England and Wales Census, 1851 - FamilySearch Historical Records

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England and Wales Census, 1851 CID2563939 {{{CID2}}} {{{CID3}}} {{{CID4}}} {{{CID5}}} {{{CID6}}} {{{CID7}}} {{{CID8}}} {{{CID9}}}
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England and Wales
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Record Description
Record Type	Census
Collection years	1851
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Related Websites
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The National Archives

What is in This Collection?

This collection includes records for 1851. The United Kingdom Census of 1851 recorded the people residing in every household on the night of Sunday, March 30, 1851, and was the second of the UK censuses to include details of household members. However, this census added considerably to the fields recorded in the earlier 1841 UK Census, providing additional details of ages, relationships and origins, making the 1851 census a rich source of information.

The schedules are arranged by county and then divided by civil parish, each district being an area that could be enumerated in a day. For reference purposes, the National Archives assigned a piece number to each enumeration district and stamped a folio number in the upper right corner of each right-side page. The number refers to entries on both sides of the page. The original schedules are well preserved and housed at the Public Records Office in Kew.

Image Visibility

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To Browse This Collection

You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for England and Wales Census, 1851.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information be be found in these records:

Census

• Date, place, district, parish and county where census was taken
• Given names and surnames for members in each household
• Age, gender and birthplace for each household member
• Marital status and occupation for each household member
• Relationship to the head of the household for each household member

Collection Content

Sample of an indexed record

John Smith England and Wales, Census, 1851 Name John Smith Event Type Census Event Date 1851 Event Place Maulden, Bedfordshire, England Registration District Ampthill Gender Male Age 18 Marital Status Unmarried Occupation Labourer At Home Relationship to Head of Household Son Birth Year (Estimated) 1833 Birthplace Maulden, Bedfordshire Page Number 16 Registration Number HO107 Piece/Folio 1754 / 297 Affiliate Record Type Household Household Role Sex Age Birthplace William Smith Head Male 44 Maulden, Befordshire Marria Smith Wife Female 47 Rinham, Norfolk Elizabeth Smith Daughter Female 21 Maulden, Bedfordshire James Smith Son Male 20 Maulden, Bedfordshire John Smith Son Male 18 Maulden, Bedfordshire William Smith Son Male 13 Maulden, Bedfordshire George Smith Son Male 10 Maulden, Bedfordshire How Do I Search This Collection? Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know: Name of the person you are looking for Approximate place of residence Search the Index Search by name on the Collection Details Page. Fill in the search boxes in the Search Collection section with the information you know Click Search to show possible matches How Do I Analyze the Results? Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log. What Do I Do Next? I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now? Add any new information to your records Look at an image of the original record. The original may contain information that was not recorded in the index Use the information to find additional family members in other censuses Use the information to find other records such as birth, marriage, christening, and death records Birthplaces can tell you former residences and can help to establish a migration pattern for the family I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking for, What Now? If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This can help you find possible relatives If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality Check for other names. They might have been listed under a middle name, a nickname, or an abbreviation of their given name Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try searching based on how the name may have been pronounced Research Helps The following articles will help you in your research for your family in England. England Guided Research England Record Finder Research Tips and Strategies The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Wales. Wales Guided Research Wales Record Finder Research Tips and Strategies Citing This Collection Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used. Collection Citation: The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Citing this Collection. Record Citation: When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information. Image Citation: When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen. Return to England Census Page