Wales Census

Introduction to England and Wales Census
The census is a head count of everyone in the country on a given day. A census has been taken in England and Wales, and separately for Scotland, every ten years since 1801, with the exception of 1941. A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor lived and when they lived there. You can also use censuses to: Follow the family over time Determine family relationships Find clues to other locations where the family lived

Censuses with Online Links
* 1801-1831 detailed information on incomplete records

Additional Online Links

 * The Genealogist Parish Registers - Derbyshire($)
 * FreeCEN($)
 * MyHeritage($)

Census Forms and Headings
The links below show the form layouts and the column headings on each census form. The headings listed the questions asked on each census (in PDF format). Also, Guy Etchells has assembled a collection of the official instructions given to enumerators for each census.

Understanding the Census
In England and Wales, the government censuses have been taken every ten years since 1801. The first four censuses, 1801 through 1831, were taken strictly for statistical purposes for the Overseers of the Poor and substantial households. The first census listing people by name was taken in 1841. Census records are generally released 100 years after they were taken. These links give detailed information on the England and Wales censuses. How the Censuses were Taken Census details changed little year to year. Each census used a pre-printed form and were taken on specific dates. The enumeration districts were small enough for an enumerator to complete his work in one day. To avoid double counting, the pre-printed form was handed by the enumerator to the head of household with the instructions to only record those physically located at the home on census night. Therefore those away at boarding schools, working at night, on vacation, etc. were not enumerated. Conversely, relatives, boarders, servants, etc. were enumerated. The pre-printed forms were collected soon after the census date. From 1841-1901 the enumerator copied the household information onto a master form. In 1911 the original forms were kept, with each household having its own form.
 * Census returns for England & Wales
 * GENUKI England and Wales:- Census
 * England Census: Further Information and Description

The dates of each census were as follows:

Wales Geographic Organization

The census office organized the census by civil registration districts, which were subdivided into enumeration districts. The only exception is the 1841, census which was arranged by hundreds (hundreds are administrative subdivisions of land). On the census films, each enumeration district includes a title page with the district number and a description of the area covered by the district. These registration districts crossed both county and national boundaries! For example the town of Llangollen, in the county of Denbighshire, was part of the Corwen registration district, even though Corwen was in the county of Merionethshire. Similarly, the town of Chirk, in Denbighshire, was in the Oswestry registration district, even though Oswestry was in the county of Shropshire in England.

Important: Several Welsh census records are lost! The Wales Missing Census Records Wiki article lists those missing census records and may identify possible census substitutes.

The 1841 censuses of upper Merthyr Tydfil and the entire parishes of Wrexham and Ruabon in the north-east are missing, as are many of the 1861 censuses. Sometimes, a lost census return is found and the Clwyd Family History Society have 'retrieved' parts of the Wrexham returns for 1841. Announcements about records that are found are usually given by a family history society journal for the area that is involved. See Wales Periodicals for information on locating a family history society journal. It is sometimes possible to locate another record that can substitute for a census. For example, part of the missing census for Merthyr Tydfil can be supplemented with the following record:


 * Glamorgan Family History Society. Register of cottage leases, Dowlais Iron Company, 1818–1877. [Glamorgan, Wales]: Glamorgan Family History Society, [1996?]. (Family History Library .)

Pre-1841 Census
There are 791 surviving census listings for 1801-1831 created on the parish level. The few surviving pre-1841 censuses generally contain only names of the head-of-household.


 * The University of Essex, Department of History published an easy to follow PDF file in 2004 entitled Census Schedules and Listings, 1801-1831: An Introduction and Guide by Richard Wall, Matthew Woollard and Beatrice Moring,


 * The Online Historical Population Reports page has statistical data available for every parish in the pre-1841 censuses.

Changing Questions

You will find the following information in the censuses:

1841. This census lists each member of every household with their name, sex, address, occupation, and whether or not they were born in the county or out of the country. The census takers usually rounded the ages of those over 15 down to a multiple of 5 years. For example, a 59-year-old would be listed as 55.

1851 and later. These censuses list the names, ages, occupations, relationships to the head of the household, and parish and county of birth (except foreign births, which may give country only) of each member of the household.

1891 and later. These censuses also list the language spoken (English, Welsh or Both).

Searching Census Records
When searching census records, remember that:


 * Ages may be incorrect.
 * Given names may not be the same as the name recorded in church or vital records.
 * Information may be incorrect.
 * Names may be spelled as they sound.
 * Place-names may be misspelled.
 * If the family is not at the expected address, search the surrounding area.
 * When you find your family in one census, search the earlier or later census records to find additional family members.
 * Individuals missing from a family may be listed elsewhere in the census.
 * Parts of the 1841 and 1861 censuses are faint and sometimes unreadable.

Surname indexes are available for select places for some census years. See the section on "Census Indexes" below.

In big cities, an address will help you find your ancestor in a census, especially where street indexes exist for the city.

The following sources may help you find an address:


 * Old letters
 * City, occupational, postal, or commercial directories
 * Civil registration certificates of births, marriages, and deaths
 * Church records of christenings, burials, and marriages
 * Probate records
 * Newspaper notices
 * Court records
 * Tax records
 * Rate books
 * Voting registers or poll books.

Locating Census Records
Pre-1900 original census records are at the Public Record Office (see Wales Archives and Libraries for an address). The National Library of Wales, most county record offices, the Family History Library and the Family Records Centre (see Wales Civil Registration for the address) have microfilm copies of the census records. Online Records Missing pieces. Various parts of the England, Wales, and Scotland census returns from 1841 to 1911 are incomplete and have pieces missing. Findmypast has has identified the known gaps by census year, nation, county, and village or parish in Census for England, Wales and Scotland: missing pieces
 * 1861 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

Census Indexes
Census indexes can reduce the time it takes to search a census. Some surname or street indexes exist for some areas.

You can check the Census Surname Index Register (not cataloged typescript) at the Family History Library or click on the below links to see the Census Surname Indexes in this register book. (This register is not available at Family History Centers.)

To find surname indexes which may not be available at the Family History Library, look in:


 * Gibson, Jeremy, and Elizabeth Hampson, eds. Marriage, Census and Other Indexes for Family Historians. 6th ed. Birmingham, England: Federation of Family History Societies (Publications) Ltd., 1996. (Family History Library ) This is an inventory of the indexes that are available for marriage, census and other helpful genealogical records. It is arranged by country and then by county.

1881 Census. There is a complete transcription and index on microfiche for the 1881 census returns of Wales. The index is also available on compact disc, with a partial transcription.

The index and transcription were produced through a joint effort of the Federation of Family History Societies and the Genealogical Society of Utah.

The compact disc version, 1881 British Census and National Index (50169), is available for purchase.

The microfiche version is available for use at the Family History Library, Family History Centers, and other record repositories (see Wales Archives and Libraries). The microfiche can be searched either nationwide or by county.

Within the nationwide index are two indexes:


 * Surname Index (alphabetical by surname, then given name)
 * Birthplace Index (alphabetical by birthplace, then surname)

Within each of the county indexes are seven sections:


 * Surname Index (alphabetical by surname, then given name)
 * Birthplace Index (alphabetical by surname, then birthplace)
 * Census Place Index (alphabetical by surname, then census place)
 * Census Record-as-Enumerated
 * Miscellaneous Notes (alphabetical by surname, then given name)
 * List of Vessels/Ships (alphabetical by ship’s name)
 * List of Institutions (alphabetical by institution’s name)

See 1881 British Census Indexes (34933) and Using the 1881 British Census Indexes (34700) for additional information.

To locate the microfiche numbers for the 1881 census indexes, look in the FamilySearch Catalog under:


 * [COUNTRY] - CENSUS - 1881 - INDEXES


 * [COUNTRY], [COUNTY] - CENSUS - 1881 - INDEXES

Street Indexes. If you know the address at which an ancestor may have lived, a street index can help you quickly find your ancestor in the census. Street indexes are available for major cities in Wales.

You can also determine if a street index is available at the Family History Library by looking in:


 * Register of Towns Indexed by Streets. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, 1998. (Family History Library .)

If the above register does not list the town or district you need for a particular year, look for a street index in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:


 * WALES - CENSUS - [YEAR] - INDEXES


 * WALES, [COUNTY] - CENSUS - [YEAR] - INDEXES


 * WALES, [COUNTY], [CITY, PARISH OR DISTRICT] - CENSUS - [YEAR] - INDEXES

Online Census Indexes

 * 1841-1911 census indexes are available at Wales Indexed Historical Records at FamilySearch
 * 1841-1911 census indexes are available at Findmypast
 * 1841-1911 census indexes are available at Ancestry.co.uk
 * 1841-1911 census indexes are available at The Genealogist.co.uk
 * 1901 census index available at National Archives

Wiki articles describing these collections are found at:


 * England and Wales 1841 Census - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * England and Wales 1851 Census - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * England and Wales 1861 Census - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * England and Wales 1871 Census - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * England and Wales 1881 Census - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * England and Wales 1891 Census - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * England and Wales Census, 1901 - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * England and Wales Census, 1911 - FamilySearch Historical Records

The 1939 Register
In 2015 Findmypast released the 1939 register to the public. It was a registration of the population of England and Wales on September 29th, 1939, taken for administrative purposes due to the outbreak of World War II. This Register was to be a critical tool in coordinating the war effort at home. It would be used to issue identity cards, organize rationing and more.

The Register lists full names, full dates of birth, occupations, and addresses. The register was maintained in some form up to 1991 so changes of name upon marriage and subsequent deaths may also be noted.

The register is particularly significant due to it being 82 years old, less than the usual 100 year limit, and the fact that no census survives for 1931 and none was taken in 1941.


 * 1939 How-to Video for 1939 Register
 * 1939 Search Engine for 1939 Register at Findmypast - index and images ($)
 * 1939 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1939 1939 England and Wales Register at Ancestry - index and images ($)