Kentucky

Nelson

46,738
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Nelson

Nelson, Kentucky, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 11,315. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 46,738.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 14 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Skirmish at Bardstown Junction (Nelson County), Action at New Haven (Nelson County), Morgan at Bardstown (Christmas Raid 1862), and 45 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202046,738
201043,437
200037,477
199029,710
198027,584
197023,477
196022,168
195019,521
194018,004
193016,551
192016,137
191016,830
190016,587
189016,417
188016,609
187014,804
186015,799
185014,789
184013,637
183014,932
182016,273
181014,078
18009,866
179011,315
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Nelson

Military engagements that took place in Nelson, Kentucky.

Skirmish at Bardstown Junction (Nelson County)
1862
Action at New Haven (Nelson County)
1862
Morgan at Bardstown (Christmas Raid 1862)
1862
Action at New Haven (Christmas Raid)
1862
Action at Bardstown (Bragg's Campaign)
1862
Wheeler's Raid: Bardstown Fight (October 1862)
1862
Skirmish at Bardstown (Morgan's Great Raid)
1863
New Haven Skirmish (1863)
1863
Morgan's Raid – Bardstown, KY
1863
Morgan's Great Raid - Bardstown KY approach
1863
Skirmish at New Haven (Great Raid)
1863
Rolling Fork Skirmish (1864)
1864
Quantrill's Last Raid – Kentucky (1865)
1865
Quantrill — Nelson County Operations
1865

Historic places in Nelson

National Register of Historic Places listings in Nelson, Kentucky.

My Old Kentucky Home
Bardstown
Louisville and Nashville Combine Car Number 665
New Haven
Nelson County Jail
Bardstown
Frankfort and Cincinnati Model 55 Rail Car
New Haven
L & N Steam Locomotive No. 152
New Haven
Spalding Hall, St. Joseph's College
Bardstown
Old Talbott Tavern
Bardstown
Old L & N Station
Bardstown
Bardstown Historic District
Bardstown
St. Joseph Proto Cathedral
Bardstown
Cobblestone Path
Bardstown
Johnson, Ben, House
Bardstown
St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church and Howard-Flaget House
Bardstown
Wickland
Bardstown
Confederate Monument of Bardstown
Bardstown
New Sherwood Hotel
New Haven
MT. BRODERICK Pullman Lounge-Obs-Sleeping Car
New Haven
McClaskey, Newell B., House
Bloomfield
Browse all Kentuckyhistoric sites ›

Other counties in Kentucky

Explore census history and historic records for more Kentucky counties.

LoganLyonMadisonMagoffinMarionMarshallMartinMasonMcCrackenMcCrearyMcLeanMeadeMenifeeMercerMetcalfeMonroeMontgomeryMorganMuhlenbergNicholas
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Everything a full report reveals about Nelson County, Kentucky

This page charts the census history of Nelson County, Kentucky. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Nelson

When does Nelson first appear in the US census?
Nelson, Kentucky first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 11,315.
What is the population of Nelson?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Nelson had a recorded population of 46,738.
Were any battles fought in Nelson?
14 documented military engagements took place in Nelson, including Skirmish at Bardstown Junction (Nelson County), Action at New Haven (Nelson County), Morgan at Bardstown (Christmas Raid 1862).
How many historic places are in Nelson?
45 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Nelson, Kentucky.
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