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Understanding The 1841 Census

Understanding The 1841 Census

References to the historical event of the 1841 census should be understood as referring to a population census carried out for the United Kingdom. In addition to the actual information generated and still available from the 1841 census, this survey is considered historically significant beyond the normal degree of population census surveys in that it was the first such population census to be carried out in the form now considered a regular feature of developed nations.
In this regard, the 1841 census has relevance not only to residents of the United Kingdom, in terms of their national history and the genealogical backgrounds of their families, but also pertains to other residents of countries where censuses are regularly performed, such as the United States, where the census is a ten-year event under the control of a national Census Bureau.
The 1841 Census was performed, specifically, on the date of June 6, and the population census information which it returned to the government is accordingly understood to refer to June 6 at the stroke of midnight and the following day, a formulation which became traditional for population census events in the United Kingdom.
The 1841 Census is officially classified as HO (Home Office) 107, and is kept at the Public Record office. After the age of 15, people recorded by this population census did not have their age recorded exactly, but rounded down within five years. The 1841 census also asked people about their professions, and indicated whether or not they were born in their current county of residence.