The Pennsylvania Septennial Census for Tredyffrin

In the original Pennsylvania constitution of 1790 there is a requirement for a listing of taxable residents every 7 years. In all the years the census was run, except 1793 and 1800, the returns included an occupation.

The Tredyffrin returns for 1849, 1863, and 1870 are missing. The last census was to be run in 1870, but it was discontinued although some township did provide returns. The Septennial census was completely independant of the Federal 10 year census.

These returns provide an unparalled view of occupations for the first half of the 19th century.The commonest occupations were farmer and laborer.

A spreadsheet of the Tredyffrin returns have been created. It has been coverted into a PDF document for viewing online. The occupational analysis can be viewed here.

Notes and References

• An analysis of the 1800 returns for the whole of Pennsylvania discussing some of terms can be found in Rural Pennsylvania in 1800: a portrait from the Septennial Census (1982).