Census Records
A census for Ireland has been taken every 10 years since 1821. Unfortunately the only complete ones to survive that are available are that of 1901 and 1911. These are available to search in Belfast and Dublin and on www.nationalarchives.ie website.
From 1821 to 1891 only a very small portion of the census records exist in certain areas e.g. in part of Co Antrim in 1851.
A typical record will show each member of the family who stayed at each house on census night. If a family member was at their granny’s, their friend’s, in prison, etc. they were not recorded at the family home.
Alongside each person the 1901 census recorded:
- First name and surname
- Relationship to the head of the household
- Religious denomination
- Literacy level
- Age
- Gender
- Occupation
- Marital status
- Place of birth
- Ability to speak or write Irish
- If disabled, nature of disability
For 1911 questions were asked about how many years a couple have been married, how many children they have had, and how many of those are still alive.
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