Use Census Records to Find Birth Information in Wales 1837 to 1901

1. Look for the first census after the person's birth.
Census records are arranged by district, parish and county.

Look for census surname indexes for the census. (See “Census Indexes”)

2. If the family or individual is not found where you expect to find them:
Check to see if the records for that village or parish exist (Missing Census Records).

Search neighbouring parishes.

4. Estimate the birth year for each family member from the ages given in the census.
Subtracting the age of the person from the year of the census. (These birth years are approximate.)

5.Write on your family chart:
Birth year and place information

Birth information for the others in the family

Source information (such as parish name, record source/website, date viewed).

6. Search for the family in the following and earlier census census records
Verify the information learned from the first census, and to see if there are any more children or relatives in the family.

Most counties have a Look Up Exchange on the Internet where volunteers will search indexes for free. Go to www.genuki.org.uk on the Internet then click on the links to (1)Wales (2)Glamorgan (3)Genealogy (4)Look Up Exchange. Make a request by e-mail for a search in the census surname index for the family.

The following information is usually found in census records
Name

Age

Marital Status

Relationship to the head of household

Occupation

Where Born (usually the parish and county of birth)