NOTE. The figures for each of the census enumerations prior to but not including 1820 present the numbers of the sexes for white persons only, the sex of colored persons being omitted in the published returns. In the returns for 1765 there appears to have been a considerable number, in addition to the colored population, who were not classified by sex. The total population at the census of 1765 does not include 1,569 non-taxable Indians, and that of 1776 does not include 4,761 colored persons. TABLE 3.- Massachusetts Population by Age Periods. — State and National Census (1855-95). YEARS. Under 5. 5-9 1855, 132,944 115,862 110,098 117,047 235,678 165,046 111,500 71,829 42,423 20,810 151,289 128,526 114,348 120,800 244,519 183,705 125,470 81,453 49,873 133,943 143,391 126,691 117,171 225,506 185,543 6,791 2,341 23,536 7,536 1 142,831 96,446 59,216 26,675 8,316 1,302 Ages. In Table 3 are presented the numbers of the population at different age periods for each of the census years from 1855 to 1895, together with the percentages of the total population. These figures show that the relative numbers of the population at ages under 20 have diminished during these forty years, those of the age period 20-30 have remained nearly stationary, while those of the later ages have increased. The deficiencies of the census at ages under five years have received sufficient comment in the twenty-sixth annual report of the Board, pages liii-lvii. Population by Nativity and by Races. Under the term "nativity" it has been the custom in most statistical documents to group the component parts of the population into two classes, one of which comprises the population born in the United States and the other embraces the sum of the persons of different nationalities born outside the United States. The term, however, so far as statistics are concerned, must be regarded very largely as one of degree, since nearly the entire population is descended from foreign ancestry of greater or less remoteness of degree. No census enumeration has attempted to gather information dating back more than two generations at the farthest. The following table presents the numbers, and percentages of the native and foreign populations at different census periods : TABLE 4.- Population by Nativity in Census Years (Massachusetts). NOTE.- In each of the census enumerations of 1855, 1865 and 1875 a small number of persons whose nativity was unknown (in no case more than 1 per cent.) is excluded from the table. YEARS. 1850, 1855, 1860, 1865, 1870, 1875, 1880, 1885, 1890, 1895, From the foregoing table it appears that the foreign population has increased from a percentage of 16.49 in 1850, to 30.59 in 1895, the greatest relative increase having taken place between 1850 and 1855. Race. The following table presents the population classified as white and colored, the latter term embracing negroes, mulattoes, Chinese, Japanese and Indians: TABLE 5.- Population, White and Colored (Massachusetts). In the following table are presented the vital statistics of the State for the whole period of registration, including the estimated population for intercensal years and the rates per 1,000 living: TABLE 6.- Marriages, Births and Deaths in Massachusetts (1842-95), with Population and Rates per 1,000 Living. 17.17 19.58 5,350 1,020,673 11,966 28,681 18,934 9,747 The statistics of the first eight years of registration are for the years ending with April 30 of each year. †The second line of statistics for 1848 is for the eight months ending Dec. 31, 1848. The statistics for 1849 and for each of the following years are for the calendar years ending Dec. 31. Excess Rate of 1881, 36,459 1,813,818 16,768 45,220 8.762 18.49 24.93 20.10 4.83 4.82 1,876,883 1884, 1,909.233 1885, 1,942, 141 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 2,176,159 18,194 47,285 37,748 9,537 19.38 25.19 20.11 All estimates of intercensal years are made in accordance with the rule recommended by Dr. Farr (the geometric rate of increase). The vital statistics of the first seven years of registration (1842-48), together with the returns or marriages for 1849, must be regarded as extremely defective; many of the returns from Suffolk County for this period are wanting, together with those of some of the small towns. From the year 1849 onward the omissions probably constitute but a small percentage only of the total registration. The figures for the population of census years are given in bold type. INTERSTATE AND INTERNATIONAL VITAL STATISTICS. The following table presents the marriage, birth and death rates of the New England States and the principal civilized countries of the world for 1893, 1894 and 1895: |