Hi folks,
After a visit to a local reference library recently, I was again reminded of the importance of not assuming anything when it comes to the early UK census records taken in 1801, 1811, 1821 and 1831 viz. thinking they were only head counts. For the most part, this was regrettably the case. However, I know of examples where enumerators have gone beyond the minimum requirement and have listed names and ages (although like the later 1841 census, there was a practice of rounding ages to nearest five years). So, the point of this post is really to remind people to seek out these early records, and if they exist at the local reference archive libraries for example - go and check them out. Check out all those parishes of interest. You may be surprised by how diligent some of the enumerators were more than two hundred years ago, and never forget to look at the enumerator's name on all census log books - where these exist. A friend of mine for years could not trace his maternal several time great grandparent (although he was able to trace the rest of the immediate family). By sheer chance whilst looking at a log taken by the enumerator for one of the census (I don't which one it was), an elusive name appeared...
There is a common belief out there that these early censuses have only limited genealogical value. For some areas, this is a complete fallacy; but for me such thinking goes against the empirical academic value of research, research, research and my advice is:
'never assume that something you have not seen has little to offer'.
You never know, what you may find...
Happy Hunting.
Regards
Kojak
