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Historical Statistics - Research Guide
This annotated, selective bibliography is a guide to sources of U.S. and international historical statistics. Most of the works included here are either basic reference tools or periodical collections that can be found in the Van Pelt or Lippincott libaries. Only sources that include statistics from before 1970 are included in this guide. For this reason, many of the resources are only available in paper versions. Other guides are available for aid in finding more current statistics.
More statistical information can be found in the following research guides. Especially important to historical statistics is the guide to the U.S Census.
- U.S. Census
- U.S. Election Statistics
- International Relations Statistics
- International Business Statistics
- U.S. Economic Statistics
- Public Opinion Polls
Contents:
General Resources
Historical Statistics of the United States: Millenial Edition.
2 vol. United States. Bureau of the Census. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing
Office, 1975.
[ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]
Most comprehensive compendium of historical U.S. statistics. Covers social,
economic, political and geographic data. Each chapter provides extensive documentation
for the sources of the statistics.
Statistical Abstract of the United States. (Annual:
1878-) Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
[ Van Pelt Library Stacks: HA 202; last 10 years in Van Pelt Reference: HA 202]
Basic yearbook of U.S. statistics. Covers a wide range of topics in great detail.
For most tables time series are available covering the past 10-20 years, although
some tables extend their coverage considerably further into the past. Each table
provides references for the source of the original data.
Global Financial Data.
Global Financial Data is a collection of 20,000 financial and economic time series. It includes data on bonds, commodities, interest rates, stock markets and indices, futures, exchange rates, GDP, prices, and unemployment. Also included are data on stock market capitalization, dividend yields, price/earnings ratios, and total return. It includes extremely long time series - e.g. U.K. Central Bank Interest Rates monthly from 1694 to date and daily from 1800 to date. Methodology and sources uses are well documented.
Datapedia of the United States 1790-2005: America Year by Year/
George T. Kurian. 2nd ed. Lanham, Md.: Bernan, 2001.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Desk Call No. HA202 .K87 2001]
Based on the Statistical Abstract of the United States and the Historical
Statistics of the U.S. from Colonial Times, this work repackages the information
in a more user-friendly format.
United States Historical Census
Browser from the University of Virginia
Online decennial census data from 1790-1960. "In addition to basic counts
of population and housing units, all decades contain information on race, gender,
and some measure of household size and composition. Beginning with 1840, some
economic characteristics such as education and occupation are included. Later
decades have many variables, including ancestry, literacy, and income variables.
In a few cases, the census data were augmented with information from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and the National Council of Churches of Christ."
IPUMS
The IPUMS consists of twenty-five high-precision samples of the American population drawn from thirteen federal censuses that span the censuses of 1850 to 1990. These censuses comprise a rich source of quantitative information on long-term changes in the American population. A statistical software package such as SAS or STATA is required to work with the data.
The First Measured Century: an Illustrated Guide to Trends in America,
1900-2000/ Theodore Caplow. Washington, D.C.: American Enterprise
Institute, 2001.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HN60 .C38 2001]
Covers a wide variety of statistics over the length of the 20th century. This
work is limited in scope and detail but provides the information in colorful
charts.
Historical statistics of Black America / compiled
& edited by Jessie Carney Smith and Carrell Peterson Horton. New York :
Gale Research, c1995.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: E185 .H543 1995]
Chapters of statistical tables devoted to agriculture, business, crime, education,
population, vital statistics, media, etc.
Historical Statistics of the South, 1790-1970: a compilation
of state-level census statistics / Donald Dodd. University of Alabama:
University of Alabama Press, 1973. v.1
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA218 .D63]
General population, demographic, agriculture and manufacturing data. Very limited
in scope and detail but provides all the information in one easy to use work.
Historical statistics of the states of the United States : two
centuries of the census, 1790-1990 / compiled by Donald B. Dodd.
Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1993.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA214 .H57 1993]
General population, demographic, agriculture and manufacturing data. Very limited
in scope and detail but provides all the information in one easy to use work.
The Negro Yearbook. (Annual: 1921-1952) Tuskegee
Institute, Ala. : Negro Year Book Pub. Co.
[Van Pelt Library: 326.87 N315] Holdings: 1921/1922,1931/1932,1937/1938,1941/1946-1947,1952
Statistical Information about African-Americans in labor, business, agriculture,
education, the arts, the military and religion. Special statistical chapters
are included in each edition.
International historical statistics : Africa, Asia & Oceania,
1750-1993 / B.R. Mitchell. London : Macmillan Reference ; New
York : Stockton Press, 1998.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA4675 .M573 1998]
International historical statistics : Europe, 1750-1993
/ B.R. Mitchell. London : Macmillan Reference ; New York : Stockton Press, 1998.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA1107 .M5 1998]
International historical statistics : the Americas, 1750-1993
/ B.R. Mitchell. London : Macmillan Reference ; New York : Stockton Press, 1998.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA175 .M55 1998]
All three volumes provide time series and comparative statistics in a wide range
of categories for the countries included in the volumes' geographic titles.
Global Financial Data.
Global Financial Data is a collection of 20,000 financial and economic time series. It includes data on bonds, commodities, interest rates, stock markets and indices, futures, exchange rates, GDP, prices, and unemployment. Also included are data on stock market capitalization, dividend yields, price/earnings ratios, and total return. It includes extremely long time series - e.g. U.K. Central Bank Interest Rates monthly from 1694 to date and daily from 1800 to date. Methodology and sources uses are well documented.
International Data Base
from the International Programs Center of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Online data since 1950 for population, age, sex, vital statistics, literacy
and migration rates of over 200 countries around the world.
Statistical
Yearbook of the League of Nations. (Annual: 1924-1944) League
of Nations. Economic and Financial Section.
Statistical coverage of international statistics--usually at the country level--for
trade and commerce, labor, agriculture, mining, population and finance.
Statistical Yearbook = Annuaire Statistique. (Annual:
1948-) United Nations. Statistical Office.
[ Van Pelt HA12.5 .U63; latest at Van Pelt Reference desk]
International country level data covering the areas of population, labor supply,
agriculture, forestry, construction, consumption, transporation, education and
trade.
The Europa year book. (Annual: 1959-). London : Europa
Publications.
[ Van Pelt Library Stacks: JN1 .E85. Latest year at Van Pelt
Reference desk]
Basic overviews of European countries, including general population, vital,
labor, agriculture, mining and economic statistics.
Unesco Statistical Yearbook = Annuaire statistique
(Annual: 1968-)/ Unesco. [Paris : Unesco].
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: AZ361 .U45; most recent edition at Van Pelt Reference
Desk.]
International country level statistics for information in the fields of education,
science, radio, television, book production and newspapers.
Agriculture
(For historical U.S agricultural statistics try starting with Historical Statistics of the United States [Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international statistics not included in the below sources try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
Agricultural Statistics. (Annual: 1936-). U.S. Dept.
of Agriculture.
[Lippincott Library Call Number: HD1751 .A43]
Statistics covering farm income, acreage, yield, production, imports, exports
and foreign trade. Statistics are divided into chapters on specific crops, types
of livestock and trade. State level statistics are provided.
Census of Agriculture. 1860-1920 decenial editions
[Van Pelt Microfilm 2622-2627]
Other editions: do a title search for 'census of agriculture' in Franklin to
locate specific censuses.
Each census is a multi-volume works including agricultural statistics at the
city, county, state and national levels. Special reports are routinely included.
Statistics are broken down by area, crop, demographics and type of trade. Statistics
also cover issues, such as irrigation, that directly relate to agriculture.
International yearbook of agricultural statistics.
(Annual: 1910-1946). Rome, Printing office of the International Institute of
Agriculture
[Van Pelt Library Call Number: 630.6 In85]
International agricultural statsitics divided by country and content. Statistics
cover area, production, utilization and yield data for principal crops and livestock.
Information about persons engaged in agricultural producation is also provided.
Statistics are provided by individual countries.
Foreign Crops and Markets/Foreign Agriculture. (Annual:
1916-1962). Washington, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Foreign Agricultural
Relations.
[Lippincott Library: Call Number: HD1401 .F6/F63]
Reports, usually including significant statistical data, on the state of crops
and livestock in foreign markets.
Yearbook of Food and Agricultural Statistics. (Annual:
1947-1957). Rome : Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
[Lippincott Library Call Number: HD1421 .Y4]
International agricultural statsitics divided by country and content. Statistics
cover area, production, utilization, yield and trade data for principal crops
and livestock. Information about persons engaged in agricultural producation
is also provided. Statistics are provided by individual countries. This yearbook
was continued by two later publications of the FAO: The Production yearbook
and the Trade Yearbook
Production yearbook = Annuaire de la production.
(Annual, 1959-). Rome, Italy : Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations.
[Lippincott Library Call Number: HD1421 .F585 Latest 10 years in Lippincott
Reference Stacks.]
Yearbook of international production statistics.
Trade yearbook. Annuaire du commerce. Anuario de comercio.
(Annual: 1958-1975) Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
[Lippincott Library Call Number: HD9000.4 .F58]
Yearbook of international agricultural trade statistics.
State of Food and Agriculture. (Annual: 1947-) Rome,
Italy : Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
[Lippincott Library Call Number: S401.U6 A317]
Provides, world, regional and special interest studies of long-term problems
associated with agriculture and food supply. Statistics provided include country
level informationfor the importance of agriculture in the economy, resources
and their use in agriculture, and measures of output and productivity.
Agricultural Statistics of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union,
1960-1980
[Lippincott: HD1992 .A72 1983]
Compilation of agricultural statistics.
Crime
(For historical crime statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international crime statistics not included in the below sources try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
Uniform crime reports for the United States. 1930-present
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HV6787 .A3; 2001 Shelved at Van Pelt Library Reference
Desk]
Most comprehensive set of historical crime statistics available since 1930.
National, state and city information for a wide range of crimes, demographics
of people arrested and law enforcements personnel..
Economics and Development
(For economic statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international statistics not included in the below sources try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
A wealth of U.S. business and indsutry information is available from the Bureau of the Census. For help on finding this information see the Van Pelt research guide on finding census data.
Global Financial Data.
Global Financial Data is a collection of 20,000 financial and economic time series. It includes data on bonds, commodities, interest rates, stock markets and indices, futures, exchange rates, GDP, prices, and unemployment. Also included are data on stock market capitalization, dividend yields, price/earnings ratios, and total return. It includes extremely long time series - e.g. U.K. Central Bank Interest Rates monthly from 1694 to date and daily from 1800 to date. Methodology and sources uses are well documented.
Economic Indicators. (Monthly: 1948-) Council of
Economic Advisers.
[Lippincott Library: HC101 .A186]
Provides a concise overview of economic activity. Topics include income, spending,
employment, unemployment, and wages, production and business activity, prices,
money, credit, and security markets, and international statistics.
Federal reserve bulletin. (Monthly: May 1915-) Washington,
D.C. : Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
[Lippincott Library: HG2401 .A5]
The most complete current information and statistics on financial conditions
in the United States. Includes money, banking, financial markets, securities
and corporate finance, federal finance, and consumer credit.
EH.Net.
[http://eh.net/databases/]
A nice collection of data series available online.
- Annual GDP, 1869-present
- Purchasing Power of the Dollar 1665-present
- Purchasing Power of the British Pound, 1264-present
- Inflation Rates for the U.S. 1666-2000
- Price of Gold
- Relative Cost of Unskilled Labor in the U.S., 1774-present
- 3 to 6 Month U.S. Commercial Paper Rates, 1831 - 1997
- Exchange rate between the the United States dollar and the British pound, 1791 - 2000
- Exchange rate between the the United States dollar and forty other countries, 1913 - 1999
- What is the Relative Value? Five Ways to Compare the Worth of a United States Dollar, 1789 - Present?
Social security bulletin. (Monthly: 1938-) [Washington,
D.C.?] : U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Social Security Administration.
[Van Pelt Library: HD7123 .S56]
Statistics covering receipts, outlays and finances of Social Security. Includes
detailed information about the programs to which federal Social Security expenditures
are spent.
Survey of current business. (Monthly: 1921-) [Washington,
D.C.?] : U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
[Lippincott Library: HC101 .A13]
Statistical coverage of income and trade developments. Covers prices, foreign
trade, commodities, industries, etc.
Trends in the American economy in the nineteenth century.
Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1960.
[Van Pelt Library: HC106.3 .C714 vol.24]
Information presented in textual and statistical form about American economic
trends in the 19th century. Covers production, prices, income, trade, wages,
investment and balance of payments. Useful supplement to Historical Statistics
of the United States.
FDIC: Historical Statistics on Banking
National and state level statistiscs. Data series cover number and structure
of financial institutions, income of financial instituations, and the loans,
liabilities, investments and deposits of banks. Some data series span from 1934
to the present.
The budget of the United States Government. (Annual:
1922-) : United States. Bureau of the Budget.
[Van Pelt Library: HJ2051 .A595]
The Budget of the United States is the president's proposed budget
for the forthcoming federal fiscal year. Statistics reported for the previous
year are factual, but statistics reported for the current and following fiscal
years are estimates that may change based on how the budget that is passed by
Congress compares to the President's proposed budget and also on the state of
the economy. The Budget brings together a wide range of data. Expenses
and receipts of the government are broken down into detail and a portrait of
the president's proposed financial plan is presented at length.
Historical Corporate Reports.
This collection contains digitized images of annual company reports from the 1800s to 1975. The collection is continually expanding.
TRADE AND COMMODITIES
Commodity year book. (Annual 1939-) New York : Commodity
Research Bureau, Inc
[Lippincott Library: HF1041 .C56]
Commodities include crops, minerals, plastics, animal products, etc. Data broken
down by commodity. Statistics include world production and consumption, U.S.
production and consumption, prices, U.S. exports and imports.
Commercial relations of the United States with foreign countries.
(Annual: 1855/56-1912). United States. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce.
[Van Pelt Library: HF105 .B3]
Annual report from the Secretary of State reporting on the import-export activity
of foreign countries, with emphasis on trade with the United States. Types and
amounts of articles traded as well as number of vessels from each country is
covered and statistics for individual ports are often included.
Mineral Resources of the United States/Minerals Yearbook. (Annual:
1883-). [Washington] Bureau of Mines.
[Van Pelt Library: TN23 .U6]
General overview of the mineral industry for the past year followed
by individual sections for each mineral. Domestic production, world production,
value, trade, consumption and other data.
PRICES
The value of a dollar : prices and incomes in the United States,
1860-1999 / edited by Scott Derks. Lakeville, CT : Grey House
Pub., 1999.
[Lippincott Library Reference Desk: HB235.U6 V35 1999]
"Records the actual prices of thousands of items that consumers purchased
from the Civil War to the present. Consumer expenditures, investments, income,
food basket, selected prices.
CPI calculator
From the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Consumper Price Index and Inflation
data from 1800 to the present. Also provides an inflation calculation for determining
the change of price is goods or services over time.
Wholesale prices. (Annual: 1932-41) United States.
Bureau of labor statistics.
[Van Pelt Library: 338.5 Un375.2]
Wholesale Prices and Price Indexes. (Monthly: 1952-)
United States. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[Lippincott Library Call No. HB235.U6 A472]
STATE, COUNTY AND CITY
City finances. (Annual: 1932-1964). Washington :
Bureau of the Census; for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
[Lippincott Library: HJ9011 .A328]
Extremely detailed statistical data for cities over a certain population (for
example, in 1940 all cities with population over 100,000 were included). Data
includes revenue, taxes, state aid, debt, government costs, non-tax revenue,etc.
County business patterns. (1946-) [Washington] :
Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
[Lippincott Library Stacks: HC101 .A184; 1988-most recent in Lippincott Reference
Stacks]
Recent information also available at: www.census.gov/epcd/cbp/view/cbpview.html]
Index of economic material in documents of the states of the United
States/ prepared for the Department of economics and sociology
of the Carnegie Institution of Washington by Adelaide R. Hasse. (There are separate
indexes for each volume that the Library owns. Check the Franklin record for
the appropriate call number.) Index of printed reports of state-level administrative
officers, legislative committees, and special commissions of the state.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks; Index of matieral in Philadelphia at Van Pelt Library
Reference Stacks" Z1329 .H28]
Global Financial Data.
Global Financial Data is a collection of 20,000 financial and economic time series. It includes data on bonds, commodities, interest rates, stock markets and indices, futures, exchange rates, GDP, prices, and unemployment. Also included are data on stock market capitalization, dividend yields, price/earnings ratios, and total return. It includes extremely long time series - e.g. U.K. Central Bank Interest Rates monthly from 1694 to date and daily from 1800 to date. Methodology and sources used are well documented.
General Statistics/Main Economic Indicators. (Monthly
1950-) Paris: Organization for Economic cooperation and Development.
[Lippincott Library: HC10 .O67 ; most recent in Lippincott Library Reference
Stacks: HC10 .O6814]
Data covering OECD member countries (mainly European countries plus wealth non-European
countries such as the U.S., Japan and Australia. Two types of data are included:
general economic indicators and industrial production. Economic indicators includes
national accounts, industrial production, employment, trade, exchange rate and
liquidity. Industrial production statistics include production of specific types
of commodities.
Main Economic Indicators Historical Statistics, 1955-1971.. Paris: Organization for Economic cooperation and Development.
[Lippincott Library Reference Stacks: HC10 .O6814]
Monthly Bulletin of Statistics. (Monthly. 1947-).
New York: United Nations.
[Van Pelt Stacks: HC57 .U66; most recent in Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HC57.U66]
Includes statistics broken down by country. Data covers manpower. Industrial
production, manufacturing, energy, construction, transport, trade, wages and
prices and finance.
International financial statistics. (monthly: 1948-)
Washington : International Monetary Fund.
[Lippincott Library: HG3881 .I626]
Global data on exchange rates, world trade, price indices and gold production
and holdings. IMF data. Detailed tables for each country covering exchange rates,
gold and foreign assets, foreign transatctions, bank assets, currency, prices
and wages, and production/national income.
Yearbook of national accounts statistics. Annuaire de statistiques
des comptabilités nationales. (Annual: 1957-1981). New
York, Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistical Office.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HC79.I5 U53]
Each country is given its own section. Data includes: composition of gross national
product, composition of gross domestic product, distribution of national income,
receipts and expenditures of households, government revenue and trade account
balance.
One hundred years of economic statistics: United
Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Sweden / Thelma Liesner. New York : Facts on File, c1989.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HC106 .L68 1989]
Most series cover 1885-1985.
Economic bulletin for Asia and the Far East: (Quarterly:
1950-1989). New York [etc.] United Nations.
[Lippincott Library: HC411 .E265]
Provides statistical updates to the Economic Survey and articles on
special topics. Covers agricultural and industrial production, mining, trade,
investment, price indices, etc. Information broken down by country and product.
Current
Value of Old Money
Provides a long list of online data sets and calculators for determining princes,
exchange rates, and inflation rates for a number of countries, although most
focus on the the United Kingdom and the United States. Data series often span
from the early 17th century to the present. Also provides a bibliography for
finding more resources.
Medieval and Early Modern Databank
Provides exchange rates and prices for selected currencies and countries in
the middle ages.
TRADE AND COMMODITIES
Yearbook of international trade statistics/International trade
statistics yearbook. (Annual: 1950-1982). New York : Dept. of
Economic and Social Affairs, Statistical Office, United Nations.
[Van Pelt Library: HF91 .U473]
Each country is given its own section. Data includes exports and imports for
a wide range of products. For some counties trade data is also broken down by
trading partners.
Commodity trade statistics. (Annual: 1951-1995) New
York : Statistical Office of the United Nations, Dept. of Economic Affairs.
[Lippincott Library Stacks: HA13 .U5]
Provides data on the quantity and value of commodities exported/imported between
specific countries. Commodities include animal products, vegetable products,
minerals, machinery, textiles, etc.
Foreign trade and commerce. Accounts relating to the trade and
commerce of certain foreign countries and British countries overseas during
the period ended ... / (Annual: 1900-1939). compiled in the Statistics
Department, Board of Trade.
[Van Pelt Library: HF183 .A4]
Similar to Commerical Relations of the United States with focus on
the United Kingdom.
Education
(For historical education statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international educational statistics not included in the below sources try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Education (Annual:
1870-1917)
[ Van Pelt: Serial Set]
Basic data and statistics on education in the U.S. from kindergarten through
graduate school.
Biennial Survey of Education (Annual: 1918-1958)
[ Van Pelt: Serial Set]
Basic data and statistics on education in the U.S. from kindergarten through
graduate school.
Annual report - The Secretary of the Interior. (Annual:
1876-1885). Washington, The Department.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: J84 .A5]
National, state and city level data about a variety of topics, including financing,
population, district level data and educational programs.
Digest of Educational Statistics (Annual: 1962- ;
1995- online. latest at ref desk)
Provides the broadest range of statistics on education in the United States
available since 1962. More recent edition include more data.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: L112.A35]
120 Years of American Education: A Statistical Portrait
Provides historical statistics for American education for the period 1870-1990.
General education characteristics of the population are covered as well as statistics
for the elementary, secondary and higher education levels. Provides a broad
range of demographic, economic and educational statistics over the period covered.
URL: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs93/93442.pdf
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks Call Number: LA2846 .O54 1993]
State Comparisons of Education Statistics. (Annual:
1969-70 to 1996-97)
Collects comparable statistics for U. S. states and regions on a number of key
education indicators for K-16 education, including enrollment, graduation rates,
special education programs, etc.
[LA217.2 .S64 1998]
Estimates of School Statistics (Annual: 1949-present)
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: LC130 .N3]
Statistics cover: enrollment, average teacher salary, amount and source of educational
revenue, expense on construction, expense per pupil. More complete and detailed
information is provided is more recent editions. Statistics listed by state.
International Yearbook of Education. (Annual: 1936-1969)
Paris : Unesco ; Geneva : International Bureau of Education
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: L101.A2 A63]
Annual compilation of reports delivered by the governments of individual countries
to UNESCO. A general survey of important educational developments around the
world is also included. The amount of statistical information varies by country.
UNESCO statistical yearbook (Annual: 1963-1999)
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: AZ361 .U45]
Includes a section on educational statistics reported by countries around the
world. Statistics cover enrollment and student and teacher demographics at all
levels of education as well as economic support for eudcation. Information is
reported by country.
Elections
See the guide to U.S. election statistics in Van Pelt Library's Research Guide to U.S. Elections.
Mackie, Thomas. The International Almanac of Electoral History. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1991.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: JF 1001 .M17 1991]
Historical and contemporary election results for 25 different countries that have "regularly [held] competitive elections since the end of the Second World War."
Krennerich, Nohlen. Elections in Africa. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1999.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: JQ1879.A55 E44 1999]
England
Mitchell, B.R. British historical statistics. New
York: Cambridge University Press, 1988.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA1134 .M58 1988]
Most series begin with the 18th and 19th centuries and conclude with 1980, although
some reach back to the 16th century. Economic, labor, agricultural, transport,
communication, and vital statistics are included.
Annual abstract of statistics. (Annual: 1840-) Great
Britain. Central Statistical Office..
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HA1122 .A33]
Each volume contains demographic, economic, political, social and cultural statistics
for the previous 15 years. Provides significantly more detail than is available
in Mitchell's historical statistics.
British labour statistics: historical abstract 1886-1968. Great
Britain. Dept. of Employment and Productivity. London, H.M. Stationery Off.,
1971.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HD8388 .A5]
Provides more than 200 tables of historical statistics drawn from original sources.
Foreign trade and commerce. Accounts relating to the trade and
commerce of certain foreign countries and British countries overseas during
the period ended ... (Annual: 1900-1939)/ compiled in the Statistics
Department, Board of Trade.
[Van Pelt Library: HF183 .A4]
Annual report covering the import-export activity of foreign countries, with
emphasis on trade with the United Kingdom.
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
Craig, Fred W. S. British parliamentary election results 1832-1885.
2nd ed. Dartmouth: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: JN1037 .C67 1989]
Craig, Fred W.S. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918.
London: Macmillan, 1974.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: JN1037 .C695]
Craig, Fred W.S. British Parliamentary Election results, 1918-1949.
Glasgow, Political Reference Publications, 1969.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: JN1037 .C7]
Craig, Fred W.S. British Parliamentary Election results, 1950-1970.
Chichester, Political Reference Publications, 1971.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: JN1037 .C7142]
LONDON
London Statistics. (Annual: [1890]-1939). London
County Council, Local Government and Statistical Department.
[Van Pelt Library: HA1139 .L82]
Statistical abstract for London.(Annual: 1897-1950).
[London] : Statistical Dept., London County Council.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HA1139 .L822]
Extraordinarily detailed statistics extending back to the late 19th century.
Health
(For historical health statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international health statistics try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
Mortality statistics. (Annual: 1900-1936). United
States. Bureau of the Census
[Lippincott Library: HA203 .A25]
Predecessor to 'Vital Statistics.'
Vital statistics of the United States. (Annual: 1937-).
Washington, D.C. : United States Bureau of the Census
[Lippincott Library: HA203 .A22]
Detailed statistis on natality, mortality , marriages and divorces. Information
is divided by age, sex, race, geographic area, etc. State and city level as
well as some international data provided statistics.
Housing
(For historical U.S. housing statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international statistics not included in the below sources try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
Annual bulletin of housing and building statistics for Europe.
1957-1989. Economic Commission for Europe, Geneva = Bulletin annuel de statistiques
du logement et de la construction pour l'Europe /Commission economique pour
l'Europe, Geneve. New York : United Nations, -1992.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HD9715.A1 U48]
Housing:
Then and Now: 50
years of Decennial Censuses
List of statistical tables covering homeownerships, home density, living conditions,
facilities and more.
Housing construction statistics, 1889 to 1964. United
States. Bureau of the Census. Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Office, 1966
[ Van Pelt Library Stacks: HD7293.A3 U45 1966]
The volume of residential construction, 1889-1950.
Blank, David Mordecai. [New York] National Bureau of Economic Research, 1954.
[LIBRA: HD9715.U52 B55 Request with PLACE REQUESTS tab]
Immigration
- For historical U.S. immigration statistics itry starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international statistics not included in the below sources try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.
- A wealth of U.S. immigration information is available from the Bureau of the Census. For help on finding this information see the Van Pelt research guide on finding census data.
Historical
Census Statistics on the Foreign-born Population of the United States: 1850-1990.
United States. Bureau of Naturalization.
Number, language spoken, place of orgin and other demographic statistics relating
to the foreign-born population of the United States. From the U.S. Census Bureau.
Annual Report of the Commissioner of Naturalization to the Secretary
of Labor. (Annual: 1896-1932).
Van Pelt Library: JV6414 .A3
Broad variety of statistical tables, including cause of rejection of imigrants,
immigration by port, month, country of origin, race/ethnicity, and occupation.
Emmigration statistics also provided.
Individual Countries
Many countries have produced statistical yearbooks on an annual basis for over
a century. Compilations of historical statistics are available for many other
countries and regions. Use Franklin to identify statistical publications
for individual countries by doing a SUBJECT search for:
[country] statistics
and looking under the following subject headings
[country] statistics
[country] statistics periodicals
[country] statistics history
For example, if you are interested in Japanese historical statistics try a
search for:
Japan statistics
After looking through the subheadings you will find the Japan Statistical
Yearbook, which is available at Penn from 1950 to the present.
Labor
(For historical labor statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international labor statistics not included in the resources below try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
Bureau
of Labor Statistics Historical Data, 1948-present: A Tables
13 data series presenting household employment data divided by demographic category,
reason for unemployment, industry, occupation, etc.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Historical Data, 1948-present: B Tables
6 data series presenting establishment data usually divided by industry, wage,
earnings, hours worked, and employment change.
Monthly Labor Review. (Monthly: 1915-) U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics.
[Lippincott Library: HD8051 .A78]
Contains articles, summaries of special reports, , and statistics concerning
employment, laborforce, etc.
Handbook of Labor Statistics. (Annual: 1924-1989)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[Lippincott Library: 1924/1926-1967 Classed: 331.06/Un4
1968-1976 Classed: HD/8051/A62
1976- Classed HD8064.A3]
Summary of statistics covering employment, labor force, occupations, projectivity,
prices, work stoppages, etc. 1989 edition presents data from earliest reliable
compilations to 1988.
Historical Labor Statistics
Project.
"The project collects in machine-readable format detailed data on American
labor markets selected from over 150 separate investigations undertaken between
1874 and 1920 by the Bureaus of Labor Statistics established by the governments
of 29 states. To date we have collected, coded, documented, and
distributed 36 data sets. Thirty-five of the data sets are cross-sectional surveys
of workers with information
on working conditions, living standards, family demography, and household economy."
Index of all reports issued by bureaus of labor statistics in the
United States prior to March 1, 1902 / prepared under the direction
of Carroll D. Wright.
United States. Bureau of Labor. New York, Johnson Reprint Corp., 1970.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HD8072 .A17 1970]
Labor force statistics derived from the current population survey,
1948-87.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. G.P.O.,
[1988].
[Lippincott Library Reference Stacks: HD5724 .L19 1988]
A comprehensive collection of historical monthly, quarterly, and annual data,
in many cases retrospective to 1948. Includes data on employment by occupation,
industry, age, sex, race, education, etc.
Rural Agricultural
Workforce by County 1800-1900.
"Estimates of the rural agricultural workforce by sex and age-group, by
county at census dates from 1800 to 1900. The data are contained in a set of
files, one for each census year."
Year-book of labour statistics = Annuaire des statistiques du travail
= Anuario de estadisticas del trabajo. (Annual: 1936-)
Geneva International Labour Office, 1936-.
[Lippincott Library: HD4826 .I63]
Summarizes labor statistics on the economically active population
of 184 countries and territories.
British labour statistics: historical abstract 1886-1968.
Great Britain. Dept. of Employment and Productivity. London, H.M. Stationery
Off., 1971.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HD8388 .A5]
Provides more than 200 tables of historical statistics drawn from original sources.
Military and Defense
(For historical military statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international statistics not included in the resources below try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
Report of the Secretary of War. (Annual: 1865-1897)
United States. War Dept.
[Van Pelt Library: UA24 .A11]
See description of Annual Reports below.
Annual Reports of the War Department. (Annual: 1897-1920)
United States. War Dept.
[Van Pelt Library: UA24 .A1]
Reports included vary by year. Reports frequently include those of the Secretary
of War, the Chief of Ordnance, the Corps of Engineers, Surgeon General, Quartermaster
General. Other reports may be entered from the military academies, park commissions,
Governors of terrirtories and Indian Affairs. Each report includes statistical
tables on relevant subjects. For instance, health issues, building and defense
initiatives, arms, indian wars, housing issues, budgetary matters, etc.
SIPRI Yearbook. (Annual: 1969-). Stockholm : Almquist
& Wiksell ; New York : Humanities Press.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: UA10 .I55. Latest issue at Reference Desk]
Statistical information on the world's armaments and efforts to control arms
proliferation.
League of Nations Armaments
year-book : general and statistical information.
Statistical tables of financial, organizational and population data relevant
to armaments and the military. Each chapter of a volume is devoted to a particular
country. To use this database try using a search for [country] and statistics.
Correlates of War II
Data sets for studying the conditions associated with the outbreak of war. Longitudinal data, generally covering 1816-present, describe: state system membership, interstate wars, extrastate wars, intrastate wars and civil wars, militarized interstate disputes, national material capabilities, formal alliances, territorial change, direct contiguity, intergovernmental organization membership, and bilateral trade. Statistical software packages such as SPSS or STATA should be used to view and work with the data.
War
of the Rebellion
Collection of official documents and reports on all Civil War operations. Includes
the original battlefield and organizational reports that were submitted to the
Department of War and published in 127 volumes.
Warfare and armed conflicts: a statistical reference to casualty
and other figures, 1500-2000. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, c2002.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: D214 .C54 2002]
Describes more than 800 conflicts since 1500, giving casualty statistics and
other details of the conflict.
Resort to arms : international and civil wars, 1816-1980
/ Melvin Small, J. David Singer. Beverly Hills, Calif. : Sage Publications,
c1982.
[Van Pelt Library: U21.2 .S6 1982]
Statistical analysis of 224 wars. Including comparative statistical rankings.
Philadelphia
Klepp, Susan E. The swift progress of population: a documentary
and bibliographic study of Philadelphia's growth, 1642-1859. Memoirs
of the American Philosophical Society volume 187. Philadelphia: APS, 1991.
[Van Pelt Reference: HB 3527 .P5 K577 1991]
Klepp, Susan E. Philadelphia in transition: a demographic history
of the city and its occupational groups, 1720-1830. New York:
Garland, 1989.
[Van Pelt: HB 3527 .P5 K57 1989]
Based upon Klepp's Penn PhD dissertation in American Civilization, Philadelphia
transition, a demographic history of the city and its occupational groups, 1720-1830.
Symposium on the demographic history of the Philadelphia region,
1600-1860 / Susan E. Klepp, editor. Philadelphia : American Philosophical
Society, 1989.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HB3527.P5 K56 1989a]
Collection of topical articles relating to the demographic history of philadelphia.
Statistics and analysis provided in most every chapter.
Hershberg, Theodore (ed.) Philadelphia: work, space, family, and
group experience in the nineteenth century. Essays toward an interdisciplinary
history of the city. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.
[Van Pelt: HN 80 .P5 P487]
Statistical information on Philadelphia during the second half of the nineteenth
century is summarized here. Essays are based on data compiled by the Philadelphia
Social History Project.
An ethnic history of West Philadelphia, 1870-1980 : a research
tool for demographic studies / Daniela Pierson. [Philadelphia]
: Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks and Reference Stacks: F158.68.W5 P5]
Decennial breakdown of West Philadelphia statistics related to ethnic and demographic
studies.
An ethnic history of South Philadelphia 1870 - 1980 : a research
tool for demographic studies / John R. Maneval. [Philadelphia]
: Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies.
[ Van Pelt Library Stacks and Reference Stacks: F158.68.S7 M36]
Decennial breakdown of South Philadelphia statistics related to ethnic and demographic
studies.
Index of economic material in documents of the states of the United
States, Pennsylvania, 1790-1904 / prepared for the Department
of economics and sociology of the Carnegie Institution of Washington by Adelaide
R. Hasse.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks and Reference Stacks: Z1329 .H28]
Index of printed reports of state-level administrative officers, legislative
committees, and special commissions of the state of Pennsylvania for the period
1790-1904.
Prices in colonial Pennsylvania / Anne Bezanson,
Robert D. Gray and Miriam Hussey. Philadelphia : Univesity of Philadelphia Press,
1935.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: 338.5 B4691]
Wholesale prices in Philadelphia, 1784-1861 / by
Anne Bezanson, Robert D. Gray, Miriam Hussey. Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania
Press, 1936-1937.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HB235.U6 B45 (2 vols.)]
Wholesale prices in Philadelphia, 1852-1896 : series of relative
monthly prices / by Anne Bezanson. Philadelphia : University of
Pennsylvania Press, 1954.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HB235.U62 P5]
Population
- For historical population statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international statistics not included in the resources below try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.
- A wealth of U.S. population information is available from the Bureau of the Census. For help on finding this information see the Van Pelt research guide on finding census data.
United States Historical Census
Browser from the University of Virginia
Online decennial census data from 1790-1960. "In addition to basic counts
of population and housing units, all decades contain information on race, gender,
and some measure of household size and composition. Beginning with 1840, some
economic characteristics such as education and occupation are included. Later
decades have many variables, including ancestry, literacy, and income variables.
In a few cases, the census data were augmented with information from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and the National Council of Churches of Christ."
Selected
Historical Decennial Census Population and Housing Counts
Urban and Rural Population,1790-1990
Population, Housing and Density, 1790-1990
Mean Center of the Population Of the U.S., 1790-1990
Census Statistics on the Foreign Born Population of the U.S., 1850-1990
Demographic
Trends in the 20th Century Census 2000 Special Reports
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: : HB3505.A3 H63 2002 ]
Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic Origin, 1970 to 1990, For The United States, Regions, Divisions, and States. Population Division. U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2002.
Trends in Marital Status of U.S. Women at First Birth: 1930 to 1994. Population Division. U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1998.
Timing of First Births: 1930-34 to 1990-94. Population Division. U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1998.
Population of the 100 largest cities and other urban places in the United States: 1790 to 1990. Population Division. U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1998
County and city data book. [Washington, D.C.] : U.S.
Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census : 1949-; issued every 4 years.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HA202 .A35; most recent at reference desk]
Presents census data for U.S. counties and large cities. Also includes summary
data for states, regions, metropolitan areas, and other geographic markers.
Negro Population in the United States, 1790-1915.
New York: Arno Press, 1968.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HA205 .A33 1968]
Extensive collection of statistics based on census returns. Includes population
growth, density, distribution and urbanization, nativity, occupation and housing
data, vital statistics, and educational achievement. National, state and some
city level data provided.
Population Abstract of the United States/ John L.
Andriot. 2 volumes. McLean, VA: Andriot Associates, 1983.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: HA215 .A53]
Provides population totals for states, counties and cities, including all present
counties and 82 that no longer exist. Cities with populations of over 10,000
in 1970 are included.
Population History of Western U.S. Cities and Towns, 1850-1990.
Riley Moffat: Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press, 1996.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HB3525.W38 M64 1996]
Provides decennial (and some inter-decennial) population data for cities and
towns from Texas and North Dakota west to Hawaii. Populations of towns too small
to be included in the Population Abstract are included.
Population history of eastern U.S. cities and towns, 1790-1870.
Riley Moffat. Publisher: Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press, 1992.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA218 .M64 1992]
Provides decennial (and some inter-decennial) population data for cities and
towns in the eastern United States. Populations of towns too small to be included
in the Population Abstract are included.
Demographic yearbook. Annuaire démographique. (Annual:
1948-) New York Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistical Office, United
Nations.
[ Van Pelt Library Stacks: HA17 D45]
Data for the world, nation states and major cities. Statistical and demographic
data covers population, nativity, infant mortality and general mortality rates
by country.
International Data Base
from the International Programs Center of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Online data since 1950 for population, age, sex, vital statistics, literacy
and migration rates of countries around the world.
International population census publications, series II, pre-1945:
Africa.
[Van Pelt Microtext Center: Microfilm 4390]
Handbook of National Population Censuses./ Doreer
Goyer. New York : Greenwood Press.
[Europe: Van Pelt Reference Stacks HA37.E93 G69 1992
Africa and Asia: Van Pelt Reference Stacks HA37.A33 D65 1986
Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, and Oceania Call No. HA36 .G67
1983 ]
Extensive descriptions and accessability information for censuses of all the
countries listed in each volume.
Latin American Population and Urbanization Analysis: Maps and Statistics,
1950-1982./ Richard W. Wilkie. Los Angeles, Calif. : UCLA Latin
American Center Publications, University of California, c1984.
[Van Pelt Stacks and Reference Stacks: HB3530.5 .W54 1984]
The International Bibliography
of Historical Demography
Bibliographic citations on population studies and demography through history.
All world areas are covered, with roughly 70-percent of records treating Europe,
and all historical time periods are also covered. Topics covered include: spatial
distribution of populations; mechanisms of population change, including mortality,
fertility, and migration; marriage and the family; population structures; relationships
between economic, social, and population variables; methods and techniques of
historical demography, including palaeodemography.
Population
Index
Covers fields of interest to demographers, including fertility, mortality, population
size and growth, migration, nuptiality and the family, research methodology,
projections and predictions, historical demography, and demographic and economic
interrelations.
Religion
(For historical religion statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international religion statistics not included in the resources below try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
ARDA.
The American Religion Data Archive collects quantitative data
sets for the study of American religion. The ARDA was established to meet four
goals: preservation of data, improved access to data, increased use of data,
and comparison of data. Includes surveys of the general population, religious
groups, and religious professionals. Files can be downloaded.
Religious Bodies. (1906, 1916, 1926, 1936) United
States. Bureau of the Census.
[Van Pelt Library: BR515 .A3]
Comprehensive decenial statistical report on religion in the United States.
Yearbook of American churches. (Annual: 1941, 1949-1972.
New York [etc.] National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States
of America.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: BR513 .Y4]
Each yearbook provides statistics for number of churches and membership by religious
body. National statistics on issues such as attendance, sunday schools, members
per church, and gifts are also provided.
The American Jewish year book. (Annual: 1899-) Philadelphia
: The Jewish publication society of America
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: E184.J5 A6; Most recent in Van Pelt Library Reference
Stacks: E184.J5 A6].
Yearbook that includes international statistics about the population, immigration
and societies of Jews. Later editions devote independant sections to particular
countries
The Arab world, Turkey, and The Balkans (1878-1914): a handbook
of historical statistics. Justin McCarthy. Boston: G.K. Hall,
1982.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA4556 .M35]
World Christian encyclopedia: a comparative study of churches and
religions in the modern world, AD 30-2200. Ed. by David B. Barrett.
2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
[Van Pelt Reference - on order as of 1/30/01]
[First edition in Van Pelt Library BR157 .W67 1982]
Organized by country, this work contains statistics, surveys, chronologies,
directory information, etc., of aspects of Christianity within that country.
Bibliography; atlases; dictionary of terms; indexes.
ATLASES
Newman, William M. Atlas of American religion : the denominational
era, 1776-1990. Walnut Creek : AltaMira Press, c2000.
[Van Pelt Reference BR515 .N49 2000]
New historical atlas of religion in America. Oxford
; New York : Oxford University Press, c2001.
[Van Pelt Library Reference Atlas Cases G1201.E4 N4 2001]
Includes Appendices for the number of churches distributed by colonies/states
for the years 1750, 1850, 1890, 1950, 1990.
Transportation, Communication and Recreation
(For historical statistics in the U.S. try starting withHistorical Statistics of the United States [ Van Pelt Reference Stacks: HA202 A385 1975]. For international statistics not included in the resources below try general statistical resources or statistical yearbooks of individual countries.)
Statistics on radio and television, 1950-1960. [Paris]
UNESCO [1963]
[Van Pelt Library: 384.5 Un29]
Statistics on radio and television : 1960-1976 / Division
of Statistics on Culture and Communication, Office of Statistics, Paris 1978
[Van Pelt Library: HE8689.4 .U54 1979]
SCIPIO
SCIPIO is an online union catalog of art and rare book auction catalogs from
the late sixteenth century to the present. Covers world art from all time periods,
books and manuscripts, painting, sculpture, drawing, prints, and photographs,
furniture, decorative and applied arts, musical instruments, and objets d'art.
Records provide dates and places of sale, catalog title, the auction house,
sellers, institutional holdings, and other information.
Statistics: Fraternal Societies. (Annual: 1894-1920).
Rochester: The Fraternal Monitor.
[Van Pelt Library: 368.3/F868]
Membership and Financial Statistics for American fraternal societies.
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION
Annual report on the statistics of railways in the United States.
(Annual: 1887-1953). Washington, D.C. : U.S. Govt. Print. Off..
[Lippincott Library: HE2708 .I73]
Statistics relating to railways and related issues, including milelage, corporate
ownership, railway earnings, income and expenditure, taxes and accidents, costs
and extent of technology used. National, regional and company specific data
included.
Annual report on transport statistics in the United States for
the year ended ... (Annual: 1953-)/ prepared by the Bureau of
Transport Economics and Statistics. Washington, D.C. : Interstate Commerce Commission..
[Lippincott Library: HE2708 .I73]
Continues the Statistics of Railways and expands its coverage to water
carriers, motor carriers, pipe lines and private car lines. The majority of
information covers commercial rather than recreational transportation.
International Travel Statistics. (Annual: 1958-1977).
[Geneva] : International Union of Official Travel Organizations and World Tourism
Organization.
[Lippincott Library: G149 .I73]
International tourism statistics, reported by country.
Tourism in O.E.C.D. Member Countries. (Annual: 1953-1973)
[Lippincott Library: G155.A1 O67]
