1911 Census Records of England and Wales
The census was taken on the night of Sunday 2 April 1911. It is the first where the available return is that completed by the 'Head of the Household'; their signature and address appear in the bottom right corner. The retention of the standard household schedules means it is the first occasion where they were not copied into enumeration books.
It contained far more detail than any prior census. Principal additions related to married women: the number of years of their present marriage, the number of children born of that marriage, the number of living children and the number that had died. Despite the 'present marriage' clarification, some widows and even widowers erroneously provided answers. Due to these questions it is known as the 'Fertility Census'.
In 1911, England and Wales were shown to have a combined population of 36,070,492.
How to Access
You can search and view digitised images of the 1841-1921 censuses (plus the 1939 Register)
of England and Wales by subscribing to Findmypast, 'The home of British and Irish family history'. Until at least 2025, it will remain the only site where you can access and search the 1921 census online - available through their 'Premium' package (3 or 12 months) or via micropayments on other packages.
An address search option is available on Findmypast. You can search by street name and town. There is a spelling variant option available for street names.
If you don't specifically need to access the 1921 census of England and Wales, you could join Ancestry - they hold the 1841-1911 censuses and the 1939 Register.
For more information on 1911 read our blog articles:
The 1911 Census for England and Wales: Time for Change
1911 Census Headings and Instructions
Columns 1-4: Name and Surname, Relationship to Head, Age and Sex
Columns 5-9: Particulars as to Marriage and Children
Columns 10-13: Profession or Occupation of persons aged ten years and upwards
Columns 14-16: Birthplace, Nationality of every person born in a foreign country, Infirmity
Notes on the 1911 Census of England and Wales
- It is the first truly primary and complete census record available.
- 1911 marked the the first time household schedules were kept, which negated the need for census enumeration books (CEBs). There are instead enumerators' summary books (ESBs) which list every address, including unoccupied buildings. The only names they list are the head of each household. Each building is also categorized, such as 'House and shop, 'Hotel' and Private house'.
- Special institutional schedules were still transcribed into enumeration books.
- British Army stationed overseas were enumerated for the first time.
- The 1911 schedules were also printed in Welsh for completion by native speakers/writers.
- Tabulation machines were used to process schedule data. Up to 19 separate pieces of information could be recorded for each person.
- The so-called 'Fertility Census' revealed that the average family had 2.8 children, with the number increasing amongst the working class.
- The original enumeration schedules are held by The National Archives (TNA); Reference RG 14.
- After nearly 100 years, the records began to be released online from 13 January 2009.
Create Your Own Website With Webador