The United Kingdom has taken a census of its population every ten years since 1801, with the exception of 1941. In addition to providing a wealth of interesting information about aspects of the make-up of the country, the results of the census plays an important part in the calculation of resource allocation to regional and local service providers, by national and European government. A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, covering around 10,790,000 km² (4,170,000 sq mi) or 2. ...

History

In the 7th century, Dalriada (part of what is now Scotland) was the first territory in what is now the UK to conduct a census, with what was called the "Tradition of the Men of Alba" (Senchus fer n-Alban). England took its first Census when the Domesday Book was compiled in 1086 for tax purposes. // Events Islam starts in Arabia, the Quran is written, and Syria, Iraq, Persia, North Africa and Central Asia convert to Islam. ... Dalriada or Dál Riata (as it was called in Ireland) was the kingdom of the Scotti, who spread from eastern Ulster to Argyll and eventually gave their name to Scotland. ... Transport in Scotland Timeline of Scottish history Caledonia List of not fully sovereign nations Subdivisions of Scotland National parks (Scotland) Traditional music of Scotland Flower of Scotland Wars of Scottish Independence National Trust for Scotland Historic houses in Scotland Castles in Scotland Museums in Scotland Abbeys and priories in Scotland... Alba is the ancient and modern Gaelic name (IPA: ) for the country of Scotland (also Alba in Irish, and in Old Gaelic Albu). ... The Senchus Fer n-Alban was an ancient text created at some time during the 10th century and attributed to the 7th century. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK... The domesday book was conducted in 1085 and was completed in 1086 which meant that it took William the Conquer 1 year to complete. ... Events Domesday Book is completed in England Emperor Shirakawa of Japan starts his cloistered rule Imam Ali Mosque is rebuilt by the Seljuk Malik Shah I after being destroyed by fire. ...

The UK census as we know it today started in 1801 (championed by John Rickman who managed the first four up to 1831), partly to ascertain the number of men able to fight in the Napoleonic wars, partly over concerns stemming from An Essay On The Principle Of Population by Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus (1798). Rickman's 12 reasons - set out in 1798 and repeated in Parliamentary debates - for conducting a UK census included the following justifications: The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... John Rickman (1771-1840) was an English statistician and government official of the early 19th century. ... 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule over France. ... The Rev. ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

• 'the intimate knowledge of any country must form the rational basis of legislation and diplomacy'
• 'an industrious population is the basic power and resource of any nation, and therefore its size needs to be known'
• 'the number of men who were required for conscription to the militia in different areas should reflect the area's population'
• 'there were defence reasons for wanting to know the number of seamen'
• 'the need to plan the production of corn and thus to know the number of people who had to be fed'
• 'a census would indicate the Government's intention to promote the public good' and
• 'the life insurance industry would be stimulated by the results.'

The census has been conducted every ten years since 1801 and most recently in 2001 (see United Kingdom Census 2001). The first four censuses (1801-1831) were mainly statistical (that is, they were mainly headcounts and contained virtually no personal information). The 1841 Census was the first to record names of all individuals in a household or institution. 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Census 2001 is the name by which the national census conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 is known. ...

Because of World War II, there was no census in 1941. However, following the passage into law (on 5 September 1939) of the National Registration Act a population count was carried out on 29 September 1939, which was, in effect, a census. World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ... // Events January-March January 2 - End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. ... September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years). ... // Events January-March January 2 - End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. ...

Availability

The census is undertaken by the government for policy and planning purposes, and the (statistical) information is also sold to interested parties. Public access to the census returns is restricted under the terms of the 100-year rule and the most recent returns made available to researchers are those of the 1901 Census.

In January 2002, the much-anticipated British census for 1901 went online. Within minutes it was inaccessible because of server and network load, and it had to be taken offline. Later in the year, after upgrades had been made, it came back online. (See: flash crowd) 2002 (MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Flash Crowd was a 1973 short story by science fiction author Larry Niven, one of a series about the consequences of instantaneous, practically free transfer booths that could take one anywhere on Earth in milliseconds. ...

Accuracy

The census is usually very accurate, and with a fine of up to £1,000 for those who do not complete it, filled in by a high percentage of the population. An exception may have been the census conducted during the years of the poll tax (1991), when some people avoided it in case it was used for enforcing the tax. A poll tax, head tax, soul tax, or capitation is a tax of a uniform, fixed amount per individual (as opposed to a percentage of income). ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

2001

The 2001 census was the first year in which the government asked about religion. Perhaps encouraged by a chain letter that started in New Zealand, 390,000 people entered their religion as Jedi Knight (more than either Sikhs, Buddhists or Jews), with some areas registering up to 2.6% of people as Jedi. (See: Jedi census phenomenon) Census 2001 is the name by which the national census conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 is known. ... Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn The Jedi are a fictional monastic peacekeeping organization from the Star Wars saga, known for their talent in the Force. ... The Jedi census phenomenon was a grassroots movement in 2001 for citizens in a few English-speaking countries to record their religion as Jedi or Jedi Knight (after the fictitious religious order of Force-attuned knights in the Star Wars films) on the national census. ...

See also

• UK census dates
• United Kingdom Census 2001
• Demographics of the United Kingdom
• Demographics of England from the 2001 United Kingdom census
• Jedi census phenomenon
• Citizen Information Project
• Population of England historical population estimates
• Census Enumerators' Books (historical)
• United Kingdom Census 1901

United Kingdom censuses are decennial - held every 10 years. ... Census 2001 is the name by which the national census conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 is known. ... At the April 2001 census, the United Kingdoms population was 58,789,194-- the third-largest in the European Union (behind Germany and metropolitan France) and the 21st-largest in the world. ... This article discusses the Demographics of England as presented by the United Kingdom Census in 2001. ... The Jedi census phenomenon was a grassroots movement in 2001 for citizens in a few English-speaking countries to record their religion as Jedi or Jedi Knight (after the fictitious religious order of Force-attuned knights in the Star Wars films) on the national census. ... In the United Kingdom, the Citizen Information Project (CIP) is a plan by the Office for National Statistics to build a national population register. ... Categories: Stub | History of England | Demographics of the United Kingdom ... During the decennial England and Wales Censuses of 1841 to 1901, the individual schedules returned from each household were transcribed and collated by the census enumerators into Census Enumerators’ Books (CEBs). ... A nationwide census was conducted in England and Wales on March 31, 1901 and was put on line in 2003 containing records for 32 million people and 6 million houses. ...

External links

• The Office for National Statistics, which is responsible for the Census in England and Wales
  • Census 2001 website (England & Wales)
  • Bicentenary of the Census in the UK
• The Census Office for Northern Ireland
  • Northern Ireland Census of Population
• The General Register Office for Scotland which has been responsible for the taking of the census in Scotland since 1861.
• Scotland's Census Results OnLine
• The Census Order 2000 (England & Wales)
• House of Commons The Fourth Report of the Select Committee on Home Affairs of the UK Parliament noting the 1939 Registration Act and the historical background associated with proposals for the (re)introduction of identity cards in the UK.
• Statewatch for information about the National Registration Act of 1939, the information that was required to be collected, and the issuing of identity cards.
• Online Historical Population Reports Project (OHPR)
• United Kingdom Census Records Historical UK census records online.