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ABOUT THE BRITISH CENSUS COLLECTION:

What is a Census Record

A census is an official enumeration of the population in a particular area. In addition to counting the inhabitants of an area, the census generally collects other vital information, such as names, ages, citizenship status, and ethnic background. Each census can prove to be invaluable in painting a portrait of a family at a particular place and time.

Types of Records

The census collections include censuses for a variety of years and locations:

UK Census Records

The United Kingdom census records include censuses for England, Wales, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

Censuses are available for these years: 1841 (coming soon), 1851 (New), 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, and 1901

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Interesting Facts

• The word "census" is derived from the Latin word "censor," which was the title of the Roman official in charge of civil registration, taxation, public works, and public morality.
• The inhabitants of early Babylonia, Egypt, and China were regularly counted, or enumerated.
• When taking the first census, workers provided their own paper, and information was submitted on paper ranging from four inches to three feet.
• Enumerators write down the responses that are given to them; they are not authorised to ask for any kind of proof, such as birth, marriage, or property ownership records.

FAQ (Ancestry related)

Q: What are the census indexes on ancestry.co.uk?

A: Census indexes do not include the complete census data, but they provide sufficient information to locate the individual in the original record. In this way they can save considerable research time. Most census indexes include the name of the head of the household, the location where they were living during the census year, and the page where their entry can be found on the original census record.

When viewing an individual record in a census index, you may notice that each record has an ID number included at the end of it. This number is used by www.ancestry.co.uk to identify each individual and to allow our programmers to correct errors quickly. This number has no genealogical value and will not refer you to additional records. The page number listed in a census index is simply the page number from the National Archives for the original census page where that individual can be found. To find more about the individual, you will want to look them up on the original census record. Many libraries and family history centres have them available on microfilm and we have them available in our special Census Images Online feature. The page number will allow you to find the individual much more quickly in the images.

Q: What do I do if I find an error in the census?

A: If you find an error in a census entry, or you have comments and suggestions to make, click the Comments and Corrections link on an individual's census page. Then, you can add alternate names, make comments, or report errors.

Q: Why do some names in the census indexes have an asterisk (*) next to them?

A: Entries for which the indexer was unsure of the actual spelling are marked with one or more asterisks. Researchers finding asterisked entries should make sure they verify the index entry against the census schedules themselves.

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