Northern Ireland Census
Northern Ireland was created on 3 May 1921, when Ireland was partitioned. It is composed of six counties, namely Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone.
The first census was taken on Sunday 18 April 1926. Sadly, it is believed they were destroyed during the Second World War. Only the 1926 reports survive, available through the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
'Census items', a humorous take on the 1926 Census
(The Northern Whig and Belfast Post, 17 April 1926).
The next census took place on Sunday 28 February 1937. The returns are held by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), but remain closed to the public due to the 100-year privacy rule.
The Pre-1921 Censuses
Census returns for the six pre-partition counties of Northern Ireland can be searched at The National Archives of Ireland. 1901 and 1911 have survived, but only fragments and substitutes exist for 1821-1851.
Northern Ireland Population by Census Date
| Date of census | Population |
|---|---|
| 18 April 1926 | 1,256,561 |
| 28 February 1937 | 1,279,745 |
| 8 April 1951 | 1,370,921 |
| 23 April 1961 | 1,425,042 |
| 9 October 1966 | 1,484,775 |
| 25 April 1971 | 1,536,065 |
| 5 April 1981 | 1,532,196 |
| 21 April 1991 | 1,569,971 |
| 29 April 2001 | 1,685,267 |
| 27 March 2011 | 1,810,863 |
| 21 March 2021 | 1,903,175 |
Note
The quinquennial census in 1976 was cancelled as an economy measure.
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