1921 Census Records of England and Wales 

The census was taken on the night of Sunday 19 June 1921. It was originally scheduled for 24 April, but a general strike (later cancelled) caused its postponement. It was the first to ask about place of work and if a marriage had ended by divorce.

A summer census means you may find some ancestors residing at a hotel or guest house.
Not surprisingly, less than three years after the Great War, census returns revealed a greater number of women than men - the first instance since 1801. In England there were 1,101 females to every 1,000 men. Over 730,000 children were recorded as 'Father Dead'.  

In 1921, England and Wales were shown to have a combined population of 37,886,699; from 1918-19 the 'Spanish Flu' pandemic had killed an estimated 228,000 people in Britain.

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 subscription 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.

Note: Sadly, the subsequent 1931 census of England and Wales was destroyed by fire in 1942. Due to World War Two, none was taken in 1941; though the census-like 1939 Register does exist. Consequently, not until 2052 (under the 100-year rule) will the subsequent results from 8 April 1951 be made publicly available. 

For more information on read our blog article The 1921 Census of England and Wales - Before a 30-year wait.

Is the 1921 Census available on Ancestry?

No, Findmypast currently have exclusivity until 2025. Only then will The National Archives (TNA) make a decision either way. Competitors will have to licence the images from the TNA. 

1921 Census Headings and Instructions

[Column A]
NAME and SURNAME:
of every person who is alive at midnight on the night of Sunday, 24th April, 1921 [the originally scheduled date], and who, whether as member of the family or as visitor, boarder or servant in the household or establishment:-
(1) passes that night in the dwelling of the household or establishment, or
(2) arrives and is received into the household or establishment on the morning of Monday, 25th April, not having already been enumerated elsewhere. 
No one else must be included.
(For order of entering names see Examples on back hereof.)

[Column B]
RELATIONSHIP to Head of Household.
State whether "Head," or "Wife," "Mother," "Son," "Daughter," "Step-son," or other Relative, "Visitor," "Boarder," or "Servant."
(See Instruction No.1)

[Column C]
AGE.
In years and months. 
For infants under one month old write "Under one month."
(See Examples.)

[Column D]
SEX.
If male write "M," if female write "F."

[Column E]
MARRIAGE or ORPHANHOOD.
For persons aged 15 and over write "Single," "Married," "Widowed," or if marriage dissolved write "D."
For children aged under 15 write "Both Alive" if both parents be alive; "Father Dead" if father be dead; "Mother Dead" if mother be dead; or "Both Dead" if both parents be dead.

[Columns F & G with heading]
BIRTHPLACE and NATIONALITY.
[Colum F]
(1) If born in the United Kingdom, write the name of the Country and of the Town or Parish.
(2) If born outside the United Kingdom, write the name of the Country, and of the State, province or District, or
(3) If born at Sea, write "At Sea."
[Column G]
If not born in the United Kingdom state whether Visitor or Resident in this country and state also nationality if born in a foreign country, e.g., "British born," "Naturalised British Subject," "French," "German," "Russian," etc.

[Columns H, K, L, M with heading]
OCCUPATION and EMPLOYMENT.
[Column H]
Personal Occupation
If attending a School or any kind of Educational Institution for the purpose of receiving Instruction, write "Whole-time," or "Part-time," as the case may be.
(See Instruction No.2) 

[Column K]

State here the precise branch of Profession, Trade, Manufacture, Service, &c.
Where the occupation is connected with Trade or Manufacture, the reply should be sufficient to show the particular kind of Work done, stating where applicable, the Material worked in, and the Article made or dealt in, if any.
(If retired see Instruction 6; see also Instructions 3 to 11 and Examples.)

[Column L]
Employment
(1) If working for an employer state the name and business of present employer (person, firm, company or public body) or, if at present out of work, of last employer, adding "out of work." 
(2) If employing persons for purposes of business, write "Employer." 
(3) If working on own account and not employing persons for purposes of business, write "Own Account."
(Note.-For Domestic Servants and others in private personal service, write "Private.")
(See Instructions 3 to 8, 11 and Examples.)

[Column M]
Place of Work.
Give the address of each person's place of work.
For a person with no regular place of work write "No fixed place."
If the work is carried on mainly at home, write "At home."
(No entry is required for any persons who is retired or out of work.)

Notes on the 1921 Census of England and Wales