Making Sense of the Census

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Making Sense of the Census"

Marshall Cox
5 years ago
Views:

1 Making Sense of the Census

2 Early Censuses To establish military manpower resources and tax base eg 5 yearly Roman census 5BC Domesday Book 1086AD

3 Origin of the UK census Malthus Principle of Population 1798 Population growth would soon outstrip supplies of food and other resources. Unable to support itself, Britain would be hit by famine, disease and other disasters. Census Act 1800 First official census of England and Wales 10 March 1801 How Many? not Who?

4 1801 Census 10 March 1801 The 1801 census asked local officials to provide information on the number of inhabited and uninhabited houses in the parish and how many families occupied them; the number of people in the parish and their employment; and numbers of baptisms, burials and marriages. A similar format was followed for the censuses of 1811, 1821 and 1831, with the addition of further questions.

5 Census Years and dates England, Wales and Scotland 1801, 1811, 1821, 1831 no names Statistics only, 1841 June April March April April March April April 02 All Sundays census night was Saturday night

6 Census Years not yet released should have been Apr 24 but delayed 2 months due to General Strike - June destroyed by fire Dec no census (but 1939 National register) 1951, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011 Ireland Destroyed accidentally by fire. 1881, 1891 Burnt deliberately. 1901, 1911 survive. No census 1921.

7 Taking the census Schedules issued to every household in the week preceding census night. Collected on the Monday after the census For any not filled in, enumerator had to do so by asking the householder. Individual schedules were then copied by the enumerator into a book and handed into the registrar for checking. Books sent to London for checking and analysis Household schedules destroyed

8 Enumeration districts Census districts same as Civil Registration Districts

9 1841 Barnard Castle Barnard Castle Enumeration district 1 All that part of the Township of Barnard Castle which lies to the West and North of the Turnpike Road from Barnard Castle to Darlington Barnard Castle Enumeration district 3 All that part of Barnard Castle comprising the Eastern side of the Market Place the northern side of Newgate as far as the Township of Barnard Castle extends Eastwards, between Darlington Road and Westwick Road

10 Barnard Castle Enumeration District 4 All that part of Barnard Castle comprising the southern side of Newgate Street, the Eastern Side of the bank and Thorngate.

11 1841 HO 107 / 305 / 4 Folio 19 page 33, Folio 20 page 34

1841 Census for Newgate, Barnard Castle Ages

county or Scotland, Ireland or Foreign Note

12 1841 Census for Newgate, Barnard Castle Ages over 15 rounded down to nearest 5 years (usually) ie 24 becomes 20 and 25 remains 25. Place of birth only whether or not born in county or Scotland, Ireland or Foreign Note single mark for next household, double mark for next house

13 1851 Census

14 1851 Census

15 Information Details recorded in the Census: - Road, street, number or name of house - Whether the house is inhabited or not (1861 onwards) - Name and surname of each person - Relationship to head of house - Married/Unmarried - Age last birthday - Profession or Occupation - Place of birth - Whether blind/insane/feeble minded

16 1861, 1871 Census Same as 1851 except listing all dwellings whether or not inhabited

17 1901 Information Included houses under construction Whether Employer, Worker, or Own Account Whether working at Home

18 1911 Census The actual schedule completed by the householder Years married (current marriage) Total children from present marriage / number living / number who have died Industry of employment Nationality if born abroad

19 Establishments Workhouses Prisons Hospitals Boarding Schools Military barracks Ships

Tracing Seamen on British Censuses 1841-1891 A population census was taken every ten years in Great Britain including data on merchant seamen.

20 Tracing Seamen on British Censuses A population census was taken every ten years in Great Britain including data on merchant seamen Seamen on shore on census night were enumerated in the same way as the general public, in the place where they spent that night. There was no provision made for recording seamen at sea on census night Seamen on board ships in port or docked on rivers were recorded for the first time. They were enumerated by the Master and collected by the local Officer of Customs whose duty it was to submit the records. The RGSS had similar responsibility for the enumeration of ships at sea within territorial waters. Survival rate for these records is poor. The records may be located following the normal census records for the port at which the ship was docked or the port to which it returned at the end of its voyage Seamen on board all ships in port or docked in rivers were recorded and returns submitted to the Officer of Customs. The RGSS assumed responsibility for those at sea in territorial waters and for the first time, those 'on the high seas.' These records are filed in a separate schedule and found at the end of the regular census. The records have been indexed and alphabetical indexes are available on microfilm to both ships and seamen. These are available in many archives world wide and also through LDS libraries Returns filed as above, following the ordinary census records for the port at which the ship was docked on census night, or to which it returned following its voyage. The census of 1881 requires special mention. The returns were filed as above, but in addition there is a separate index of all names in the 1881 census which includes all named mariners, along with an index of vessel names available on microfiche. The Royal Navy was separately enumerated and are similarly indexed but on separate fiche.

21 Occupations Thousands of different occupations listed Most common Ag Lab F.S. Others often run in families, progressing with age beer seller or grocer good retirement employments. Saggar Maker s Bottom Knocker, Mould turner

The SAGGAR MAKER, is a skilled man, producing the finished saggar, using his thumb to make a near join between the side

22 Saggar Maker s Bottom Knocker A SAGGAR is a fireclay container, usually oval or round, used to protect pottery from marking by flames and smoke during firing in a bottle oven. The SAGGAR MAKER, is a skilled man, producing the finished saggar, using his thumb to make a near join between the side and the base. The BOTTOM KNOCKER (a young boy) made the base of the saggar from a lump of fireclay which he knocked into a metal ring using a wooden mallet or mawl (pronounced mow).

23 Button Mould Turner A button mould is simply a circular disc with a central hole which acts as the core of a cloth or thread covered button. These moulds might have been used for Macclesfield silk buttons

24 Addresses House numbers seldom given in early censuses do not confuse with the schedule number. House numbering can change over the years The enumerator s sequence can give a good clue

25 The enumerator s route

26 Relationships to Head of Household Head Wife, Son, Daughter, Mother-in-law etc Servant, Nurse, Governess Son-in-law can be step-son Boarder shares the family s dining table Lodger has their own household may eat in their room or elsewhere.

UK Census Online http://www.ukcensusonline.com 14.

27 UK Census Online per month per year compare Ancestry - UK per month per year

28 Family Search Directs you to FindMyPast if you want to see image 9.95 per month per annum compare Ancestry - UK per month per year

29 Family Search

30 Census on CDs Buy 4 Buckinghamshire Census Sets and pay just each with our Multi-Buy Savings

31 Census transcripts Produced by local family history societies, individuals or semi-commercial 4 May be sorted by surname or, better, as enumerated with an index. Many will be found on line, free.

32 West Allendale 1841

33 1841 Enumerator s route in West Allendale

34 1841 Enumerator s route in West Allendale

35 From now on, you can view a 1911 census original image for 5 credits (previously 30) and a transcript for 5 credits (previously 10) for 60 credits

36 1881 census via Family Search

37 FreeCEN Search did not find the Mary Softley in Barnard Castle in 1851 or Staindrop in 1861

38 Tracing a family through the census 1. Find ancestor in 1911 census use rough age, location, parents or wife, children, occupation 2. Note a more accurate age and place of birth 3. Locate ancestor in first census after their birth. Note father and his age / place of birth. 4. Repeat step 3 for father. 5. When you are back to 1841, fill in the gaps noting all available information address, occupation, other relations etc. 6. In practice, combine this with civil registration, parish records. (You need this to find maiden names of wives/mothers).

Lancashire Family History & Heraldry Society

Lancashire Family History & Heraldry Society Chorley Branch Education Group Talk Handout First Steps Census Part 2 How to use the Census Every census has its own number e.g. 1881 RG11 Enumerator the person