TITLE: Population.
SOURCE: See bibliography below.
TRANSCRIBER: SFgenealogy.
NOTES: See notes below.
UPDATED: 7 May 2025.

TABLE 1

TABLE 1A.
California Department of Finance Estimates
(subject to change)[9]

TABLE 2

NOTES

[1] Rank was based on comparison with other cities in the United States.

[1a] Presidio: 80 men, 44 women, 36 boys, 46 girls, 206 total (Spanish). San Francisco Mission [Dolores]: 310 men, 258 women, 27 boys, 30 girls, 625 total (Indians); 2 men (Spanish); 627 total.

[2] These totals were published by Langley, and were most likely only for Yerba Buena and not the surrounding areas; Langley reported 500 for September 1847. According to the California Star (28 August 1847) there were 459 total adults and children. According to the California Star (18 March 1848), there were 575 male adults, 177 female adults, and 60 children of age to attend school; also that “scarcely eight months since [September?] the total number of whites was 375.”

[3] According to the The Annals of San Francisco , “…at the close of 1849, the population of the town numbered, at least, twenty, and probably nearer twenty-five thousand souls.”

[3a] According to the newspaper article where this figure was published ( Daily Alta California , 18 April 1851), “…the census [of 1850] was taken in the months of September and October…at a period when the miners had already left, or were leaving in large numbers for the more southern mining counties…”) Also, in 1850, San Francisco County included the area now known as San Mateo County.

[3b] These figures are from statistics reported by the Secretary of State to the California Legislature in 1853. Two other categories were also reported: Mulattoes—141, and, Foreign Residents—19,303. Also, in 1852, San Francisco County included the area now known as San Mateo County.

[3c] According to the California Star (28 August 1847), there were white males-247, white females-128; Indian males-26, Indian females-8; S. Islander males-39, S. Islander females-1; Negro males-9, Negro females-1.

[4] Totals for 1860 and 1870 are from the United States Census. Langley, through canvassing for his city directory, derived different figures: 1860—83,223 and 1870—172,750.

[5] Figures for Hispanics were included under “White” until 1960. In 1970, persons of Spanish surname and language were considered a separate racial group. Figures for Hispanics in 1980, 1990 and 2000 may overlap other groups.

[6] The figures for 1860 are from Langley, those for 1870 from the U.S. Census. Langley's figures for 1870 were: White—153,750 (93.3%), Chinese—9,000 (5.5%), Black—2,000 (1.2%), and a Transient population of 8,000.

[7] The categories of Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino were included in the single category of “Asian or Pacific Islander” and shown here under “Other.”

[8] These figures reflect “Race alone or in combination.” Those who selected “One Race” were: White—338,909 (43.6%), Black—60,515 (7.8%), Native American—3,458 (0.5%), Asian—239,565 (30.8%), and Pacific Islander—3,844 (0.5%).

[9] These figures are from the California Department of Finance and are revised on an annual basis (updated 2021-2025: October 2025). “County population proportions result from averaging three methods:

1. DLAC Method. A modified version of the state Driver License Address Change (DLAC) method is used for counties. County proportions of the state total result from changes in county population values for births, deaths, school enrollment, foreign and domestic migration, medical aid enrollments, and group quarters population.
2. Ratio-Correlation Method. This method models change in household population as a function of changes in the distributions of driver licenses, school enrollments, housing units, and deaths. Estimates of county group quarters are added.
3. Tax Return Method. County proportions are derived by the U.S. Census Bureau using matched federal income tax returns to estimate inter-county migration along with vital statistics, group quarters, and other information for the population aged 65 and over.”

[10] U.S. Census, 2010 . The 2010 U.S. Census didn't include “Hispanic or Latino” as a race, but rather as an ethnicity. The amount of Hispanic or Latino was 121,774 (15.1) and Non Hispanic or Latino was 683,461 (84.8).

[11] P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data, U.S. Census, 2020. The 2020 U.S. Census didn't include “Hispanic or Latino” as a race, but rather as an ethnicity. The amount of Hispanic or Latino was 136,761 (15.6) and Non Hispanic or Latino was 737,204 (84.4).

[12] “Two Years' Record of Great Progress.” San Francisco Call. April 18, 1908, page 11. 1906b: before the earthquake/fire. 1906a: after the earthquake/fire.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

California Star. 28 August 1847. 1.
California Star . 18 March 1848. 2.
California State Archives (via FamilySearch). California, census records : pre-statehood census, 1796-1798.
Daily Alta California . 18 April 1851. 2.
Daughters of the American Revolution of California. California Census of 1852, County of San Francisco . 1935.
Dwinelle, John W. Colonial History of San Francisco . 1978: California.
“Earliest Census Record of S.F. Found” [1798]. San Francisco Examiner. 5 October 1913. 44.
Godfrey, Brian J. Neighborhoods in Transition . 1988: Berkeley, California.
Langley, Henry G. The San Francisco Directory . April 1871 and September 1862: San Francisco, California.
Soulé, Frank, et al. The Annals of San Francisco . 1855: San Francisco, California.
State of California, Department of Finance. County Population Projections with Age, Sex and Race/Ethnic Detail . December 1998: Sacramento, California.
State of California, Department of Finance, Population Estimates and Components of Change by County, July 1, 2000-2010 . December 2010: Sacramento, California.
State of California, Department of Finance, Population Estimates and Components of Change by County, July 1, 2010-2019 . December 2019: Sacramento, California.
United States Census Bureau. 1850-2020.