United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. Its mission is defined in the Constitution of the United States, which directs that the population be ennumerated every ten years, and the number of Representative determined accordingly.

Censuses had been taken prior to the Constitution's ratification; in the early 1600s, a census was taken in Virginia, and people were counted in nearly all of the British colonies that became the United States.

The first census after independence was taken in 1790. It counted 3.9 million inhabitants.

Down through the years, the Nation's needs and interests became more complex. This meant that there had to be statistics to help people understand what was happening and have a basis for planning. The content of the decennial census changed accordingly. In 1810 the first inquiry on manufactures, quantity and value of products; in 1840 on fisheries were added, and in 1850, the census included inquiries on social issues, such as taxation, churches, pauperism, and crime. The censuses also spread geographically, to new States and Territories added to the Union, as well as to other areas under U.S. sovereignty or jurisdiction. There were so many more inquiries of all kinds in the censuses of 1880 and 1890 that almost a full decade was needed to publish all the results.

As the Nation grew, changes in the economy became more frequent and far-reaching. Since Government officials and businesses had to adjust their plans as these changes occurred, they needed more frequent reports on them.

The Census Bureau is headed by a Director, assisted by a Deputy Director and an Executive Staff composed of the associate directors. The Bureau has 12 regional offices with additional processing centers set up temporarily for the decennial censuses.

The sole purpose of the censuses and surveys is to secure general statistical information. Replies are obtained from individuals and establishments only to enable the compilation of such general statistics. The confidentiality of these replies is very important. By law, no one -- neither the census takers nor any other Census Bureau employee -- is permitted to reveal identifiable information about any person, household, or business.

Which is not to say it hasn't happened. Census information was used to locate Japanese-Americans to be put in internment camps in World War II. Events like this and a general distrust of government by most Americans has hampered the Census Bureau's task in recent years.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau