Pre 1841 Census?

[SDCragg]

Hi, i am looking for pre 1841 census information... i have John Cragg, Married to Jane Cragg (maiden name unknown) in the census for 1841 and 1851. but cannot find one before this... he was born 1810-1811 in Lincolnshire. the 1841 census page is here: http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angs-c&gsfn=john&gsln=cragg&msbdy=1810&msrpn__ftp=Lincolnshire%2c+England&msrpn=5273&msrpn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5273%7c0%7c0%7c&gskw=1841&sbo=1&uidh=a46&mssng0=Jane&pcat=35&h=6570654&recoff=10+11&db=uki1841&indiv=1&ftm=1

Basically i am looking for his father which i believe is R Cragg, but could not be. there is a Richard Cragg that almost fits the bill but i want proof...
Steve

[Nick29]

Hi Steve, there were censuses in the UK before 1841, but they were only 'head counts' which did not record individual information.  Your only hope of finding what you require is through church parish records for baptisms, marriages and burials, or maybe local tax records.

You can get some parish records online, and some are on CD - it's best to look for a Family History Society covering Lincolnshire, or you could try The Parish Chest

[stanmapstone]

See "Pre-1841 Censuses & Population Listings" by Colin R. Chapman http://www.rootschat.com/links/0eje/  Also http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/census/index.jsp
The 1841 Census is the first one that is of any practical use for family history research.

Stan

[SDCragg]

Thanks, i just found that out online But how do i find the parish records that were mentioned?

[stanmapstone]

There are no census returns 1801-1831 for Lincolnshire with all persons named. These are the parishes avaiable in Lincolnshire:
1801; Little Ponton, Whaplode.
1811; Fleet, Waddington, Whoplode, Winteringham (Part)
1821: Barnetby le Wold, Canwick, Fleet, Lincoln St. Martin, Waddington, Walcot by Folkingham
1831; Canwick, Fillingham, Fleet, Gedney Hill, Grantham.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

Hi Steve, there were censuses in the UK before 1841, but they were only 'head counts' which did not record individual information. 

List of names from some censuses BEFORE 1841 were kept and have survived - admittedly in a rare number of cases, but Jeremy Gibson and Mervyn Medlycott say in their booklet "Local Census Listings 1522-1930: Holdings in the British Isles" that over 750 parish listings have been found for the censuses of 1801, 1811, 1821 and 1831.
These are to be found in county record offices and a complete county-by-county source guide is given in the booklet (available via the Federation of Family Histories Publications)
The lists are in the majority confined to heads of households, with numbers of other household members given (sometimes divided by sex and age groups), but in some cases full names of all members of a household are given. These lists were retained by particularly conscientious enumerators after they had sent the statistics to central government, often for use in other situations, i.e. Poor Law administration.
Some of these lists have been published by family history societies. So it is not strictly correct to say that no names are available before 1841.

Stan

[softly softly]

Hi,
Marriage 28.05.1832 St Mary Donington-John Cragg & Jane Hearson, Witnessess Richard Hearson & Samuel Benstead.
1841 census shows a William, John & Jane children. William bap 19.3.1833 Donington, John 15.11.1835. Also a Henry Cragg born to John & Jane baptised 6.7.1834 Sutton St James.

John

[SDCragg]

thanks for that! what's my next step in looking up Richard? can we assume he's the father?

[SDCragg]

or more importantly, how should i try to get John cragg's father's name? do i need to order his birth certificate? is there an easy way to get his death record?