What information is on a UK census?

Each of the census returns from 1841 has a varying level of useful information for the family historian. The first useful census was the 1841 with limited detail but this requirement for additional information developed every decade and continues to do so. The last released census of 1911 provides so much additional information compared to the 1841.

So what does each census offer?

1841 (June 6^th)

Address: often quite vague with just the name of the street or village

Name & Age: those over 15 years of age were rounded down to the nearest 5 years

Sex, Occupation & if born in the county: this only gave you a Yes or Scotland, Ireland or foreign parts

1851 (March 30^th)

Address, Name, Relation to Head of Household (Head, wife, son, daughter, nephew, visitor, lodger etc)

Marital Status: (married, unmarried, widow or widower)

Age, Sex, Rank, Profession or Occupation, Where Born

Whether blind or deaf and dumb

1861 (April 7^th)

The same as 1851

1871 (April 2^nd)

The same as 1851 and 1861 but with the addition in the last column asking if the individual is blind, deaf and dumb an imbecile or idiot or a lunatic

1881 (April 3^rd)

The same as 1871

1891 (April 5^th)

In addition to the 1881 census householders were now asked

How many rooms in the house were occupied and if individuals were

Employer, employed or neither

The Welsh census also asked Language spoken Welsh, English or both

1901 (March 31^st)

In addition to the 1891 census the additional question was asked of whether they worked at home

1911 (April 2^nd)

There were major additions and changes to the 1911 census and this was the first census that was filled in by someone in the household. This person also had to sign the form so it shows the handwriting and signature of your ancestor.

In addition to the questions on the 1901 census women were asked to declare

The number of complete years their current marriage had lasted

The number of children born alive within this marriage

The number of children still living and how many had died

People were also asked

The industry in which they worked

Number of rooms occupied

Ageat which deafness, blindness or other infirmity began (however this information is currently blanked out until 2012)

Mike

Family Tree Folk