1890 New York City Police Census
Collection REC0106 - RG 062. New York Police Department
Abstract
In 1890, New York City officials questioned the accuracy of the City's population count in the United States federal census. As a result, the New York Police Department was tasked with conducting an independent census which was done between September 29 and October 14, 1890. This collection consists of the original police census volumes that record the name, age, gender, and address of residents of the city. Due to the destruction of nearly all of the 1890 federal census, the police census is uniquely valuable in bridging the crucial gap between 1880 and 1900. The collection has been digitized and can be accessed via the “Digital Material” section.
Extent
18 cubic feet (894 volumes in 39 half cubic foot boxes)
Dates
1890
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Additional Description
Physical Location
Materials are stored at 31 Chambers Street in Manhattan.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
It is not known when, or by whom, this collection was transferred to the New York City Municipal Archives. It was accessioned by the Municipal Archives in 2022.
Existence and Location of Copies
The collection has been digitized. Search the New York City Municipal Archives’ Digital Collections website to access the collection online.
Processing Information
The collection was concurrently processed and digitized by project Digitization Technicians/Archivists Sarah Cuk, 2022-2023, and Marie Cyprien, 2024.
Scope and Content Note
The 1890 New York City Police Census produced 1008 volumes. This collection is comprised of 894 volumes (see list of missing volumes below) that contain approximately 1.5 million names. Each volume lists the population of one election and one assembly district in New York County. A map of the election/assembly district boundary can be found at the back of each volume. Prior to the consolidation of New York City in 1898, the boundary of New York County was contiguous with the island of Manhattan, plus annexed districts of what is now the Bronx. This census includes the western portion of the Bronx that was annexed in 1874, but not the eastern portion annexed in 1895. As Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island would not be boroughs of the city until 1898, they are not included in this census.
New York City police officers conducted the census. The handwritten volumes record election district, assembly district, police precinct, name of the police officer/enumerator, and the address, name, gender, and age of each resident. It does not provide any indication of the relationship of one person to another, occupations, or other demographic information. It is particularly useful in documenting children in the immigrant community. Approximately fifteen to twenty-five percent of births to Irish, Italian, Jewish, and other immigrant families were not reported to any civil office and the 1890 police census can be used to identify their names and approximate date of birth.
Missing volumes: 1, 3-4, 111, 116, 129, 134, 157, 177, 181-182, 191, 195, 203, 206, 208, 210, 258, 261-263, 279, 331-332, 336, 341, 343, 364, 368, 381, 384, 398, 402, 404, 407-409, 412-413, 440, 444-446, 471, 481, 484-486, 491, 504, 512, 514, 528-529, 532, 541, 545, 550, 552, 555, 560-561, 564, 569, 580, 582, 586, 589, 596, 598, 610-612, 618, 622, 630, 632, 661, 666, 676, 679, 683, 690, 705, 709, 718, 726, 728-729, 738, 750-751, 757, 759, 771, 824, 834, 838, 845, 851, 902, 908, 933-934, 967-968, 970, 973, 975-976, 981, 983, 985-987, 1001-1002, 1004.
The collection has been digitized and can be accessed via the "Digital Material" section of the collection guide.
New York City police officers conducted the census. The handwritten volumes record election district, assembly district, police precinct, name of the police officer/enumerator, and the address, name, gender, and age of each resident. It does not provide any indication of the relationship of one person to another, occupations, or other demographic information. It is particularly useful in documenting children in the immigrant community. Approximately fifteen to twenty-five percent of births to Irish, Italian, Jewish, and other immigrant families were not reported to any civil office and the 1890 police census can be used to identify their names and approximate date of birth.
Missing volumes: 1, 3-4, 111, 116, 129, 134, 157, 177, 181-182, 191, 195, 203, 206, 208, 210, 258, 261-263, 279, 331-332, 336, 341, 343, 364, 368, 381, 384, 398, 402, 404, 407-409, 412-413, 440, 444-446, 471, 481, 484-486, 491, 504, 512, 514, 528-529, 532, 541, 545, 550, 552, 555, 560-561, 564, 569, 580, 582, 586, 589, 596, 598, 610-612, 618, 622, 630, 632, 661, 666, 676, 679, 683, 690, 705, 709, 718, 726, 728-729, 738, 750-751, 757, 759, 771, 824, 834, 838, 845, 851, 902, 908, 933-934, 967-968, 970, 973, 975-976, 981, 983, 985-987, 1001-1002, 1004.
The collection has been digitized and can be accessed via the "Digital Material" section of the collection guide.
Biographical/Historical Information
In 1890, United States federal census enumeration for New York County (all of Manhattan and the western portion of what is now the Bronx that was annexed in 1874) was recorded at 1,513,501 people. New York City officials doubted that this was an accurate count. The city had expected a higher population count and a lower count would not only cut congressional representation but state and federal aid as well. As a result, the New York Police Department was ordered by Mayor Hugh J. Grant to conduct an independent census which was done between September 29 and October 14, 1890. The police recount totaled 1,710,715 people, an increase of thirteen percent. Due to the destruction of nearly all the 1890 United States federal census in fire in the Department of Commerce building in 1921, the New York City Police Census is uniquely valuable in bridging the crucial gap between 1880 and 1900.
Sources
- Aaron, Goodwin. “Censuses.” In New York City Municipal Archives: An Authorized Guide for Family Historians, 199–207. New York, New York: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 2016.
- Andy, McCarthy. “Research Guides: 1890 New York City Police Census: A Research Guide.” New York Public Library. Accessed December 13, 2024. https://libguides.nypl.org/nycpolicecensus
- “1890 Census.” National Archives and Records Administration, February 7, 2005. Accessed December 13, 2024. https://www.archives.gov/research/census/1890
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by volume number. Each volume represents one election and assembly district in New York County. Within the volumes, entries are recorded geographically by street and building number.
Finding Aid & Administrative Information
- Title
- Guide to the 1890 New York City Police Census
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid created by project digitization technician and archivist Marie Cyprien. EAD created by staff archivist Patricia Glowinski.
- Date
- 2024 December
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
-
- Sponsor
- This collection was processed and digitized with support from the Peck Stacpoole Foundation, 2022-2024.
Subjects