Methodology 1890 United States Census

the hollerith tabulator used tabulate 1890 census—the first time census tabulated machine. illustration of hollerith tabulator has been modified first 1890 tabulation, family, or rough, count -- punched card reader has been removed, replaced simple keyboard. see: truesdell, 1965, development of punched card tabulation ..., gpo, p.61

the 1890 census first compiled using methods invented herman hollerith , overseen superintendents robert p. porter (1889-1893) , carroll d. wright (1893-1897). data entered on machine readable medium, punched cards, , tabulated machine. net effect of many changes 1880 census: larger population, number of data items collected, census bureau headcount, volume of scheduled publications, , use of hollerith s electromechanical tabulators, reduce time required process census 8 years 1880 census 6 years 1890 census. total population of 62,947,714, family, or rough, count, announced after 6 weeks of processing (punched cards not used tabulation). public reaction tabulation disbelief, believed right answer @ least 75,000,000.