Estonia Census

Population Registers
An important source in Estonia are population registers, which were inventories of the taxable population. These are an excellent source for identifying family groups.

These registers were taken 1782-1858 to determine the number of those who would pay the poll tax. The inventories were taken in 1782, 1795, 1811, 1816, 1834, 1850, and 1857/58. In 1826, a smaller-scale inventory was taken in South Estonia. These registers were taken by parishes and manors and include the whole population of villages. This record was not compiled for non-taxed classes: the nobility, high officials, clergy, military, and foreigners.

Generally, these revisions list: revision number of household, name, parentage, age, age at time of previous revision, sex, nationality, social rank, relationship to household head, and change of status since the last revision of all those in the household. Sometimes the lists are accompanied by supporting documentation. Only in the 1811 records were women not listed.

One advantage of population registers is that with each new revision, the data of the previous register was first presented, then the changes that took place during the intermediary period, and finally the data for the current situation. Additionally, in each revision there are references to the respective person (or the parents) on the prior revision. Be aware that population registers may not list accurate personal information for every person. These registers were solely taken to compile lists of those who were obliged to pay taxes, not for genealogical purposes. This means that age may not always be accurate and movement within a manor or temporary absences from home were not often recorded.

The depository of revision of the taxable population is housed in the Estonian Historical Archives in Tartu. Gaps in these revisions can be filled by the records of revisions from manors, church congregations, communal governments, and municipal authorities.

There are some earlier revisions for portions of Livland that came under Russian rule at the beginning of the 18th century and were incorporated into Estonia. One copy was kept in the county treasury (uezdnoe kaznacheistvo) and the other was sent to the provincial fiscal chamber (gubernskaiia kazennaia palata). Separate lists were kept for the different social classes such as merchants (kupechestvo), townspeople (meshchane) and peasants (krestiane). Revision lists (skazski) are filed and bound by districts and large cities.

1897 Russian Empire Census
The 1897 census was a population enumeration primarily for statistical purposes in the Russian Empire. The census was enumerated in Estonia on January 28, 1897. Two copies were created, one kept locally and the other sent into the Ministry. The Ministry copy was eventually destroyed, but the local copy has survived in some regional archives and at the Historical Archive in Tartu. About 70% of the population can be found in the census.

There is a separate list for each household. The first page of each enumeration form notes state (guberniia), county (uezd), district (volost), village, name of head of household, number of dwellings, number of souls found on day census was taken (divided by sex), number living there permanently, how many people are there who are not peasants, those who live there but are not official residents, and signature of person who compiled the form. On the following pages is listed: name; note if blind, deaf, mute, or insane; relationship to head of family and head of household; age; marital status; social rank; birthplace; where registered; residence; note if person is absent at the time of the census; native tongue; literacy; place of study or graduation; main profession; additional profession; and military status.

A second census was anticipated in 1914 but World War I intervened.

Family lists / local censuses
Research use: Value the same as a revision list.

Record type: Population enumerations were conducted after the revisions for the purpose of assessing a poll tax and identifying those for conscription into the military.

General: The term supplemental revision lists was used in some areas when referring to family lists. Extensive runs of these records exist for each place in Estonia. The local copy of the 1897 imperial census is interfiled with them.

Time period: 1860-1920.

Contents: Head of household, family members, ages; other details vary. (See the All-empire Russian census for a content description of the 1897 census).

Location: State Historical Archive in Tartu.

Population coverage: 90% coverage.

Reliability: They are not completely reliable because of efforts to evade taxation or conscription by avoiding correct enumeration.