Rhode Island Population before the Federal Census of
1790.
Most of the estimates of population during the colonial period were computed on the basis of the number of militia,
polls, taxables and tax lists, and families and houses, and were multiplyied by the ratio and each group held to
the whole population, the total of number of inhabitants were "estimated."
Militia: generally estimated at 5 to 1. There was a lot of controversy about the ratio or estimates, so it did
vary from year to year.
Polls, taxables, and the tax lists: "estimated" at 4 to 1. Polls were usually all men above 21, residents;
sometimes, all above 16. Taxables might sometimes include nonresidents.
Families: average size 5.7 to 6. The average size of the family by the census of 1790 was 5.7. It Researchers estimated
fine 5 to 6. It was apparent to researchers that more than one family often lived in one house, so the number of
houses were multiplied 7.15. Many lists only included boys over 16 and men but not the women.
(source: American Population Before the Federal Census
of 1790, Greene and Harrington,1932. Transcribed by Jo Ann Scott)
Census Statistics by Year
