Who filled out census form?

[Maiden Stone]

I agree with Stan regarding literacy. Situation was different in Ireland. 1901 and 1911 Irish census included questions about literacy.
Another possible reason for a householder not completing household return in his or her own hand may be infirmity - sight, arthritis, stroke. 

[Ruskie]

Does signature match handwriting on rest of form? Although that may not be proof. Another member of family may have filled in form and written signature.

No it does not. 

To me, it looks like the form may have been filled in by a female. “Front”/Schedule page is also in the same hand.

[Sinann]

I hadn't notice the enumerator doesn't sign the form only initials it on the England and Wales Census, they do on the Census of Ireland, that's a pity, I can see on one my families forms that the enumerator added a few bits to the form, like adding the word domestic above servant and such like, he also decided the father was a widower because he had left that column blank, the mans wife was alive and well in her daughter's house than night. The ink he used is much darker and the writing matches his signature.

[BushInn1746]

Applicable to ENGLAND & WALES, UK

1911 Census is the Householder's Schedule

"1911 was the first high-tech census, using Hollerith technology to encode and sort the data using punched cards. It was also the first to have enumerators transcribe information from the schedules into their own record books. Hence, the archive record of the householder’s schedule remained the master entry, and for the first time, researchers and genealogists now accessing the records online are able to view their ancestors’ handwriting."

Assuming the Householder could write in 1911, the 1911 Census should have been completed and have the signature of the person at the address signing it.

On a 1911 Census I have, the Signature in the bottom R/H corner is similar to the Signature in his Will written in 1939.

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160110200232tf_/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/how-our-census-works/about-censuses/census-history/census-1801-1901/index.html
Scroll to the bottom of the page & click the 1911 link.


Census Before 1911

Each house or place inhabited was left a 'Householder's Schedule' for the Head to fill in and Sign (Specimen scan of an 1841 Householder's Schedule, below).

The Census Enumerator went back and collected these Schedules completed and signed by the Head of the House and transferred the information from the Householder's Schedule onto the Census pages that we see today.

The Census information was not usually collected verbally. See link.

Mark

[Old Bristolian]

I have an individual in my family who lived alone in 1911 and was illiterate.
Her form was filled in by a neighbour and it is clearly marked that he had done so and signed on her behalf
Steve