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. States are listed in order of the most executions down to the lowest number of executions. The state in which the individual was executed was recorded in all 15,269 US executions between 16. The gender of the executed individual was recorded in 15,118 (99.0%) of the 15,269 US executions between 16. The age of the executed individual was recorded in 7,311 (47.9%) of the 15,269 US executions between 16. The below chart contains the categories of “hanged in chains” and “shot,” which were not included on the line graph above because those numbers were too small to be visible. The method of execution was recorded in 8,141 (100%) of US executions between 19. Pressing: Pressed between two heavy objects until death occurs. Injection: Strapped down to a table or chair and have a lethal substance injected into the veins. Hanged: Tie a rope around the neck of an individual and hang them from an object until death occurs.
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.
Gibbeted / Hanged in Chains: Executed and hanged in public with the body left to hang on a post (known as a gibbet) in public view. The method of execution was recorded in 15,202 (99.6%) of the 15,269 US executions between 16.Īsphyxiation (Gas): Placed into an air tight chamber and made to breath poisionous gas until death occurs.īludgeoned / 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.Įlectrocuted: Strapped to a chair and have electricity pulsed into the body until death occurs. Rape: This category includes rape and rape/robbery. Murder: This category includes murder, arson/murder, kidnap/murder, murder/burglary, murder/rape/robbery, rape/murder, and robbery/murder.Ģ. All terminology used for type of crime committed came directly from the original study, “Executions in the United States, 1608-2002: The ESPY File.”ġ. The crime committed by the executed individual was recorded in 14,810 (97.0%) of the 15,269 US executions between 16. Total Number of US Executions by Race from 1608-2002 The race of the executed individual was recorded in 14,555 (95.3%) of the 15,269 US executions between 16. Other Interesting Occupations of People Executed (in alphabetical order):Īttorney (12), Baseball Player (5), Bootlegger (35), Boxer (3), Clergy (16), Clown (1), Guerilla (4), Jockey (6), Physician (19), Playboy (2), Policeman (11), Preacher (15), Teamster (6), Voodoo Doctor (2) All terminology used for occupations came directly from the original study, “Executions in the United States, 1608-2002: The ESPY File.” The occupation of the executed individual was recorded in 7,555 (49.5%) of the 15,269 US executions between 16. Top 20 Occupations of the Executed, 1608-2002 Total Number of US Executions, 1608-2002ġ5,269 total US executions shown mostly in 25-year increments. 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.
The data ends in 2002 when the study was considered complete. 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 was 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. and John Ortiz Smykla 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 to compile a 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 is the source material for this resource.