Ireland Census Records

All-Ireland census records – what’s available?

An all-Ireland census took place every ten years from 1821 to 1911 and, during this period, the census of Ireland shared its census day with the Census of Great Britain. However, the Ireland census was always subject to its own legislation and held quite independently from the rest of the UK. As such, it is worth discussing separately. The scheduled 1921 Ireland census did not take place due to the partition of Ireland that same year.

With few exceptions, only the Ireland census records of 1901 and 1911 are currently available to the public. Pre-1901 Ireland census records were mostly destroyed, whilst post-1911 Ireland census records are not yet publicly available due to the ‘100 years’ privacy rule.

Lost or destroyed Ireland census records

Only fragments remain of the 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851 Ireland census records. The vast majority were destroyed during the Irish Civil War by a devastating explosion and fire at the Four Courts building in Dublin.

For the remainder of the 19th Century, no census records have survived. The 1861 and 1871 Ireland census records were completely destroyed shortly after they were taken (on privacy grounds) and the 1881 and 1891 Ireland census records were pulped during World War I.

Where to search?

The National Archives of Ireland holds 1901 and 1911 Ireland census records, plus any surviving 1821 – 1851 Ireland census records. You can search these records free of charge.

You can also search the subscription site Findmypast.co.uk for the following digital records:

The 1911 Ireland census.
the 1901 Ireland census.
1821 – 1851 Ireland census records: surviving records.
1841 and 1851 Ireland census substitutes: census information taken from the 1841 and 1851 Ireland censuses as proof of age when the Old Age Pension was introduced in 1909.
Griffith’s Valuation 1847 – 1864. Land valuations for establishing Poor Rate.
Griffiths Survey Maps and Plans.

Background

Various ad hoc Irish censuses, based on a narrow demographic, had been conducted since the 1600s. In 1672 Sir William Petty, using data from land surveys (made during the Commonwealth period) and Hearth Tax returns, estimated a population of 1.1m. Other population estimates followed, most of which were largely based on Hearth Tax returns.

The 1798 Census of Dublin, although restricted to one city, was very successful and benefited considerably from a requirement that householders had to (very helpfully) fix a list all their occupants to their front doors as a security measure following the United Irishmen Rebellion.

A census of Great Britain was held in 1801 and 1811 but Ireland did not participate in either of these. Ireland only entered into a full union with Great Britain in 1801 (too late for the first census) and was not included in the Census Act 1810 (which legislated for the 1811 census).

An attempted national census was held in 1813 and, although it used the same methods adopted for the 1811 census of Great Britain, it was not successful and only a minority of the Irish census returns were actually completed. The population was estimated at just under 6 million.

1821 and 1831 Ireland census records

The first successful all-Ireland census was held in 1821, 20 years after the first census of Great Britain. However, it was not until the ground breaking 1841 census of Great Britain that a British census officially recorded any personal information. In comparison, the 1821 Ireland census not only collected personal information of every Irish resident, but it also recorded details of each Irish householder’s property.

The 1831 Ireland census did not build on the success of the 1821 census but still recorded the names of the heads of family, together with useful head counts of family members, servants and religious denomination(s).

1821 & 1831 Census Questions
Personal Details 1821 census 1831 census
Name Yes Owner/occupier only
Relation to head of household Yes No
Age Yes No
Occupation Yes No
Numbers only (split M/F):
– families per house
– family members
– Servants
n/a Yes
Numbers only:
– Religious denomination
No Yes
Property Details 1821 census 1831 census
Place (townland or street) Yes Yes
Number of storeys Yes No
Number of acres Yes No

Griffith’s Valuation

Due to the paucity of Ireland census records, researchers of Irish family history rely heavily on census substitutes, of which the Griffith’s Valuation is a prime example. This Primary Valuation was a visual survey of all property in Ireland for the purpose of assessing the correct ‘Poor Rate’ (a local tax for raising money for those in need of welfare). Conducted by Richard Griffith, it recorded the values of property together with the names of the occupier and, if applicable, the landlord.

1841 – 1911 Ireland census records

The 1841 Ireland census adopted a new system that continued, with little change, until the last all-Ireland census of 1911. Initially, two types of census forms lay at the heart of this new system; the householder’s form (Family Form A) and the enumerator’s form (House and Building Form B). The 1851 Ireland census introduced more householder’s and enumerator’s forms, and also introduced a number of institutional forms.

Householder’s Forms

The ‘Family Return’ Form A was initially split into three tables. The 1841 and 1851 Ireland censuses required every head of family to enter the personal details of three groups of people: anyone who slept overnight on census night (Table 1); family members who were absent on census night (Table 2); and family members who had died since the last census (Table 3).

For the 1901 and 1911 Ireland censuses, the three table format was ditched. In line with the rest of the UK, there was just one table into which householders entered the personal details of all those who stayed overnight on census night (or who returned home from work or travel the next day, and who were not recorded elsewhere).

Family Form Form A Census Questions
Personal Details 1841 census 1851 census 1901 census 1911 census
Name Yes Yes Yes Yes
Relation to head of household Yes Yes Yes Yes
Religion/religious denomination No No Yes Yes
Education: ‘read’, ‘read and write’, ‘cannot read’ Yes[1] Yes[1] Yes Yes
Age Yes Yes Yes Yes
Male or female Yes Yes Yes Yes
Occupation (1841)/’Rank, Profession or Occupation’ Yes Yes Yes Yes
Marital status Yes[1] Yes[1] Yes Yes
In what year(s) married Yes[1] Yes[1] No see below
Married women: number of years in current marriage, number of children born in present marriage, and number still alive. No No No Yes
Native/where born Yes[1] Yes[1] Yes Yes
Language: ‘Irish ‘or ‘Irish and English’ (otherwise blank). No Yes[1] Yes Yes
‘Deaf and dumb, or blind’ (all census years) plus ‘Imbecile or idiot’, or ‘lunatics and idiots’ (1901 and 1911) No Yes[1] Yes Yes
Where currently living Yes[2] Yes[2] No No
Cause of death/year of death (1851: Season of death) Yes[3] Yes[3] No No
Number of people employed daily and their wages – split between males and females Yes[Farms] No No No
[1] = table 1, [2] = table 2, [3] = table 3

The Return of the Sick Form C was a supplementary householder’s form which first appeared in the 1851 Ireland census. If any household member ‘laboured under sickness’ on census night, the householder had to enter their details not only in Form A but also in Sick Form C. Questions included: whether or not the sick person was able to follow his/her usual occupation, and details and duration of the sickness/accident.

Enumerator’s Forms

The House and Buildings Return Form B was a house survey that was completed by the enumerator whilst distributing the Family Form A. Each head of family was identified on the form, so it is easy to learn about the living conditions of every family in Ireland.

House and Building Return Form B Census Questions
Questions 1841 census 1851 census 1901 census 1911 census
Type of property e.g. private dwelling Yes Yes Yes Yes
Number of out-offices and farm-steadings declared on form B2 No No Yes Yes
Details of any out-buildings to be entered on a separate Form B2 No No Yes Yes
Whether inhabited Yes Yes Yes Yes
Construction of building (walls and roof) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Number of storeys Yes Yes No No
Number of rooms per house Yes Yes Yes Yes
Number of front windows Yes Yes Yes Yes
Number of external windows No Yes No No
Class of house – 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th. ‘Score’ based on the construction of building No No Yes Yes
Number of families per house Yes Yes Yes Yes
Name of head of family Yes Yes Yes Yes
Number of rooms occupied by each family No No Yes Yes
Number in each family No No Yes Yes
Number who were sick No Yes Yes Yes
Name of landowner (if applicable) No No Yes Yes
Farms only: number of acres and numbers of livestock (by category) Yes No No No
Cross referenced with Form M1 (land census) No Yes Yes Yes

The 1851 Ireland census extended Form B to include a ‘Ship Return’ which counted those on board shipping vessels (no personal information was collected).

By 1901, Form B had been split into Forms B1, B2 and B3. Forms B1 and B2 included details of any outbuildings (householder still identifiable), whilst the ‘Shipping Return’ was now a standalone Form B3 (again no personal information recorded).

There are several other enumerator’s census forms that you may come across in your Irish family history research. Form D (introduced in 1851) recorded those ‘afflicted by insanity or idiocy’ who were not institutionalised (and also, therefore, recorded in Form A). The ‘Land Census’ Forms M1, M2 and M3 (introduced in 1901) recorded the area and value of agricultural holdings. These land census forms can be very instructive because Form M1 recorded the landholder’s name and Form M3 (applicable to multiple farms/townlands) recorded the landholder’s name and address. The Enumerator’s abstract Form N (again, introduced in 1901) identified the head of the family. Other Enumerator’s forms (O1, O2, P1, P2, P3, Form Q and Form R) also made their debut in the 1901 Ireland census but they were mainly summaries and did not collect any personal information.

‘Institutional’ forms

The 1851 Ireland census introduced institutional census forms for workhouses (E), hospitals (F), educational establishments (G and L – later, L1 – L4), barracks (H), ‘lunatic asylums’ (I) and prisons (K). The heads of these institutions were responsible for their completion but, apart from educational establishments, tended to record only the initials of the individuals enumerated.

The 1851 census also introduced Form O for emigrants/passengers (in response to the huge number of people emigrating) and Form P for inquests. These are the only two institutional census forms that were dropped by 1901.

Post-Partition Ireland census records

The first census of Northern Ireland was held in 1926 but, unfortunately, the 1926 Northern Ireland census records have been lost, presumably destroyed during World War II. There was a 1937 Northern Ireland census, after which a census of Northern Ireland was not held until it converged with the rest of the UK in 1951. In line with the rest of the UK, no census was held in 1941.

The Irish Free State also held its first census in 1926 and the Republic of Ireland (which the Irish Free State eventually became) continued to hold regular censuses at least every ten years.

None of these post-partition censuses are currently available to the public due to the 100 years’ rule (designed to protect the privacy of those people enumerated). The scheduled release date for the 1926 census of the Irish Free State is January 2027.

Sources

Ireland. Census office, W. R. (William Robert) Wilde, and William Tighe Hamilton. Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Take the Census of Ireland for the Year 1841. Dublin: Printed by A. Thom for H. M. Stationery off., 1843.

Ireland. Census Office. Census of Ireland, 1901. Dublin: Printed for H.M. Stationery Off., by Cahill, 190102.