First Census

The first recorded census in history was conducted in ancient Egypt around 3340 BCE, during the reign of Pharaoh Menes. However, the first modern census that is widely recognized as the predecessor of modern population censuses was conducted in China during the Han Dynasty in 2 CE.

In the Western world, the first census was conducted in the Roman Republic in 509 BCE. The census was used to determine the number of adult male citizens eligible for military service and to allocate taxes and other resources.

In the United States, the first census was conducted in 1790, as mandated by the Constitution. The census was conducted by federal marshals, who traveled from door to door to collect information about the population. The census has been conducted every ten years since then, and it plays a critical role in allocating political representation and federal funding.

Today, most countries conduct population censuses on a regular basis to gather information about their populations and to inform policy decisions. Censuses have evolved over time to include more detailed information about demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and they are increasingly conducted using digital technologies to improve efficiency and accuracy.

source: https://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/overview/1790.html