Northern Ireland Census

Most of the Northern Ireland Census records before 1861 were destroyed in the Irish Civil War in 1922.

There are few exceptions that survived as follows:

County Antrim

 * County Antrim 1851 Census Remnant
 * Ireland Householder's Index, index, ($)
 * County Antrim, Ireland 1851 Census, (Fragments), images only, ($).
 * Belfast 1901 and 1911 Census Records

County Derry (Londonderry)

 * 1831 Census - Dunboe Parish

County Fermanagh
A census is a count and description of the population of an area. When available, census records can provide names, ages, occupations, marital statuses, birthplaces, and family members' relationships. Censuses can also provide clues that lead to other records. A census may list only selected people for a special reason (such as males between the ages of 16 and 45 for military purposes) or the whole population. The percentage of people listed depends on the purpose of the census and on how careful the enumerator was.
 * 1821 Ireland census remnants, index, ($)
 * County Fermanagh Northern Ireland GenWeb includes surnames from the 1659 census report and other genealogy indexes

Online Databases

 * Ireland 1766 Religious Census, ($)
 * Ireland Census 1821-1851, index, ($).
 * National Archives Census, 1821-1851, 1901- 1911
 * Ireland Census 1821
 * Ireland Census 1831
 * Ireland Census 1841
 * Ireland Census 1851
 * Ireland Census Search 1841, 1851, ($)
 * Ireland, 1841/1851 Census Abstracts (Northern Ireland), index, ($).
 * Ireland: 1841/1851 Census Abstracts (Republic of Ireland), index, ($).
 * Ireland Census 1901-1911 censuses, 1821-1851 census fragments, index.
 * at FamilySearch — index
 * at FamilySearch — index
 * Ireland Census 1901, index, ($).
 * The National Archives of Ireland
 * Ireland 1901 and 1911 Census Street Index
 * Belfast City Census Street Index 1901 and 1911
 * Cork City Census Street Index 1901 and 1911
 * Dublin City Census Street Index 1901 and 1911
 * Limerick City Census Street Index 1901 and 1911
 * Londonderry City Census Street Index 1901 and 1911
 * Waterford City Census Street Index 1901 and 1911
 * Wexford City Census Street Index 1901 and 1911
 * Ireland, Census 1901, index.
 * , index.
 * Ireland Census 1901, index, ($).
 * , index.
 * Ireland Census 1911, index, ($).
 * Ireland, Census 1911, index.
 * 1901 and 1911 censuses can be searched online on the National Archives of Ireland Web site.
 * Census Search Forms, 1841/1851

Purposes for Taking a Census
Various types of censuses have been taken by civil authorities to determine such things as:


 * Makeup of the population.
 * Religion of the population.
 * Military readiness.
 * Taxes for support of the state church (called tithes).
 * Taxes for poor relief (called poor rates).
 * The number and identities of eligible voters (recorded in poll books)

Civil or Government Censuses of the Population
Government censuses of the population are particularly valuable because they list nearly all the population at a given time. The Irish government took a census in 1813 (which no longer exists), then every ten years from 1821 through 1911. Due to the Irish Civil War of 1921-22, another census was not taken until 1926. The next census was taken in 1936. Starting in 1946, censuses were taken every five years through 1971. Since 1971, censuses have been taken every ten years.

Availability of Census Fragments
Only parts of the early civil censuses survive. The censuses from 1821 through 1851 were mostly destroyed in the 1922 fire at the Public Record Office in Dublin. The censuses from 1861 through 1891 were destroyed by the government sometime after statistics had been compiled from them. For more information see the Family History Library reference guide Register of Ireland Census &amp; Census Substitutes (FHL book 941.5 X23c) or see Ireland Census fragments available at the Family History Library. Also there is the Ireland Householders Index. From 1823 to 1864, records were kept of people who paid taxes to the Church of Ireland or the government in Ireland.

The 1901 census is the first complete census available for Ireland. The 1901 and 1911 censuses are available to the public and are now online, but all censuses taken since 1911 are not. The 1821 to 1851 censuses are divided by county, barony, civil parish, and townland. The 1901 and 1911 censuses are divided by county, electoral division, and townland.

Because many of the earlier censuses are not available, census substitutes are especially useful for Ireland. These include tax, religous and poll lists among others. See the below section on census substitutes for more information on census substititues.

Content
You will find the following information in the various censuses:

1813. The 1813 census was the first official census of the population of Ireland and was taken under the Parliamentary Act 52 Geo. III., c. 133. The work was commissioned to be done under the direction of the Grand Juries, but was so poorly executed that a second Act of Parliament was passed, 55 Geo. III., c. 120 and led to the enumeration of the 1821 census. Before the destruction of the Public Record Office in 1922, hardly any returns were known to be in existence, see Deputy Keeper Report XXVIII, pp. 9-10.

1821. The 1821 census lists—for every member of the household—name, age, occupation, and relationship to the head of the household. The census also records the acreage held by the head of the household and the number of stories each dwelling had. This census was taken under the Parliamentary Act 55 Geo. III., c. 120. and a decennial census was consistently taken until 1911.

1831. The 1831 census lists only the head of the household, the number of children and adults in the household, and the religion of each household member. This census was taken under the Parliamentary Act 1 Will. IV., c. 19.

1834. The 1834 census was a result of an initiative by Daniel O'Connell in Parliament to reflect the correct numbers of Catholics and Protestants in Ireland. It came to be known as the "O'Connell Census." The 1831 census was used as the basis for the 1834 census and members of the Catholic clergy and others throughout Ireland were used to identify and add religion to the 1831 population schedules. Many of these census lists have been published in various genealogical, historical, and archaeological periodicals in Ireland.

1841. The 1841 census lists—for every member of the household—name, age, sex, relationship to the head of the household, marital status (and if married, the number of years married), occupation, and birthplace. In addition, it has two schedules that were filled out if applicable. One reported absent members of the household and provided the standard census information plus the current place of residence for each. The other listed members of the household who had died since the last census and recorded for each the cause and year of death, age at death, sex, relationship to the head of the household, and occupation. This census was taken under the Parliamentary Act 3 and 4 Vic., c. 100.

1851. The 1851 census lists the same information as the 1841 census. It also has the two schedules that were filled out if applicable. One reported absent members of the household and provided the standard census information plus the current place of residence for each. The other listed members of the household who had died since the last census and recorded for each the cause and year of death, age at death, sex, relationship to the head of the household, and occupation. This census was taken under the Parliamentary Act 13 and 14 Vic., c. 44.

There is an index to the heads-of-household for the 1851 census for the City of Dublin. It is available on FindMyPast.com 1851 Dublin City Census. $ This was taken from a transcript available in the National Archives, Dublin.

Online access to the 1821-1851 census fragments is through:


 * The Census Finder website for Ireland
 * FamilySearch.org which has certified copies of extracts from the 1821, 1841, 1851 census

1901. The 1901 census lists for every member of the household:


 * Name
 * Age
 * Sex


 * Relationship to the head of the household
 * Religion
 * Occupation
 * Marital status
 * County of birth (except for foreign births, which give country only)
 * Whether the individual spoke Irish
 * Whether the individual could read or write.
 * Whether deaf and dumb, or blind.

1911. The census lists the same information as the 1901 census and adds for married women:


 * Number of years she had been married to her current husband
 * Number of children that had been born to them
 * Number of their children who were still alive.

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland has some census records for Northern Ireland. All other census records, including the surviving early fragments, are kept at the National Archives.

Additional census forms are available for the 1901 and 1911 censuses that give more information about the household. Form N, an enumerator’s abstract, gives statistical information about the townland or street and its inhabitants; Form B1, house and building return, gives details about the dwelling places in the townland or street​; Form B2, out-offices and farm-steadings return, gives information about extra buildings used for running the household like barns and stables. These additional forms can be viewed on the National Archives site.