A Demographic Breakdown of the Executed Population
ProCon.org made the graphs and charts below using data from M. Watt Espy, Jr. and John Ortiz Smykla’s 32-year study of 15,269 executions performed from 1608-2002 under legal civil authority in the US, or within territories which later became part of the US.
The data begins with the first official American execution in 1608 when Captain George Kendall of the Jamestown colony was executed by firing squad for the crime of mutiny. The data ends in 2002 when the study was considered complete.
Espy and Smykla (who told in a Dec. 8, 2010 email that we were doing "great work") gathered data from state Department of Corrections records, newspapers, county histories, proceedings of state and local courts, holdings of historical societies, museums, and other listings of executions. The data were then broken down by 21 different variables such as race, age, jurisdiction, type of violation, crime committed, method of execution, day, month, and year of execution, order of execution, state where execution took place, year of statehood, gender, and occupation of the person executed.
The ESPY list is considered the most comprehensive one of its kind, yet it is still incomplete because some executions were not recorded at all, and some records may have been lost or destroyed over time. To view their list of executions in Microsoft Excel format, click on "Executions in the United States, 1608-2002: The ESPY File”.
15,269 total US executions shown mostly in 25-year increments.
1608-1624
1625-1649
1650-1674
1675-1699
1700-1724
1725-1749
1750-1774
1775-1799
3
26
49
84
156
226
391
618
1800-1824
1825-1849
1850-1874
1875-1899
1900-1924
1925-1949
1950-1974
1975-2002
602
894
1,364
2,521
2,995
3,644
916
780
II. Top 20 Occupations of the Executed, 1608-2002
The occupation of the executed individual was recorded in 7,555 (49.5%) of the 15,269 US executions between 1608 and 2002. All terminology used for occupations came directly from the original study, "Executions in the United States, 1608-2002: The ESPY File."
1. Slave - 1,748 (11.5%)
11.Criminal - 75
2. Laborer - 585(3.8%)
12.Pirate - 68
3.Farmhand - 369(2.4%)
13.Tenant Farmer - 67
4.Farmer - 347(2.2%)
14.Carpenter - 54
5.Farm Laborer - 168(1.1%)
15. Housewife - 50
6.Miner - 130
16. Truck Driver - 49
7.Soldier - 118
17.Cook - 47
8.Gangster - 110
18. Railroad Worker - 43
9. Seaman - 92
19. Freedman - 42
10.Tenant Farmer - 77
20.Ranch Hand - 39
Other Interesting Occupations of People Executed (in alphabetical order):
The race of the executed individual was recorded in 14,555 (95.3%) of the 15,269 US executions between 1608 and 2002.
Total Number of US Executions by Race from 1608-2002
Asian
Black
Hispanic
Native American
White
1608-1699
0
18
0
21
100
1700-1799
0
621
2
36
567
1800-1899
36
2,592
116
253
2,052
1900-2002
111
4,122
231
52
3,625
Totals:
147
7,353
349
362
6,344
(1.0%)
(50.5%)
(2.5%)
(2.5%)
(43.5%)
IV. Executions by Crime, 1608-2002
The crime committed by the executed individual was recorded in 14,810 (97.0%) of the 15,269 US executions between 1608 and 2002. All terminology used for type of crime committed came directly from the original study, "Executions in the United States, 1608-2002: The ESPY File."
1.Murder1- 12,111(81.8%)
16. Witchcraft - 35
2.Rape2 - 988(6.7%)
17. Counterfeiting - 31
3.Slave Revolt - 277(1.9%)
18. Spying/Espionage - 27
4.House Break-in Burglary - 251(1.7%)
19. Theft/Stealing - 23
5. Robbery - 158(1.1%)
20. Forgery - 21
6.Attempted Murder - 144
21.Aiding a Runaway Slave - 20
7.Piracy - 130
22. Burglary/Attempted Rape - 16
8. Unspecified Felony - 107
23. Sodomy/Buggery/Bestiality - 15
9. Conspiracy to Murder - 99
24.Kidnapping - 11
10.Arson - 97
25.Guerilla Activity - 7
11.Poisioning - 59
26. Concealing Birth - 4
12. Horse Stealing - 51
27.Rioting - 4
13.Treason - 43
28.Adultery - 2
14.Desertion - 40
29.Prison Break/Kidnap - 2
15. Accessory to Murder - 36
30. Criminal Assault - 1
1. Murder: This category includes murder, arson/murder, kidnap/murder, murder/burglary, murder/rape/robbery, rape/murder, and robbery/murder.
2. Rape: This category includes rape and rape/robbery.
V. Executions by Method, 1608-2002
The method of execution was recorded in 15,202 (99.6%) of the 15,269 US executions between 1608 and 2002.
Asphyxiation
(Gas)
Bludgeoned/
Broke
on Wheel
Burned
Electrocuted
Gibbeted/
Hung in
Chains
Hung
Injection
Pressing
Shot
1608-1649
0
0
0
0
0
27
0
0
2
1650-1699
0
0
1
0
0
114
0
1
12
1700-1749
0
10
35
0
12
317
0
0
0
1750-1799
0
3
22
0
2
929
0
0
19
1800-1849
0
1
8
0
0
1,435
1
0
33
1850-1899
0
0
0
58
0
3,781
0
0
44
1900-1949
372
0
0
3,564
0
2,677
0
0
25
1950-2002
221
0
0
803
1
44
620
0
8
Totals:
593
14
66
4,425
15
9,324
621
1
143
(4.0%)
(0.1%)
(0.4%)
(29.0%)
(0.1%)
(61.3%)
(4.1%)
(0.0%)
(1.0%)
Asphyxiation (Gas): Placed into an air tight chamber and made to breath poisionous gas until death occurs. Bludgeoned / Broke on Wheel: Beaten by a short, heavy club, usually made of wood and/or tied down to a wooden wheel or cross and, through beating or other force, having ones body parts broken through the gaps until death occurs. Burned: Burned to death. Electrocuted: Strapped to a chair and have electricity pulsed into the body until death occurs. Gibbeted / Hung in Chains: Executed and hung in public with the body left to hang on a post (known as a gibbet) in public view. Sometimes the body was placed inside a metal cage or chains, and left hanging in public for an extended period of time as it decomposed. Hung: Tie a rope around the neck of an individual and hang them from an object until death occurs. Injection: Strapped down to a table or chair and have a lethal substance injected into the veins. Pressing: Pressed between two heavy objects until death occurs. Shot: Executed by gunfire.
VI. Executions by Method, 1900-1999
The method of execution was recorded in 8,141 (100%) of US executions between 1900 and 1999.
The below chart contains the categories of "hung in chains" and "shot," which were not included on the line graph above because those numbers were too small to be visible.
Asphyxiation (Gas)
Electrocution
Hanging
Hung in Chains
Injection
Shot
1900-1909
0
132
1,146
0
0
2
1910-1919
0
484
601
1
0
9
1920-1929
2
823
456
0
0
8
1930-1939
114
1,206
357
0
0
2
1940-1949
256
919
117
0
0
4
1950-1959
149
540
30
0
0
5
1960-1969
61
119
11
0
0
1
1970-1979
1
1
0
0
0
1
1980-1989
4
71
0
0
42
0
1990-1999
6
66
3
0
390
1
Totals:
593
4,361
2,721
1
432
33
(7.3%)
(53.6%)
(33.4%)
(0.0%)
(5.3%)
(0.4%)
VII. Executions by Age, 1608-2002
The age of the executed individual was recorded in 7,311 (47.9%) of the 15,269 US executions between 1608 and 2002.
10 to 19 *
20 to 29
30 to 39
40 to 49
50 to 59
60 to 69
70 to 79
80 to 89
578
3,218
2,011
984
381
112
25
2
(8.0%)
(44%)
(27.5%)
(13.5%)
(5.2%)
(1.5%)
(0.3%)
(0.0%)
* Of the 578 people aged 10-19 who were executed the breakdown is as follows: age 10 (0), age 11 (0), age 12 (3), age 13 (3), age 14 (9), age 15 (6), age 16 (38), age 17 (100), age 18 (175), age 19 (244).
VIII. Executions by Gender, 1608-2002
The gender of the executed individual was recorded in 15,118 (99.0%) of the 15,269 US executions between 1608 and 2002.
1608-1649
1650-1699
1700-1749
1750-1799
1800-1849
1850-1899
1900-1949
1950-2002
Totals
Female
9
33
32
68
92
83
30
18
365
(2.4%)
Male
20
100
338
911
1,346
3,750
6,609
1,679
14,753
(97.6%)
IX. Executions by State & Year, 1608-2002
The state in which the individual was executed was recorded in all 15,269 US executions between 1608 and 2002. States are listed in order of the most executions down to the lowest number of executions.
The time periods in this table are broken down as follows: 17th century (1608-1699); 18th century (1700-1799); early 19th century to the end of the Civil War (1800-1865); 19th century after Civil War (1866-1899); early 20th century ending in 1935, the year the largest number of US executions occurred (1900-1935); mid-20th century to 1972, the year the Furman vs. Georgia decision placed a moratorium on the death penalty (1935-1972); post-1972, in 1976 the US Supreme Court re-affirmed the constitutionality of the death penalty (1973-1991); and late 20th century to 2002, in 1993 the US Supreme Court ruled in Herrera v. Collins that a death-row inmate is not ordinarily entitled to relief where a claim of innonence is based on newly discovered evidence, unless the claim also includes an independent constitutional violation (1992-2002)
1608-1699
1700-1799
1800-1865
1866-1899
1900-1935
1936-1972
1973-1991
1992-2002
Total
1. Virginia
10
386
481
96
223
81
11
73
1,361
2. New York
8
167
156
155
408
236
0
0
1,130
3. Pennsylvania
1
202
108
185
443
101
0
3
1,043
4. Texas
0
0
41
221
258
235
38
238
1,031
5. Georgia
0
18
84
223
343
282
14
12
976
6. North Carolina
0
131
133
112
207
201
3
15
802
7. Alabama
0
0
262
133
197
116
8
17
733
8. California
0
5
111
127
239
227
0
10
719
9. South Carolina
0
93
127
143
165
113
3
24
668
10.Louisiana
0
61
142
135
204
90
19
7
658
11. Arkansas
0
0
29
202
158
89
2
22
502
12.Ohio
0
1
44
85
188
120
0
5
443
13. Kentucky
0
8
122
92
123
79
0
2
426
14. Florida
0
0
16
30
118
150
26
27
367
15. New Jersey
8
76
35
55
143
44
0
0
361
16. Illinois
0
1
50
93
157
47
1
11
360
17. Mississippi
0
0
26
81
128
116
4
2
357
18. Massachusetts
99
102
55
24
49
16
0
0
345
19. Missouri
0
0
49
126
66
44
5
50
340
20. Tennessee
0
4
69
83
101
78
0
0
335
21. Maryland
15
43
65
74
55
57
0
3
312
22. Oklahoma
0
0
3
36
62
31
1
50
183
23. West Virginia
0
6
37
21
63
28
0
1
156
24. Indiana
0
0
33
26
41
31
2
7
140
25. Arizona
0
0
1
25
46
32
0
22
126
26. Connecticut
12
16
17
16
46
19
0
0
126
27. Oregon
0
0
21
33
50
18
0
2
124
28. DC
0
0
12
28
47
31
0
0
118
29. Washington
0
0
3
20
46
36
0
4
109
30. Colorado
0
0
6
30
37
28
0
1
102
31. Deleware
2
8
7
20
18
7
0
13
75
32. Montana
0
0
1
31
36
3
0
2
73
33. Nevada
0
0
3
17
18
23
5
7
73
34. New Mexico
0
0
9
30
28
6
0
0
73
35. Minnesota
0
0
42
17
7
0
0
0
66
36. Kansas
0
0
7
9
1
40
0
0
57
37. Rhode Island
4
44
4
0
0
0
0
0
52
38. Hawaii
0
0
1
6
37
5
0
0
49
39. Utah
0
0
5
7
18
13
3
3
49
40. Iowa
0
0
9
4
17
15
0
0
45
41. Nebraska
0
0
0
14
16
4
0
0
34
42. Idaho
0
0
3
14
6
3
0
1
27
43. Vermont
0
1
6
11
5
3
0
0
26
44.New Hampshire
0
6
5
10
2
1
0
0
24
45. Wyoming
0
0
0
6
11
5
0
1
23
46. Maine
1
7
7
6
0
0
0
0
21
47. South Dakota
0
0
0
9
5
1
0
0
15
48. Michigan
2
5
5
0
0
1
0
0
13
49.Alaska
0
0
0
4
5
3
0
0
12
50. North Dakota
0
0
0
3
5
0
0
0
8
51. Wisconsin
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
Totals:
162
1,391
2,453
2,928
4,646
2,909
145
635
15,269
1608-1699
1700-1799
1800-1865
1866-1899
1900-1935
1936-1972
1973-1991
1992-2002
X. Executions by State & Race, 1608-2002
The state in which the individual was executed in was recorded in all 15,269 US executions between 1608 and 2002. States are listed in order of the most executions down to the lowest number of executions.
