name; relationship to head of household; race; sex; age; marital status; place of birth; if foreign born, whether naturalized; employment status; hours worked during week preceding enumeration; occupation, industry, and class of worker.
Information obtained from 20-percent sample: Whether living in same house a year ago; whether living on a farm a year ago; if not in same house, county and state of residence year ago; country of birth of parents; educational attainment; school attendance; if looking for work, number of weeks; weeks worked last year; for each person and each family, earnings last year from wages and salary, from self-employment; other income last year; veteran status.
Information obtained from 3-1/3 percent sample: For persons who worked last year but not in current labor force: occupation, industry, and class of worker on last job; if ever married, whether married more than once; duration of present marital status; for women ever married, number of children ever born.
Supplemental schedules for persons on Indian reservations; infants born in the first 3 months of 1950; Americans overseas.
For more information:
Statistics
Find all 1950 census publications in the Library.
Multi-year census compilations (compare across years): These sources tend to include statistics for large geographic areas (e.g. states), but can be very useful when comparing statistics over time.
Key publications:
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Online access |
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Census Of Population Vol. I: Number of Inhabitants |
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Census Of Population Vol. II: Characteristics of the Population |
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Census Of Population Vol III: Census Tract Statistics (64 pts) |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Employment and Personal Characteristics |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports.Occupational Characteristics |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports.Occupation by Industry |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Industrial Characteristics |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. General Characteristics of Families |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Institutional Population |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Marital Status |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Duration of Current Marital Status |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Nativity and Parentage |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Nonwhite Population by Race |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Persons of Spanish Surname |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Puerto Ricans in Continental United States |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. State of Birth |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Population Mobility - States and State Economic Areas |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Population Mobility - Farm - Nonfarm Movers |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Population Mobility - Characteristics of Migrants |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Characteristics by Size of Place. |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Education |
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Census Of Population Vol IV Special Reports. Fertility |
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Census of Housing Vol. I: General Characteristics |
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Census of Housing Vol. II: Nonfarm Housing Characteristics |
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Census of Housing Vol. III: Farm Housing Characteristics |
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Census of Housing Vol. IV: Residential Financing, Mortgaged Nonfarm Properties |
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Census of Housing Vol. V: Block Statistics (213 pts) |
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Portfolio of United States Census Maps |