England and Wales Census, 1841 - FamilySearch Historical Records

 England

 Wales

What is in This Collection?
Census schedules are arranged by county and then divided by civil parish, each district being an area that could be enumerated in a day. For reference purposes, the National Archives assigned a piece number to each enumeration district and stamped a folio number in the upper right corner of each right-side page. The number refers to entries on both sides of the page.

The information gathered by the census taker is only as reliable as the person who provided the information. While some information may not be completely accurate, it can still provide important clues in locating an ancestor.

How Do I Search This Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

For a collection with an index

Search the Index
View images in this collection by visiting the 


 * 1) Select Country
 * 2) Select Parish

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Do not forget to cite the record. See below for help citing this collection.
 * Look at an image of the original record. The original may contain information that was not recorded in the index. To find a copy of the original record, visit the The National Archives page.

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This can help you find possible relatives.
 * Check for other names. An individual might appear under an unexpected name for a variety of reasons:
 * - They might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name.
 * -A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband.


 * Search the records of nearby locations. In the period of this collection, few individuals ever lived more than 20 miles from their place pf birth, though smaller moves were common.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

"England and Wales Census, 1841." Database, Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. The National Archives.
 * Collection Citation:

Top of Page.