Scotland Census 1841-1921
Digitised images from the Scotland Census (1841-1921) are only publicly available through ScotlandsPeople. Each record is free to search, but currently costs £1.50 (six credits) to view.
Transcriptions only - so minus images - are available at both Findmypast. and Ancestry.
The first six Scotland censuses (1801-1851) were administered from London. The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) was founded in 1855. They took over the running of the Scottish census from 1861 (in 2011 the GROS merged with the National Archives of Scotland to form National Records of Scotland).
Throughout the Victorian and Edwardian period the questions and the layout of the returns remained very similar to those for England and Wales.
Of particular use to family historians was a question first posed in 1881. Householders were asked to write 'Gaelic' next to the birthplace of any person who 'habitually' spoke Gaelic. In 1891 and 1901 this was refined to 'Gaelic' and 'Gaelic and English'.
For more information, census-by-census, read our blog article The Story of the Scotland Census 1841-1921.
Scotland Census 1911
Unfortunately the original returns have not survived; only the transcribed enumerators' schedules are available to view.
Scotland Census 1931
Unlike the 1931 England and Wales census, the 1931 Scotland Census has survived. It will become available in 2031.
Scotland Population by Census Date
| Date of census | Population |
|---|---|
| 6 June 1841 | 2,620,184 |
| 30 March 1851 | 2,888,742 |
| 7 April 1861 | 3,062,294 |
| 2 April 1871 | 3,360,018 |
| 3 April 1881 | 3,735,573 |
| 5 April 1891 | 4,025,647 |
| 31 March 1901 | 4,472,103 |
| 2 April 1911 | 4,760,904 |
| 19 June 1921 | 4,882,497 |
Notes on the Scotland Censuses
- In Scotland, from 1801 until 1851, enumeration duties were principally carried out by the official schoolmaster in each parish - known as 'the Dominie'. Other recruits included doctors, clergymen, lawyers and merchants.
- About 30% of Fife's data is missing from the 1841 census; the results were lost overboard during their transit by boat to Edinburgh. The Fife parishes are those of or within: Abdie, Abernethy, Arngask, Auchtermuchty, Balmerino, Burntisland, Ceres, Collessie, Creich, Cults, Cupar, Dairsie, Dunbog, Kinghorn, Kinglassie, Kirkcaldy, Leslie, and Kennoway. In addition, Auchinleck in Ayrshire is missing.
- In 1910 the Registrar General for Scotland, Sir James Patten McDougall, found the original 1841 and 1851 enumeration books stored in Whitehall, London. He then arranged for their transfer to New Register House, Edinburgh.
- In 1966 a sample 10% census was taken.
Create Your Own Website With Webador