Mecklenburg-Schwerin Census

Mecklenburg Census 1819
The Family History Library has films for the Mecklenburg census for 1819. Daniel Schlyter compiled a gazetteer of Mecklenburg in which he included the film numbers to the census for the towns listed in the gazetteer. A census [Volkszählung] is a count and description of the population of a country, province, district or city. They were often taken for taxation and military purposes. Census records can be of great value to your genealogical research. They are of especial value in putting families together. But in Mecklenburg research, census records are of less significance than church records and civil registration. The importance of the census to Mecklenburg research is not the same as in the United States where such vital records are difficult to find. Two censuses were taken in Mecklenburg in the 1800s; one in the summer of 1819 and one in 1860.

The 1819 census is available for Mecklenburg-Schwerin only. For Mecklenburg-Strelitz only a statistical summary of 1819 was preserved and it is of no genealogical value. For each family the 1819 census of Mecklenburg provides the family names and given names of all family members. For women it generally gives the maiden name. The birthplace, birthdate, year, trade and religion are also given. Children who were employed as servants were recorded with their masters. This material is an excellent source for researchers. A handy list of localities and their film numbers can be found here Mecklenburg Census Information.

The 1860 census is not available for genealogical research. Also, it is not as informative as the 1819 census and not nearly so important because by 1860 the information provided in the parish registers is much improved.