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Census Records

Genealogists researching in the period from the Victorian era through to the Edwardian era consider the decennial British censuses as among the most valuable surviving resources. For the purposes of this discussion, the British censuses refer to England and Wales, but not Scotland, which was enumerated separately. The earliest censuses, beginning in 1801, were only statistical in nature, and in any case, have not survived. The British Census of 1841 was the first census to contain significant details of those enumerated. Further, it was the first national census in England and Wales that recorded the names of every individual. There are a few resources relating to the 1821 and 1831 censuses that survive, and in some cases, the names of householders. But 1841 is truly the first census of great value to genealogists.

 

The Records

The 1841 census asked for four key pieces of information – name, age, occupation and whether or not an individual was born in the county of residence. It is important to bear in mind that the ages for all individuals above the age of 15 years were rounded down to the nearest five years. Thus, if someone reported their age as 22 years old, then they would likely have been enumerated as 20 years old in the census. Having said this, there were plenty of enumerators who recorded specific ages on the census returns.

Example of 1841 Census

 

The census form for 1851 evolved significantly and asked for more specific information than its predecessor. Specifically, the census asked for name, age, marital condition, relationship to the head of the household, occupation and birthplace. The census forms for the subsequent years remained remarkably unchanged through to 1901. By 1901, information relating to employment status and disability had been added, but the key data continued to be that requested in the 1851 census.

Example of 1851 Census

 

The census of 1911, the most recent to be made available to the public, represented a change in format. Each family was recorded on a separate enumeration form. Furthermore, you will find that the census returns were usually in the handwriting of the head of the household, which is not the case with surviving census returns prior to 1911. The 1911 census requested some new data as compared to 1901. The number of years that an individual had been married, as well as the number of children – living and deceased – born to each woman, was recorded.

 

Census Resources

All of the surviving census records from 1841 up to 1911 are now available online and all have been indexed (some on multiple occasions). All are accessed through the collections at subscription websites. There are some projects underway that aim to provide free transcriptions of the census records. The FreeCEN project is working on censuses from 1841 to 1871 as well as 1891. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has also provided significant transcriptions for 1841 and 1861. It also has provided free access online to a complete transcription of the 1881 census.

It is important that you document your ancestor in as many census records as possible. At all times it is vital to remember that the head of the household was not always the provider of the information recorded. Similarly, the head of the household may not have been familiar with the details relating to people living under their roof, such as lodgers or visitors. Thus, it is prudent to document your ancestor as far as possible in the censuses and look for consistent information that will then assist your search in other resources.

A couple of points are particularly noteworthy in attempting to glean all possible clues from census records. “Visitors” were often friends or associates but some were also family members. Technically, any family relationship should have been more explicitly stated, but the term visitors should be considered a broad one. It is also important to make note of the jurisdictions in which an individual lived. Most censuses, especially 1851 onwards, noted the civil parish or township and the ecclesiastical parish. The civil and ecclesiastical parishes did not necessarily have the same boundaries, especially in the north of England. When looking for church records relating to your ancestors, pay close attention to the ecclesiastical parish that they were living in. If your ancestors were members of the Church of England, this could point you directly to records of baptism, marriage and burial.

 

Census Databases

The list below represents many of the important online resources available for those using census records. Please do check back on a regular basis as we update this list. Also, check out our ProGenealogists British Sleuth page, which covers many aspects of British genealogy.

 

ProGenealogists Can Help!

If you have reached a crossroads in your research, and you feel you need professional assistance, ProGenealogists is here to help. We have immediate access to all of the important English genealogy resources discussed above. Please feel free to ask us for a free estimate. We research English families on a regular basis and we’d be excited to help you identify new ancestors!
 

(800) 596-3230





 

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