ENGLAND/WALES: CENSUS RECORDS
TIME PERIOD
Censuses exist from 1801
to 1991 (except 1941).
CONTENT
A.
Pre-1841 Censuses
Before
1841, only statistics were recorded on the census schedules. Therefore, the
first national census of genealogical value was taken in 1841. However, some
local parishes took lists of names to compile statistics for the national
census, and some of those individual parish lists survive. See Things to
remember #19.
B. 1841 Census:
× Name and surname of each person
× Sex of each person
× Age - those over 15 are not
exact, but rounded down to the nearest 5 years
(Example: a person age 28
would be listed as 25)
× Occupation of each person
× Birthplace, as an answer to the
question "Were you born in this county?" The birthplace was indicated
by use of the following symbols:
Y = yes, born in the county
of residence
N = not born in county of
residence
S = born in
I = born in
F = born in foreign parts
C. 1851 through 1891 censuses:
× Name and surname of each person
× Sex of each person
× Age of each person
× Relationship of each person to
the "head" of household
×
Marital condition (married, single, widow/er)
× Occupation of each person
× Place and county of birth (if born in
AVAILABILITY
A. The
Family History Library has the 1841-1881 censuses on microfilm, the 1891 on
microfiche, and access to the 1901 on the Internet (for a fee).
Film or fiche numbers for 1841-1891 can be found
in Reg 942 X2pi.
B.
The original 1841 through 1891 census records are housed at the Public Record Office.
The address is:
Family
Records Centre
0171-233-9233 Fax: 0181-392-5307 Web: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
C. Many
census indexes (particularly for 1851) exist as pamphlets and/or web pages. See
the
D.
Ancestry.com has become a major source of original census images and full or
partial indexes. Most British census records are indexed and imaged online at
Ancestry. For access (free at
E. Several
other fee-based web sites also have indexes and/or images. See www.alanmann.com/British
Census.htm.
F. The
English census records from 1911 on are confidential, and cannot be searched by
anyone other than employees of the General Register Office (handout may be
available).
WHY SEARCH THE CENSUS RECORDS?
A.
They list family members living together.
B.
Beginning in 1851, they give a definite relationship of each person to the
"head" of the household.
C.
The 1851 and later censuses list the place of birth of each person.
D.
The age of each person is listed. The 1841 Census gives the age rounded down to
the nearest 5 years for those over 15 years old.
E.
They list occupations.
HOW TO LOCATE THE CENSUS
The following steps can
help you to find your family in a given census.
1.
Do you know where your ancestor was likely to have resided?
exact town or parish-------------go to #4
county only--------------------------go to #3
no---------------------------------------go to #2
2.
Use home or other sources to determine where the individual may have resided.
If these sources (including IGI, Ancestral File, civil
registration) are unsuccessful, you may wish to use the IGI to find a county
where the surname is common and go to #3.
3.
Use the index to the census on CD (currently for 1881 and 3 counties of 1851
only). If name found, note parish and folio, then go to #5.
4.
Is the town also a parish, or do you know the name of
the parish in which they resided?
yes------------------------------go to #5
no-------------------------------find parish name (use
gazetteer or ?) then go to #5.
5. Look up
the name of the parish in the 1st column of the book Index to 1841-1891
Census of England, Wales, Isle of Man, and
6.
Are more than two film numbers given for your parish for any of the census
years?
yes----------------------------using a street Index may
simplify your search
no-----------------------------go to #7
7.
Was there a +, =, or * after the film number?
yes---------------use the street or surname index, as
appropriate (more next week)
no-----------------proceed
Find the film for the census year you wish to search first.
On the roll of film there may be more than your parish listed. You should
search through the film looking for the name of your parish on the top of the
page, or use a population table and/or a microfilm operator's report to
pinpoint the parish on the film.
Things to Remember
1. There
were censuses taken before 1841 in England, but they were statistical censuses,
and only counted the number of males and females, or the number of people in
given occupations, etc.
2. On the night
before the official Census Day, enumerators distributed census schedule forms
to each household. The schedules were filled out by the occupants, and should
have included all present in the house that night. The enumerator collected the
schedules on Census Day.
3.
The censuses from 1841 were taken on the following nights:
1841
- 7
June
1871
- 3
April
1901 – 31 March
1851
- 31 March
1881
- 4
April
1861
- 8 April
1891
- 6 April
This
information is found in the front of Bartholomew's Gazetteer (Ref 942
E5ba 1977), or in Smith and Gardner (FHL book 929.142 G172g, v. 1, p89), or
online at http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Census.html.
4.
Sometimes the markings and abbreviations on the census are confusing. After the
censuses were gathered, various people went through them to gather statistics.
Some of the markings on a census page are for this reason. Other markings which
might be encountered are:
a.
Single and double slash marks (/,//) - a double slash
indicates the beginning and end of a household. A single slash indicates that
the persons listed thereafter were living in the same dwelling, but not
necessarily as members of the same family. (Example: those who lived in
apartment buildings)
b.
Condition - this column was intended to list the marital status, indicated as:
mar - Married; U, Un, or Unm
= unmarried; W = widow or widower (sometimes abbreviated as Wid
or Widr).
5.
Street and surname indexes are useful tools. Don't forget to use them (more
next week).
6.
The ages of males and females are listed in separate columns. This is helpful
when a person listed has a given name which could be given to either a male or
a female.
7.
The "relation" column lists the relationship of persons to the head
of the household, not to each other. Usually this column states head, wife,
daughter, son. Sometimes other relationships appear,
such as: lodger, visitor, father-in-law. Also, persons
listed as children of the "head" may be from a former marriage, and
not necessarily the children of the present wife. Census enumerators often
failed to follow instructions properly, so a lodger's daughter might be listed
as "daughter" even though not related to the head of household. Also,
the terms "step" and "in-law" are often misused or omitted.
8.
British census forms can be purchased in the
9.
The film numbers for the 1841-1891 census records in the Library are found in a
seven-volume set of register books. The books are arranged alphabetically by
place name (parish or city). The call number for the set is Reg
942 X2pi 1841-1891. The film numbers for each census year are given in the
columns following the place names.
10. In the census
register, folio numbers for the 1851 census are given following the film
numbers for that census. These numbers are found on the films in the top
right-hand corner of every other page filmed (right-hand side pages).
Example:
The 1851 census film number of Chevet,
11. The 1861 census is on
16mm rolls, which means the exposures are smaller, and perhaps more
difficult to read. That census was also filmed backwards, which will most
likely cause some confusion in reading the film.
12.
When the census was taken, the census takers went from building to building, up
one side of the street and down the other. When people search the census, for
the most part, they must search through every name or page. Groups in
13.
It is wise to locate your ancestor in each possible census. The advantages to
doing this are:
a.
Another census might indicate a different place of birth than you previously
thought.
b.
Another census might indicate a different age than you previously thought.
c.
Another census might list additional family members previously unknown.
d.
Another census might indicate grandparents or other relatives living with the
family.
14. In actually
searching the census, you should consider extracting all entries of your
surname to help in finding:
a. family
members not living at home
b. parents
and other relatives living in the same town
c. another
family that more completely fits the description of your family; don't just
accept the first one you find
15. The 1841 census
was written in pencil on light blue paper, which did not microfilm well. If a
document is unclear on the microfilm copy, you may want to have the original
records checked.
16.
When searching large cities, it is wise to obtain an address before making a
census search (see
17.
Population tables list parishes in the order they
appear on the microfilm (see
18.
Microfilm operator's reports list film numbers by piece (bundle) number. FHL
REF call numbers are:
1841
- 942 X22p
1841
1871 - 942 X2pia 1871 or Q 942 X2pra
1851
- 942 X2pid
1851
1881 - 942 X....
1861
- 942 X2pib
1861
1891 - Q 942 X22i 1891
19.
Censuses before 1841 were statistical at the national level, but may have been
useful at the local level. Three books list many of the pre-1841 censuses:
a.
Gibson, Jeremy and Mervyn Medlycott.
Local Census Listings (FHL Ref 942 X23gj)
b.
Chapman, Colin Pre-1841 Censuses & Population Listings (FHL Ref 942
X27cc 1992)
c.
Register List of Inhabitants, pre-1841... (FHL 942 X2c)
The first two of these
are being annotated with FHL film numbers.
20.
Abbreviations -
NK
- Not
Known
PLW - Power Loom Weaver
MS
- Male
Servant
HLW - Hand Loom Weaver
FS - Female servant
Ag.Lab. - Agricultural Labourer
21.
Census enumerators (takers) were human and subject to misinterpretation of
instructions or answers, copying incorrectly, or making mistakes due to apathy
or desire to finish quickly.
22. Except in 1861,
the PRO reference number appears on each frame of the film. Take this number,
add the folio number and film #, and you have a complete reference.
23.
Know key geographical & census terms
(see reading list #5 and back of street index handout). For abbreviations, see www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Census.html.