List of 1831 (or earlier) censuses

[Timbottawa]

I apologize for this message ... I'm sure the topic has been discussed previously, but despite searching RootsChat and Google, I can't find the answer.

Some (all?) censuses prior to 1841 listed the name of the head of household and number of people living with him/her.  Most such records have been lost, but some survive.  Is there any site providing a list of such surviving census returns, especially those containing names?

I've found a list of 1831 returns, though it doesn't specify which included names:

http://www.staffs.ac.uk/schools/humanities_and_soc_sciences/census/cen1831.htm

Thanks

Tim

[LFS]

Dear Tim
I don't know of a web site but do have a book published by the Federation of Family History Societies called "Marriage and Census Indexes for Family Historians" by Jeremy Gibson and Elizabeth Hampson, published in  2000.  If I can help please let me know.
best wishes
Linda

[LFS]

Dear Tim, Apologies I got the wrong book.  I should have said.  "Pre-1841 Censuses and Population Listings in the British Isles" by Colin R Chapman. published 1998 by Lochin Publishing.  There are lists in the back of the book with asterisks against those which give names.  Again, if you would like me to help please let me know.  Sorry about the confusion.
Linda

[Timbottawa]

Thanks very much, Linda ... that sounds like a very interesting book.

I'm particularly interested in the area of the West Riding of Yorkshire around Leeds, and especially the villages (as they were then) of Farnly and Rothwell.  But also Huddersfield.

By the way, approximately what proportion of the list are asterisked (i.e., with names?)

Many thanks

Tim

[LFS]

Dear Tim
Yes, interesting, but also disappointing.  Not many have an asterisk - in fact the list for Yorkshire - and there's only 9 placenames so no need for splitting into ridings - has only Warmsworth (1829) with an asterisk.  The 1821 list offers Ossett cum Gawthorpe, out of 22 place names; and the 1811, Tankersely (taken in 1809.  The other listed place names in the 1831 census have some individuals named apparently - for Yorkshire they are - Boynton, Nrether Hallam, Hedon, Hipperholme cum Brighouse, Snaith, Spofforth, Swinton, Warmsworth, and Yeadon.   So a bit disappointing.  Apparently these early censuses are particularly useful for some of the Irish counties.  However, he also recommends looking for surveys for taxation or religious or military purposes which contain names.  I know this is disappointing but I recommend the book - it;'s quite fascinating and if you find just what you are looking for, really helpful for your own research.  Now if you were researching York!!!
Please let me know if I can help further - I'm sorry to not be more help.
Linda

[LFS]

Dear Tim
I'm frightened I wasn't clear - the asterisks against place names mean all people are named often with ages as well - the other place names have some names. However I haven't found the places you mentioned in the lists - though the 1811 offers Farsley (but not Farnly).  I didn't find any of the places I was researching.
Best wishes
Linda

[Timbottawa]

Dear Linda,

Thanks very much.  This excellent site ... http://www.calverley.info/census.htm contains transcripts of 1821 and 1811 censuses for Calverley parish, including the 1811 Farsley reference you mentioned.  The transcripts show only heads of households (and numbers living with them).  So, if I understand you correctly, these would NOT have an asterisk in the book.  Does this imply that all surviving censuses have heads of households, but only a few contain complete listings?  That's not so bad, if the records survive at all!

Regretably my Irish folk moved to England in 1799, two years before the first census!

Cheers
Tim

[LFS]

Dear Tim
As I understand it the 1800 Act only required statistics, so the areas which made much more detailed censuses only sent the statistics to London, and the more detailed information was kept in various places, such as accounts books of the overseers of the poor, or amongst the parish records.  This means that Chapman is not claiming his list is necessarily absolutely complete.  But the lists he gives are a pretty good guide to what is available.

  So in the list of nine parishes for Yorkshire only one gives full information, and the others give some but not all  names.  But the majority of censuses,  which were sent to London are just statistics and no names.  However there are earlier censuses than 1801 in Ireland,  for instance Castlemack in 1793, or Dublin 1736, 1767 and 1778-82, or Fermanagh with six censuses between 11612 and 1821 which contain individual's names., so all is not necessarily lost with your Irish relatives.
Best wishes
Linda

[Timbottawa]

Dear Linda,

Thanks.  Regarding my Irish folk, from Co. Mayo, I know the name, place of birth, and birth year of the fellow who moved to England, but when I wrote to them, the local archives claimed they had no useful records.  Oh well.

Cheers
Tim