Welcome to 1901census.com
Census records span the entirety of our ancestors’ lives. In ten yearly intervals they provide the location and personal details of both our ancestors and the people they lived with. For these reasons, census records are a unique and valuable family history resource. Armed with the information that census records provide, we can piece together our family story.
The 1901 Census was set against a background of great change. The Victorian Era had finally come to an end. Queen Victoria, who had been Monarch of Great Britain and Ireland for well over half of the 19th century, had died earlier in 1901. She was succeeded by her son, Edward VII; a very different personality for a very different age. He would not, however, live to see the census of 1911.
1901 Census – 31 March 1901
The 1901 Census was the 7th UK Census to collect the personal data of all UK inhabitants. Although the 1901 census was the first UK census of the 20th Century, it was very much a creature of the 19th Century and followed closely the format of previous census years. It was not until the census of 1911 that major improvements were made and the system of data collection was finally dragged into the 20th Century. Please visit our Census Records page for a brief walk through the history of UK census returns.
The 100 years’ rule
1901 census records are currently the second youngest census records to be in the public domain. Only the 1911 census records are more recent. This is because census records must be at least 100 years old before they are publicly available. This is for privacy reasons. The next decennial UK census due for public release is the 1921 census of Great Britain. Visit our 1921 Census page for more information.
The importance of 1901 Irish Census records
Ireland 1901 census records are particularly important for those of us researching our Irish heritage. This is because almost all 19th century Irish census records were destroyed. This means that, apart from a few fragments, the 1901 Ireland census returns are the earliest available Irish census records. Visit our Ireland Census Records page for more information.
Servicemen overseas
At the time of the 1901 census, the UK was bogged down in the Second Boer War which ran from 11 Oct 1899 – 31 May 1902. This involved around 350,000 British troops (plus up to 150,000 colonial troops). The 1901 Census did not enumerate servicemen (and their families) based abroad. As a result, if you ancestors were involved in the Second Boer War, you may encounter frustrating gaps in their census history. Please visit our Military Records page for alternative suggestions if you hit the dreaded family history ‘brickwall’.
Our 1901 Census page discusses where you can search the 1901 Census records for England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. For other census years, please visit the dedicated census pages.