1790 Census Notes from various newspapers:

From the Commerce Journal, (Commerce, TX), December 11, 1931: 

  "Nation's Infancy - The first census of the United States was
taken in 1790 and the population was reported as 3,929,214."

From the Frederick Post, (Frederick, MD), March 12, 1970: 

  "We know [the] names [of the founding families] because they
were counted in the first U.S. census - that of 1790.  This first
count was practically a roster of the families that founded the
Republic.
  "In that 1790 census, the names of all family heads were re-
corded and posted in a prominent place in their community to help
make certain of a complete count.  The practice of posting names
has long since disappeared.  In fact, today it would be a violation
of a Federal law to disclose the name of an individual counted in a
census...
  "But in 1790, customs were different and so the names of all fam-
ily heads were recorded and made public.  Some of the names were
colorful and quaint.  They included Joseph Scolds, Thomas Simmers, 
Trulove Sparks, Sermon Coffin, Sarah Simpers, Hannah Cheese, Mercy
Pepper, and Wanton Bump.
  "And Boston Frog, Booze Still, Over Jordan, and William Sorrows.
  "And such families as the Pockerpines, the Drips, the Fryovers, 
the Hungerpealers, and the Slappys.
  "In all, 27,337 different family names were recorded in 1790 in 
those States for which records still exist.  Of this total, 11,934
names were represented by only one family each.  Another 3,609 
names were carried by only two families each and still another 3,235
names were carried by only three or four families each.  The 11,934
names represented by only one family each made up only one half of 
one percent of the total white population; thus the remaining 15,403
multi-family names accounted for 99.5 percent of the white popu-
lation. 
  "In fact, if one groups family names represented by at least 100
persons or more, the total is 3,661 names, and these names accounted
for 83.8 percent of the 1790 white population.
  "Smith was the most popular name in 1790 with 5,932 families re-
ported.  Brown was second with 3,358 families.  The other top family
names ranked in order behind Brown were Johnson (2,646), Davis 
(2,575), Jones (2,5610), Clark (2,242), Williams (2,283), Miller 
(2,225), and Wilson (1,765).   These nine names accounted for about
4 percent of the white population in 1790...
  "The absence of middle names and middle initials from the 1790 
census is noticeable.  Middle names were so uniformly absent as to 
preclude the possibility of carelessness on the part of the census
takers about recording them.  It was simply contrary to custom to use
middle names.  Even the Declaration of Independence - a momentous 
document to which a man might be expected to sign his full name - was
signed by only three (of 56) men with middle names.  The three were
Robert Treat Paine, Richard Henry Lee, and Francis Lightfood Lee...
  "American surnames (family names) were chiefly of Anglo-Saxon ori-
gin in those first census records.  Among the States, only Pennsyl-
vania reported 13,883 names, nearly half of the total counted in 1790.
In contrast, Massachusetts had only 4,452 different names from a 
population not much smaller than the total in Pennsylvania.  The ex-
planation is that Massachusetts was settled almost exclusively by 
people from the British Isles.
  "In addition to being predominately Anglo-Saxon, family names in
1790 were often derived from common objects, events, and experiences.
Possibly this is true of family names in many nations.  In any case,
it accounts for the color and variety of family names.  It seems quite
logical that a man who makes hammers for a livelihood would come to be
named Hammermaker or Hammersmith and that a man who lived near the
water might be called Brooks or Rivers or Lake.  And it is just as log-
ical to expect him to be given a first name, so that John the Hammer-
smith can be distinguished from Edward the Hammersmith and Edward who 
lives by the lake can be told apart from Harold who lives by the lake.
  "A 1909 study of the 1790 census names arranged a portion of the 
family names into general groups that illustrate how important com-
mon events and experience have been in name formation.  The general
groups in 1790 were as follows:
  "1. Household and domestic affairs. Examples of names derived from
this source would include Fish, Trout, Lamb, Kidney, Ham, Melon, Silk,
Feather, Lace, and Bonner.  Others, perhaps less likely to be found
today, are Soup, Tripe, Hash, Vinegar, Grapewine, Redsleeves, Bodkin,
and Mendingall.
  "2. Nations and places.  Names from this source included Ireland,
Germany, Hungary, Canada, Poland, Spain, Athens, Boston, and Paradise.
Some of these can still be found.
  "3. Human characteristics.  A tremendous number of early names be-
long in this category including Beeman, Councilman, Shortman, Short,
Shorter, Pilgrim, Goodfellow, Swindle, Bony, Barefoot, Drinker, Old,
Witty, Head, Hand, English, and Irish.  More quaint were Weedingman,
Pettyfool, Rascal, Cusser, Dunce, Booby, Madsavage, Devotion, Flurry,
Neat, Miserly, Underhand, Coldbath, Gripe, and Howls.
  "4. Relationship.  This would include names like Cousins, Brother(s),
Couples, Sister, Neighbors, and Daughters.
  "5. Nature. This was another big group in 1790.  In addition to such
common names as Brooks, Rivers, and Lake, there were Meadows, Parks, 
Mountain, Woodland, Fountain, Middlebrook, Marsh, Pool, and Pond.  Such
names are still commonly found in the U.S.   More striking among the 
1790 names in the category were Chestnutwood, Maypole, Squirrel, Tanyard,
Beavers, Fly, Roach, Toadvine, Winterberry, Flippers, Claws, and Hoofs.
  "6. The ocean and maritime subjects.  Names like Shoals, Bunks, 
Mariner, Shipboy, Anchor, Billows, Seas, and Breeze were in this cate-
gory.
  "7. Games, religion, music, and literature yielded these: Preacher, 
Rector, Blessing, Sinner, Chess, Clubs, Singer, Duett, Fife, Cornett,
Jingles, Rymes, Ballad, and Parody.
  "8. Property.  This was still another big group of 1790 names.  Good
examples are House, Lot, Marble, Longhouse, Plank, Woodhouse, Tubs, 
Hatchet, and Mallet.  More uncommon were Buttery, Gambrel, Lath, Granny,
Stable, Barnes, Tenpenny, Thickpenny, and Maize.
  "9. War. In this group were Battle, Cannon, Swords, Banner, Fort but
also Treason, Bugle, Boom, Guns, Fightmaster, Trigger, Pistol, and Shots.
  "10. Death and violence.  These subjects resulted in names like Hearse,
Vaults, Tombs, Moregraves, Duel, Murder, and Demon.
  "11. Time inspired such names as Winter, August, Tewday, Friday, Sun-
day, Goodnight, Clock, and Bells.
  " Names wear well or poorly," says the Bureau of the Census, depend-
ing on the fabric from which they have been cut.  Names that are too 
quaint, frivolous, boastful, or ludicrous - names, in short, that bring
ridicule on their owners - soon wear out any popularity that might have
been briefly enjoyed.  People have an innate need to be dignified and to
bear a name that reflects this need.  The names that continue to be used
generation after generation are those that respect the dignity of the 
person."

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