1821 Ireland Census – commenced 28 May 1821

The 1821 Ireland census was the first successful official census of Ireland. Despite being held two decades after the first census of Great Britain, it was the first census in the UK to collect any personal details. (The Great Britain census did not collect personal information until 1841). It is therefore hugely disappointing that almost all 1821 Ireland census records were destroyed by a fire at the Public Record Office at Four Courts in Dublin.

Background

Ireland was not included in the first British census of 1801. This was primarily because the political unification of Great Britain and Ireland occurred one day after the Census Act 1800 was passed (which legislated for the 1801 Census of Great Britain). Also, the administrative set up in Ireland was quite different and therefore not easily integrated into the rest of the UK.

Likewise, the 1811 census of Great Britain did not include Ireland. There was an attempted Ireland census in 1813 but it was unsuccessful. Few census returns were processed and it was finally abandoned two years later. Nevertheless, the 1813 Ireland census did arrive at an estimated population figure of just short of 6 million.

The failure of the 1813 census of Ireland was laid at the door of the Grand Juries who, tasked with overall control of the census, had neither the time nor the resources to carry out their duties. Blame was also attached to the quality of the enumerators who were drawn from the constabulary and parish officers. They were considered to have been unfit for the task and unpopular with their local population.

New administration introduced for 1821 Ireland census

Lessons were learned from the aborted 1813 Ireland census. When arrangements were made for the next Ireland census, responsibility was transferred from the Grand Juries to the Magistrates at Quarter Sessions, supported by Assistant Barristers. Enumerators were carefully selected and most were existing tax collectors who had local knowledge. Despite some hostility, the ‘first authoritative and complete Irish Census’ was conducted. As with all Ireland censuses prior to Irish partition, it shared its census date with the census of Great Britain.

The process of recording census information was broadly the same throughout the UK. Using special notebooks, census takers (enumerators) recorded the census information supplied verbally by householders. Contents from the notebooks were later copied into pre-printed forms, which were certified by the Bench of Magistrates and forwarded to the Chief Secretary.

Although the census commenced on 28 May 1821, there was no time constraint; each enumerator was to ‘proceed from house to house, and from day to day, without neglect or wilful delay’ until he had enumerated his district.

Population

The total population of Ireland was calculated as £6,801,827, with a ratio of 103.5 females to every 100 males. In view of hostility encountered during the taking of the census, it is believed that this figure is probably on the low side.