©Mark Ollig
A census of the population is conducted once every 10 years, as required by the US Constitution.
The US Census Bureau informed the media Aug. 12 about the first major field operation for the upcoming 2020 Census.
This field operation is called address canvassing. It upgrades the Census Bureau’s nationwide household address list for delivering the 2020 census invitations.
The Census Bureau advised having an up-to-date address list “plays a vital role in ensuring a complete and accurate count of everyone living in the United States.”
Census data is used to determine the number of seats each state holds in Congress. It is used to decide how federal funds are distributed back to states and local cities every year for services and infrastructure.
Before we get to 2020, let’s look back.
Herman Hollerith worked at the US Census office tabulating (hand-counting) the 1880 census.
According to the US Census Bureau, the 1880 census took seven years to complete.
It was during this time that Hollerith decided on creating an improved method to tabulate the census results more quickly.
He consulted with his mentor, Dr. John Shaw Billings, a statistics supervisor for the US Census.
Billings suggested tabulating the census results mechanically using coded paper cards with punched holes.
His suggestion is similar to the cards used on a Jacquard handloom during textile processing.
Hollerith decided to go with a punched card system.
He recalled observing railroad officials identifying seated passenger characteristics using a punched card.
Hollerith defined the presence or absence of a hole-punch in a card to indicate a specific type of census information.
His electrically-operated tabulator machine processed data indexing points located on the punched-hole of a census card.
These locations contained individual statistical information, cross-tabulations, and number totals.
After the successful testing of his tabulating machine, Hollerith applied for and was awarded US Patent number 395,782 Jan. 8, 1889.
He named his tabulating device, the Hollerith Census Machine.
Hollerith’s electric tabulating device was put to the test during the 1890 US census.
Hollerith was paid $750,000 for the lease of his tabulating machines for the 1890 census, an amount equaling nearly $20.7 million in today’s dollars.
For the first time, US census results would not be solely hand-counted.
The Hollerith electric tabulating machine sorted and processed the 1890 census returns.
The keyboard punch card template was a type of mechanical pantographic design. It quickly transferred data from the human census taker’s paper sheet to punched holes precisely located on a card.
Hollerith’s tabulating machine sorted through the census cards. Whenever a punched-hole was located on a card, it would read and register its data by completing an electrical circuit.
The human operator would place each card in a tabulating machine reader, pull down a lever, and remove the card after each punched-hole was counted.
These results were displayed on the clock-like dials above the tabulating operator’s desk, where a clerk worked.
The tabulating desk looked like an antique telephone operator switchboard (minus the cords).
Hollerith’s tabulating machine processed 10 times the amount of data versus hand counting, which quickly completed the 1890 census and saved the US government an estimated $5 million.
The US population in 1890 was 62,622,250. Minnesota’s portion totaled 1,310,283.
In 1896, Hollerith founded the Tabulating Machine Company. This company provided the tabulating machines used during the 1900 US census.
Soon after, James L. Powers, a technician, along with other employees within the US Census Bureau, built an electric tabulating machine used during the 1910 US Census.
Powers obtained the patent for the machine in 1911, and started the Powers Tabulating Machine Company.
During the same year, Hollerith merged his company with four other companies, and renamed it the Computer Tabulating Recording Company.
Hollerith continued working as a consulting engineer until his retirement in 1921.
In 1924, the Computer Tabulating Recording Company changed its name to the International Business Machines Corporation, or what is commonly known today as IBM.
Powers’ company was obtained by Remington Rand, Inc. in 1927.
James L. Powers died Nov. 8, 1927, at age 57.
Hollerith was 69 when he passed away Nov. 17, 1929.
Portions of the technology from Hollerith’s tabulating machine would continue to be used by the US Census Bureau through the 1940 census.
The UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) electronic digital computer began tabulating portions of the 1950 US Census, and was used exclusively to process the 1960 US Census.
Most US households will begin receiving census invitations in March 2020.
Statista predicts the 2020 population of the US will be 334.5 million.
Stay tuned.
A census of the population is conducted once every 10 years, as required by the US Constitution.
The US Census Bureau informed the media Aug. 12 about the first major field operation for the upcoming 2020 Census.
This field operation is called address canvassing. It upgrades the Census Bureau’s nationwide household address list for delivering the 2020 census invitations.
The Census Bureau advised having an up-to-date address list “plays a vital role in ensuring a complete and accurate count of everyone living in the United States.”
Census data is used to determine the number of seats each state holds in Congress. It is used to decide how federal funds are distributed back to states and local cities every year for services and infrastructure.
Before we get to 2020, let’s look back.
Herman Hollerith worked at the US Census office tabulating (hand-counting) the 1880 census.
According to the US Census Bureau, the 1880 census took seven years to complete.
It was during this time that Hollerith decided on creating an improved method to tabulate the census results more quickly.
He consulted with his mentor, Dr. John Shaw Billings, a statistics supervisor for the US Census.
Billings suggested tabulating the census results mechanically using coded paper cards with punched holes.
His suggestion is similar to the cards used on a Jacquard handloom during textile processing.
Hollerith decided to go with a punched card system.
He recalled observing railroad officials identifying seated passenger characteristics using a punched card.
Hollerith defined the presence or absence of a hole-punch in a card to indicate a specific type of census information.
His electrically-operated tabulator machine processed data indexing points located on the punched-hole of a census card.
These locations contained individual statistical information, cross-tabulations, and number totals.
After the successful testing of his tabulating machine, Hollerith applied for and was awarded US Patent number 395,782 Jan. 8, 1889.
He named his tabulating device, the Hollerith Census Machine.
Hollerith’s electric tabulating device was put to the test during the 1890 US census.
Hollerith was paid $750,000 for the lease of his tabulating machines for the 1890 census, an amount equaling nearly $20.7 million in today’s dollars.
For the first time, US census results would not be solely hand-counted.
The Hollerith electric tabulating machine sorted and processed the 1890 census returns.
The keyboard punch card template was a type of mechanical pantographic design. It quickly transferred data from the human census taker’s paper sheet to punched holes precisely located on a card.
Hollerith’s tabulating machine sorted through the census cards. Whenever a punched-hole was located on a card, it would read and register its data by completing an electrical circuit.
The human operator would place each card in a tabulating machine reader, pull down a lever, and remove the card after each punched-hole was counted.
These results were displayed on the clock-like dials above the tabulating operator’s desk, where a clerk worked.
The tabulating desk looked like an antique telephone operator switchboard (minus the cords).
Hollerith’s tabulating machine processed 10 times the amount of data versus hand counting, which quickly completed the 1890 census and saved the US government an estimated $5 million.
The US population in 1890 was 62,622,250. Minnesota’s portion totaled 1,310,283.
In 1896, Hollerith founded the Tabulating Machine Company. This company provided the tabulating machines used during the 1900 US census.
Soon after, James L. Powers, a technician, along with other employees within the US Census Bureau, built an electric tabulating machine used during the 1910 US Census.
Powers obtained the patent for the machine in 1911, and started the Powers Tabulating Machine Company.
During the same year, Hollerith merged his company with four other companies, and renamed it the Computer Tabulating Recording Company.
Hollerith continued working as a consulting engineer until his retirement in 1921.
In 1924, the Computer Tabulating Recording Company changed its name to the International Business Machines Corporation, or what is commonly known today as IBM.
Powers’ company was obtained by Remington Rand, Inc. in 1927.
James L. Powers died Nov. 8, 1927, at age 57.
Hollerith was 69 when he passed away Nov. 17, 1929.
Portions of the technology from Hollerith’s tabulating machine would continue to be used by the US Census Bureau through the 1940 census.
The UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) electronic digital computer began tabulating portions of the 1950 US Census, and was used exclusively to process the 1960 US Census.
Most US households will begin receiving census invitations in March 2020.
Statista predicts the 2020 population of the US will be 334.5 million.
Stay tuned.
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| A drawing of US Census tallying clerks using Hollerith’s machine |
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| Photograph of the Hollerith Census Machine |