The Census Records

The UK Census has been occurring every 10 years since 1801. In the beginning the collected data was little more than head counts and much of the early census data has been lost. However, most of the 1841 census survives and although we cannot see the relationships between people living in the same house, we can begin to get a sense of belonging and if we're lucky can find a few of those elusive family members... from 1861 the relationship to the head of the household is listed, giving us that all-important sister, brother or step-daughter.

Census Dates

6th June 1841

30th March 1851

7th April 1861

2nd April 1871

3rd April 1881

5th April 1891

31st March 1901 

1841

The 1841 Census is surprising in that many of the pages are still legible even after 160 years, but it is irritating to discover though that some pages are illegible and usually the village is just the one required to locate that elusive ancestor! So typical of family research!

Ages are not to be taken as read, they were rounded down to the nearest 5 years for any adult over the age of 15. Eg a person of 24 would be listed as 20, a person of 68 as 65.

In the enumerator's notes on every front page of the census is a section entitled 'Directions'. This gives the enumerator the necessary information needed to complete the census in their given area. The 1841 census was meant to include 'without distinction or omission, every living person who abode or slept in each house' (on the night of the census which meant that even if someone was visiting they had to be included in the census) The enumerator was told that they should not include more than one Christian name ('where there are more Christian names than one, as "John William", or "Maria Louisa", write down only the first').

In terms of trade there were abbreviations allowed by law which the enumerators could use to standardise their work. If a man or woman were living on their own means the enumerator could write 'Ind.' for Independent. Persons serving in the Land ranks could be written as 'Army' 'without any statement of their rank'. Persons belonging to the sea were written as 'Navy'. Domestic servants were categorised as 'M.S' for Male Servant and 'F.S' for Female Servant, regardless of their duties. 'J.' was a Journeyman, 'Ap.' an Apprentice, 'Sh.' a Shopman. No need to write 'Master' as this was assumed with the omission of a 'J' or an 'Ap'. 

Other Trades were abbreviated thus:

'M.' = Manufacturer

'm.' = Maker, as in 'Shoe m.' for Shoemaker

'Cl.' = Clerk

'Ag. Lab.' = Agricultural Labourer, now a well-used formula. This included 'all farming servants and labourers in husbandry'

The enumerator was also instructed to indicate the birth county of the person by a 'Yes' or 'Y' if born in the county or a 'No' or a 'N' if not. Those born in Scotland received an 'S' and Ireland an 'I'.