| Tenth census of Puerto Rico | ||
|---|---|---|
  | ||
![]() Group of census takers in 1899 in Puerto Rico.  | ||
| General information | ||
| Country | Puerto Rico | |
| Topics | Census topics 
  | |
| Authority | U.S. Census Bureau | |
| Website | census | |
| Results | ||
| Total population | 953,243 ( | |
| Most populous  | Ponce (203,191) | |
| Least populous  | Aguadilla (99,645) | |
The 1899 Puerto Rico census (Porto Rico was also used) was a national population census held in Puerto Rico and first under U.S. control by the U.S. Census Bureau for the U.S. War Department.[2] It was the tenth census combined with the nine previous censuses taken by Spain. The day used for the census was Friday November 10, 1899 with a total population counted as 953,243 - an increase of 154,678 or 16% over the previous 1887 census taken by the Spanish government.[3]
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Population schedule
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The population schedule used in the census, translated into English and reduced in size is as follows:[4]
Situation
- Street.
 - Number of house.
 - Number of house or building in the order of visitation.
 - Number of family in the order of visitation.
 - Name of every person residing with this family or in this house
 
Relationship
- Relationship of each person to the head of the family.
 
Personal description
Nativity
- Native country of this person.
 
Citizenship
Occupation
- Occupation, trade or profession of every person 10 years of age and over.
 
Instruction
- Months of attendance at school during the last school year.
 - Can read. (primary)
 - Can write. (primary)
 - Higher.
 
Sanitary conditions
- Source of water used.
 - Disposition of garbage.
 - Latrine system.
 
Method of tabulation
It was taken that to save time, the tabulation should be done by machine and not by the old hand-tally system. As the machines invented by Mr Herman Hollerith were successfully used in the earlier eleventh and were to be used for the twelfth U.S. census, it was adopted.[5]
Population and dwellings
| Department[6] | Total population | Increase (%) | 
|---|---|---|
| Humacao (with Río Grande) | 100,866 | 8.2 | 
| Mayagüez | 127,566 | 10.0 | 
| Guayama | 111,986 | 15.5 | 
| Aguadilla | 99,645 | 15.7 | 
| Bayamón (less Rio Grande) | 147,681 | 20.2 | 
| Ponce | 203,191 | 27.5 | 
| Arecibo | 162,308 | 30.7 | 
| 953,243 | 19.4  | |
Population by municipal districts
| Aguadilla department[7] | 99,645 | Guayama department-continued | |
| Aguada | 10,581 | Cidra | 7,552 | 
| Aguadilla | 17,830 | Comerío | 8,249 | 
| Isabela | 14,888 | Guayama | 12,749 | 
| Lares | 20,883 | Gurabo | 8,700 | 
| Moca | 12,410 | Juncos | 8,429 | 
| Rincón | 6,641 | Salinas | 5,731 | 
| San Sebastian | 16,412 | San Lorenzo | 13,433 | 
| Arecibo department | 162,308 | Humacao department | 88,501 | 
| Arecibo | 36,910 | Fajardo | 16,782 | 
| Barceloneta | 9,357 | Humacao | 14,313 | 
| Camuy | 10,887 | Maunabo | 6,221 | 
| Ciales | 18,115 | Naguabo | 10,873 | 
| Hatillo | 10,449 | Patillas | 11,163 | 
| Manati | 13,989 | Piedras | 8,602 | 
| Morovis | 11,309 | Vieques | 6,642 | 
| Quebradillas | 7,432 | Yabucoa | 13,905 | 
| Utuado | 43,860 | Mayagüez department | 127,566 | 
| Bayamon department | 160,046 | Añasco | 13,311 | 
| Bayamon | 19,940 | Cabo Rojo | 16,154 | 
| Carolina | 11,965 | Hormigueros | 3,215 | 
| Corozal | 11,508 | Lajas | 8,789 | 
| Dorado | 3,804 | Las Marias | 11,279 | 
| Loiza | 12,522 | Maricao | 8,312 | 
| Naranjito | 8,101 | Mayagüez | 35,700 | 
| Rio Grande | 12,365 | Sabana Grande | 10,560 | 
| Rio Piedras | 13,760 | San German | 20,246 | 
| San Juan | 32,048 | Ponce department | 203,191 | 
| Toa Alta | 7,908 | Adjuntas | 19,484 | 
| Toa Baja | 4,030 | Aibonito | 8,596 | 
| Trujillo Alto | 5,683 | Barranquitas | 8,103 | 
| Vega Alta | 6,107 | Barros | 14,845 | 
| Vega Baja | 10,305 | Coamo | 15,144 | 
| Guayama department | 111,986 | Guayanilla | 9,540 | 
| Aguas Buenas | 7,977 | Juana Diaz | 27,896 | 
| Arroyo | 4,867 | Peñuelas | 12,129 | 
| Caguas | 19,857 | Ponce | 55,477 | 
| Cayey | 14,442 | Santa Isabel | 4,858 | 
| - | - | Yauco | 27,119 | 
Age
Data of the total population by median age.[8]
| Department | Median age | 
|---|---|
| Guayama | 17.3 | 
| Arecibo | 17.6 | 
| Humacao | 17.7 | 
| Aguadilla | 17.9 | 
| Bayamon | 18.2 | 
| Ponce | 18.5 | 
| Mayaguez | 19.1 | 
Birthplace
Proportion of foreign-born population. Source:[9]
The number of foreign-born returned by the census is 13,872 or about 1.5% of the total population. There were few regions in the western hemisphere in which the proportion of natives is so high and that of the foreign-born so low. Of the total number of foreigners 5,935 or 43 per cent were found in the three cities of San Juan, Ponce and Mayagüez. Of the total foreign-born 7,690 or 55 per cent were born in Spain.[10]
| Country[11] | Population | 
% | 
|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | 939,371 | 98.5 | 
| Foreign-born total | 13,872 | 1.5 | 
| 7,690 | ||
| Spanish America | 1,542 | 0.2 | 
| West India islands | 1,194 | - | 
| Africa | 427 | - | 
| 1,069 | 0.1 | |
| 68 | - | |
| 953,243 | 100.0 | |
Race
With reference to race, the population of Porto Rico is divided by the census into two main classes - those who are and those who are not White. The number belonging to each of these classes is as follows:[12]
| Race | Population | % | 
|---|---|---|
| White | 589,426 | 61.8 | 
| Colored* | 363,817 | 38.2 | 
| (Persons of mixed blood) | 304,352 | 83.6 | 
| Puerto Rico | 953,243 | 100.00 | 
The colored in the table includes very few (75) Chinese and many persons of mixed white and Black African blood as well as pure Black. Somewhat more than three-fifths of the population of Porto Rico are white and nearly two-fifths are partly or entirely negro or Black. By the 1899 census five-sixths (83.6 per cent) of the total colored were returned as of mixed blood.[13]
See also
References
 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Report on the census of Porto Rico, 1899
- ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico 1899". 1900. p. 40. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
 - ↑ "When was Puerto Rico first included in a census of the United States?". United States Census Bureau. 1900. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico 1899". 1900. p. 40. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico Population schedule". p. 37. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
 - ↑ Method of Tabulation (Page: 38)
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico 1899". p. 40. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico 1899". p. 156. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico 1899 Census of "Porto Rico"". p. 47. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico 1899". p. 63. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico 1899". p. 63. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico 1899". p. 62. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico, 1899 Census of "Porto Rico"". p. 57. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
 - ↑ "Report on the census of Porto Rico 1899". p. 56. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
 
