Since 1801, the United Kingdom has performed a population census every 10 years not including 1941. This census data showed various aspects of the country as well as playing a pivotal role in the allocation of various government resources throughout the country. Furthermore, this data is not only helpful on the national level, but is also used by the European Union in order to asses the proper resources necessary for each of the member states.
The first traditional census though was long before 1801. It was Dál Riata, a territory that now lies within the confines of the United Kingdom in which this census took place. Of course since it was not the 10 year mandated census like is used today, it was even given a name; much like all of the censuses in earlier times both during and before the Medieval Period. Known as the Senchus fer n-Alban, which translates to “Tradition of the Men of Alba”, it would become known as the very first census in the UK although it occurred in the area that is now Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Then in 1086, William I would order a census to be performed and compiled into the Doomsday Book so that the data could be used for taxation purposes. This was a necessity at the time seeing as though William had just recently conquered a large area of land and added it to his kingdom.
It was John Rickman who managed the UK censuses’ from 1801 until 1831. This data was used as a means of ascertaining the number of potential persons who could be enlisted to fight in the Napoleonic Wars. Of course this was not the only reason that Rickman championed the first 4 censuses in the UK, there are actually 12 of them in all. As it so has it, Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, in 1798 wrote the Principle of Population and as a result of this essay, steamed debates were regularly carried out in Parliament to justify the need for carrying out a census.
It was to be John Rickman who none the less outlined the justification. He included several very important reasons for the UK to carry out these censuses every 10 years. He had stated that:
I) In order to rationally develop and expand any legislation, one must have an intimate knowledge of the country.
II) Since the industrious population of a nation is the lifeblood of the nation, the size of this population must be known.
III) In order to advance militarily, an area’s population must be known so that the proper inscription of able-bodied men could be accommodated.
IV) In order to prepare a proper maritime defence net for the country, the number of able-bodied seamen in an area must be known.
V) By knowing a particular area’s population, they could therefore ensure that there was enough production of basic food necessities to ensure that the population was fed.
VI) The census itself was a tool to prove that the government has the intention of promoting the good for the overall population.
VII) By knowing the number of people as well as the life expectancy of those in a given area or given occupation, life insurance could be properly projected, ascertained and made available for the better good of all those who wished it.
Since 1801, thanks to the work of John Rickman, the census has been performed in the UK every 10 years. However it would be during World War II that one census would not be taken due to the ongoing battles throughout the country. While the first four censuses were basically statistical headcounts which added no real pertinent data, he showed the importance and necessity of the regular census.
By 1841 the first census which was to also include names of persons living in or residing in a particular household on in an institution, was officially performed. While at first this data was almost immediately available to those who sought it, in 1966, the 100-year rule would be placed into effect under Lord Chancellor’s Instrument number 12. Furthermore, since the invocation of this rule and up until the 2000 Freedom of Information Act, there was no real enforcement of the 100-year rule.
For those who are researching their lineage, these censuses’ data can be very helpful to you. So much in fact that when the 1901 census data for both England as well as Wales was released, the server which held the data crashed due to an overload on the server caused by the demand for this data.
The census data in the UK though, unlike many other countries is considered to be extremely accurate seeing as though it is a £1,000 fine for failing to fill out the form. There were some exceptions to this fine such as the women’s suffrage movement which had encouraged women to attend varied all-night parties during the 1911 census as a means of boycotting it. Furthermore, the 1991 census was not very accurate either since it was to be used as leverage for taxation and as such this one too was boycotted by a large percentage of the populous.
However it should be important to point out that the boycotted 1911 census data will not be available until 2012 and the 1991 boycott’s data will not be published until 2092 under current legislation.
The census though is not all doom and gloom as the 2001 UK census held a very interesting addition. In the 2001 census, religion in the form of a compulsory form attached to the actual census was added for the first time. In a bit of humour, a rumour was spread that if enough of the population were to specify a particular religion, it would become a recognised one by the government; as a result, there was 390,000 people, or 2.6% of the UK’s population who were reported as being a “Jedi Knight” (myself included, “May the force be with you”).
Original Authors: Nick
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 24/11/2008
