What is a Census? In 1801 the British Government decided to hold a census, that is a count of how many people lived in the country at the time, and information about them. It was also decided to hold a similar census every ten years from then on. The only exception was in 1941, during the Second World War.

What is a Census? In the early censuses no personal details about individuals were kept after the census. But from 1841 onward personal details were kept about every individual alive on the night of the census: their names, addresses, ages, where they were born and their profession. During the following years further questions were added, such as marital status, relationship to the head of the family and, in 1891, what language they spoke.

What is a Census? These days, on census day, also called enumeration day, the head of the household is responsible for writing down information about every person sleeping in the house on the night of the census.

What is a Census? Personal details which are collected for the census are kept secret for 100 years afterwards: only statistical extracts are published. Therefore, at the moment, we cannot see any personal details from a census after 1901.