Talk:United States Census 1820

Is 16-26 one group or two?
The article says under Unique Issues "Breaks down the male group, 16-26, into two groups." That's not at all clear. There are two groups: 16-18 and 16-26. So how was a male age 17 recorded? Only in the first, or twice as the brackets suggest.

In other words, when one finds a one marked in both columns, goes that mean there were two males age 16-26, or one?

Answer:

Wikipedia 1820 US Census states the following:

"Several of these columns were for special counts, and not to be included in the aggregate total. Doing so would have resulted in counting some individuals twice. Census takers were asked to use double lines, red ink or some other method of distinguishing these columns so that double counting would not occur. For example, the count of free white males between 16 and 18 was a special count, because these individuals were also supposed to be tabulated in the column for free white males of age 16 and under 26."

It could be inferred that you would only use the actual count in the 16 - 26 column and use the 16 - 18 as a way of refining that number just for that age group.

So long answer made short - you would only count that number once!

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Brepouille/Wiki Support Team 23:58, 3 March 2016 (UTC)