A GUIDE TO CENSUSES AND CIVIL REGISTRATION
CENSUSES
CENSUSES 1921- 2001
1921
The 1921 census like all subsequent surviving censuses is still held by the Office for National Statistics and was conducted under the regulations enacted by the 1920 Census Act. This act still applies and contains a statutory prohibition on disclosure. This means that if any Freedom of Information requests are received by the ONS for the 1921 census, the exemption found in S44 of the FOI Act will be invoked to maintain census confidentiality. The Information Commissionaire’s Office
DECISION NOTICE 25th November 2008 upheld the prohibition on disclosure.
The stated government position from the ONS is
"its intention to release the entirety of the 1921 census returns in 2022, in accordance with the non-statutory '100 year rule' which was adopted to reflect this undertaking of confidentiality".1931
On the night of 19th December 1942, there was a fire at a store in Hayes, Middlesex the responsibility of the Office of Works. The storehouse contained a large amount of furniture, but in addition it also contained the
CENSUS RECORDS for England and Wales for 1931. They were destroyed. The fire was not caused by enemy action.
The dates of the 1921 and 1931 censuses
19th June 1921 26th April 1931
The population of England and Wales at the time of each census
1921 - 37,886,699 (Essex 1,470,257)
1931 - 39,952,377 (Essex 1,755,459)
The 1939 National Identity Card
A census of the United Kingdom was due to be taken in early 1941, but this never happened because of World War Two. At the outbreak of the war in 1939, National Identity Cards were issued to everyone resident in the United Kingdom. National Registration Day was 29th September 1939. The information gathered for each person was more basic than that required for a twentieth century census, containing only the name, gender, date of birth, marital condition, occupation and whether a member of the armed forces or the reserves.
Access to this information is not restricted by the 1920 Census Act. Since national identity cards were not abolished until February 1952 it was initially unclear whether the information collected in 1939 could in anyway be separated from the subsequent updates which occurred during the following 13 years.
Information for 1939 can now be obtained, but only for individuals who have died and are now recorded as deceased at
THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE INFORMATION CENTRE 1966
A mini census was held on 24th April based on a 10% sample of the population. This is the only time a ‘national’ five yearly census has been held.
1991
Some people avoided the 1991 census. It was estimated that up to one million people were not counted in 1991, as there was a widespread belief the government would use the census information to enforce the poll tax (a tax which in the end was never introduced).
2001
Though a fine of up to £1,000 was put in place for this census it is estimated only about 94% of the population complied and filled in a census form.
Dates of the remaining completed censuses
8th April 1951 23rd April 1961 25th April 1971 5th April 1981 21st April 1991 29th April 2001
The population of England and Wales at the time of each census
1951 – 43,639,050 (Essex 2,044,964)
1961 – 46,627,323 (Essex 2,288,058)
In 1965 the new London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest became part of Greater London and ceased to be part of the county of Essex.
1971 – 48,601,304 (Essex 1,358,028)
1981 – 49,414,000 (Essex 1,461,890)
1991 – 50,879,165 (Essex 1,528,577)
From 1998 the Unitary Authorities of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock were no longer part of the county of Essex
2001 - 52,041,916 (Essex 1,310,922)
2011 CENSUS
The date of the census of 2011 was 27th March. For the first time it will be possible to complete the census form online. The details of this census are at
THE OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS