Census Boundaries

[john franks]

While doing some work on the 1851 census for County Durham I realised that a number of places in North Yorkshire, more or less in the Middlesbrough area, were included. This was very helpful to me as I am mainly interested in the Teesside area but researchers need fo be aware that other county boundaries may have been bent a little to suit the census takers.

But perhaps this is already a known feature of censuses?

John

[stanmapstone]

See http://www.gazetteer.co.uk/appendixc.htm  Places in England and Wales which lay in a registration county of a different name to their historic County in the 1851 Census.

There are other useful items at http://www.gazetteer.co.uk/section4.htm

Stan

[behindthefrogs]

Censuses were based on registration districts not counties.  These have always overlapped county boundaries as they allowed registration to take place in the nearest reasonable sized town.

David

[john franks]

Thanks both for your explanations. This is the first time I have searched the census by targeting townships etc rather than by going through the surname index - with very useful results.

John