A census is a complete population count for a given area or place taken on a specific date. The 1841 census is considered to be the first modern UK census. Each householder was required to complete a census schedule giving the address of the household, the names, ages, sexes, occupations and places of birth of each individual residing in his or her accommodation.
In 1841, the administration of the census passed into the hands of the Registrar General and the Superintendent Registrars (who were also responsible for the registration of births, marriages and deaths).
After information was recorded on pre-printed census schedules, a schedule was left with a household and later collected by the enumerator. If there was no one in the house who could write, the enumerator helped to record the information. The census enumerator then copied the information on the schedules into their official books known as census enumerators' books. Unfortunately, the original census schedules have been destroyed and it is the census enumerator's books that researchers see on the microfilm. Because the information in the books is a copy of the information on the schedule, there were often mistakes made in transcribing the information.
The 1841 census was taken on June 6.
It is filed at the Public Record Office in group code HO 107 (HO=Home Office).
Details the 1841 census can provide:
The end of each building is shown with two slashes '//' and the end of each household in a building is shown with one slash '/'.