It is the enumeration books that we consult today online or on microfilm. Once the enumeration books had been completed, most household schedules were destroyed, although there are some rare survivals. From 1841 to 1901 the information from the schedules was then copied into enumeration books. The forms completed by each household, known as schedules, were collected a few days later by the enumerator. The heads of household were instructed to give details of everyone who slept in that dwelling on census night, which was always a Sunday. In every census year an enumerator delivered a form to each household in the country for them to complete. How the census was taken and on what dates

For more information on the 1939 Register, please read the guide on the 1939 Register.ģ. The 1939 Register is similar to but not the same as the census. Read section 12 for information on the census returns for Scotland and Ireland. They will remain closed to the public for 100 years after the date they were conducted. vessels in English and Welsh ports and inland waterways from 1861 onwardsĪll later censuses remain in the custody of the Office for National Statistics.This guide explains how to access the historical censuses from 1841 to 1911 and provides information on using the census returns of: The National Archives references for censuses Why can't I find my ancestor in the census? Addresses, houses and other buildings in the census Where to access and how to search the censuses What is the census and why was it compiled?

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