Vilna Gubernia Census

The 1897 Census
The 1897 Russian Imperial Census was the first and only census carried out in the Russian Empire. The census enumerated the entire population of the Empire (excluding Finland) and was designed to gather population and statistical data. The census was conducted on January 28, 1897 as winter was the time when the population was least mobile. On the appointed day, 150,000 census takers completed over thirty million sheets of returns.

There were three forms: (Form А (A), Б (B) or В (V). Form A (A) enumerated peasants residing on farms; Form Б (B) listed landed estates and form В (V) was for city dwellers, military, clergy, etc.

The first page of each form notes state (gubernia), county (uyezd), 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.

The second page includes the census return form which contains a wealth of information - both genealogical and personal details! The census recorded: A copy was made locally and both copies forwarded to the provincial census commission. One of these was kept by that commission and the other sent to the Central Census Bureau in St. Petersburg. After statistical data from the census was gathered, many of the census returns were destroyed. The St. Petersburg copy is no longer extant but the local copy has survived in some regional archives.
 * name (given name, patronymic, and surname)
 * note if blind, deaf, mute, or insane
 * relationship to 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 (past or current)
 * main profession
 * additional profession
 * military status

Reading Records
The 1897 Census records were primarily recorded in Russian. For help reading your ancestor's 1897 census return, please see the Reading the 1897 Census "How" To Guide.

For free translation help, consider the FamilySearch Community - a place where you can get research and translation assistance. Be sure to place your translation request in the Russian Empire Genealogy Research Group.

Additional Research Assistance
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