United States Federal Census

The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution: Article I, Section 2, says, "Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States ... according to their respective Numbers ... . The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years". The United States Census Bureau (officially the Bureau of the Census, as defined in Title 13 U.S.C. § 11) is responsible for the United States Census.

The first census after the American Revolution was taken in 1790, under Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson; there have been 22 federal censuses since that time. The current national census was held in 2010 and the next census is scheduled for 2020 and much of it will be done using the internet. For years between the decennial censuses, the Census Bureau issues estimates made using surveys and statistical models, in particular, the American Community Survey.

Title 13 of the United States Code governs how the Census is conducted and how its data is handled. Information is confidential as per 13 U.S.C. § 9. Refusing or neglecting to answer the census is punishable by fines of $100, for a property or business agent to fail to provide correct names for the census is punishable by fines of $500, and for a business agent to provide false answers for the census is punishable by fines of $10,000, pursuant to 13 U.S.C. § 221- 224.

The United States Census is a population census, which is distinct from the U.S. Census of Agriculture, which is no longer the responsibility of the Census Bureau. It is also distinct from local censuses conducted by some states or local jurisdictions.
If you would like to transcribe census records for USGenWeb, please visit the Census Transcription Project. Folks with a free account can search and view census records at FamilySearch.org.

Walker County was created in 1840 so our first census was in 1850. Check below for records.
The 1850 Federal Census gives names, ages, places of birth, values of real estate, Color (White, black or mulatto) and occupations but also has columns for married within the year, attended school within the year, persons over 20 who cannot read or write and "Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict"; which can make interesting notes.
We have full transcriptions of the Population Schedule, the Slave Schedule and a name list from the Agricultural Schedule.
In addition to the 1850 columns, the 1860 Population Schedule asked for value of personal property. We have a name list and images from the Agricultural Schedule.
The 1870 census added columns for born within the year (asking for the month), whether parents were foreign-born and two questions about men over 20 (voting information). We have an alphabetical surname index from the Population Schedule.
In 1880 is the first census to ask for marital status and relationships within a household.
The 1890 Federal Population Schedule burned before it could be copied; there are no existing records for this county.
The 1900 Federal Census is the first census to ask for years married and asks women how many children they've borne and how many are living. It also asked for the month and year that each person was born, the year they immigrated and whether they own or rent their homes. There are also colums for street addresses but they were not generally used in rural areas. The index to this census is available to everyone with a free account at the LDS on-line library.
1910 - This is the second census that asked for number of years married, number of children borne by females and number of living children. The index to this census is available to everyone with a free account at the LDS on-line library.
The 1920 census was enumerated in January and many families were missed, likely due to weather. It offers very little in the way of extra information except for the names of the roads on which the people lived. The index to this census is available to everyone with a free account at the LDS on-line library.
The 1930 offers addresses for folks in town, age at first marriage and veteran status. The index to this census is available to everyone with a free account at the LDS on-line library.
The 1940 offers addresses for folks in town, education level, residence in 1935, employment status and total income for 1939. The index to this census is available to everyone with a free account at the LDS on-line library.
The 1950 Federal Census desn't offer as much information as in previous years but is still worth investigating. The index to this census is available to everyone with a free account at the LDS on-line library.