1841 Census?

Quite a few threads have referred to the 1841 census, but I can't find it

roy...

Amazingly enough (well, amazing to newcomers, anyway) not all
genealogical data is yet online.

Of course there was an 1841 census, as any half-decent book on
genealogy would reveal, but you may either have to wait until it
comes online or do it the old-fashioned way and, depending on where
you are, find a record office that has the census for the particular
area you need.

Some of us have been doing it that way for years.

Roy Stockdill

Roger Mills \(aka Set Square\)...

Thankyou to (almost!) everyone who has replied with helpful information.

Others are welcome to carry on sending messages by carrier pigeon and doing
their washing on a stone in the river - if that's what takes their fancy -

roy...

Seeing as you didn't even seem to be certain whether there ever had
been an 1841 census or not, I assume you are a complete newcomer to
genealogy and still somewhat ignorant about it. Trying, therefore, to

Roger Mills \(aka Set Square\)...

I don't recall indicating that I didn't know that the 1841 census existed -
and no-one else seems to have concluded that. I was simply asking whether it
was accessible on-line.

Yes, I am a relative newcomer, but am learning fast. I actually found your
Newbies Guide very helpful and informative.

be clever to those who do it professionally and who have been
involved in genealogical research for years does not become you.

Perhaps it would be good for you to read a book on the subject
some time, assuming you know where to find one. Try a large building
(or even a small building) called a library and get to basics first
before you try to be smart.

If you never know what it is like to step inside a record office and
research from "proper" records, then you will never know or
understand the discipline that comes from such research. We all use a
computer, me as much as anyone, but that doesn't mean we don't
appreciate a thorough grounding in the basics. Something you will
perhaps never learn.

Roger Mills \(aka Set Square\)...

An awful lot of people have become interested in genealogy fairly recently -
partly as a result of various TV programmes. Many of these - myself
included - would be far less interested if we had to do everything by knife
and fork methods. As with any activity, an *appreciation* of the basics is
always a good thing. But I wouldn't condemn newly qualified engineers to
spend decades working everything out with log tables and slide rules like I
had to.

I have no doubt that you are an acknowledged expert in this field - and we
can all learn from your expertise. I only wish that you could find a way of
providing it without making your disdain for lesser mortals quite so
obvious.

Roy Stockdill

"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about,
and that is not being talked about."

Oscar Wilde

as long as they don't expect everyone else to follow suit!

Steve Hayes...

The wise, of course, will put their laundry under a sign that says "Laundromat
to be built here, 2011", and come back to fetch it when it's done.

Charani...

There will be times when *you* will need to do your research that way
as well.

Not everything is on line as yet, and it may be a very long time
before it is, possibly not in your lifetime or mine. The amount that
is available is quite staggering nevertheless, and some counties are
better served than others.

"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about,
and that is not being talked about."

Oscar Wilde

on-line anywhere - even in un-transcribed image form.

Jeff...

If you are serious about Genealogy, then you too will have
to do a lot of your research the old fashioned way. Those of
us who started our research before anything of real value
was online certainly don't eschew the use of online
databases. However, especially pre 1837 the amount online is
a miniscule portion of the the total.

I suspect even when 1841 indexes are online you may be in
for an unpleasant surprise. It was written in pencil making
it a real challenge to read and it is inevitable that that
there will be huge gaps and errors in any indexes. Ages for
those over 15 are rounded down to the nearest five years, no
place of birth is given (only 'in' or 'out' of County) and
relationships are not stated.

A. Gwilliam...

Although some enumerators did give relationships to the head of
household in the occupation column.

Jeff...

Indeed. And some gave actual ages and, less frequently,
actual place of birth.

Sadly, I always seem to get the 'by the book' enumerators
not the extra conscientious ones!!!!

Charani...

You're not alone there.

A. Gwilliam...

I feel your pain! Despite my g. g. grandparents being cousins, I have
little hope of tracing their history because from their arrival in
England they were pretty consistently described either as being from
just Scotland, or from Berwickshire. Although they certainly came from
the former, it appears unlikely that they came from the latter! Why
couldn't some officious enumerator have insisted on them naming the
villages that they were born in?!!

Jill...

here here
I have some who are likewise -- why are they the grandparents of a friend
and why are they equally as invisible in the parish records, both online and
I believe on fiche too. :((((
Completely stuck
Whereas a number of my lines I have got back to 5th gg with some confidence
and not too much trouble over the past 3 years
Murphy has some laws about that!!!

Jeff...

Sounds like my Beamish line. Unhelpfully "born in Ireland" !
No indication of where!

A. Gwilliam...

That seems to be quite a common complaint!

I've read that officials also had an odd habit of getting Ireland and
Scotland muddled up!!

Charani...

I picked up a mention of my dau's headmaster's family which I passed
on to him because I know he's interested in genealogy, but it was
someone previously unknown to him. A little more digging produced the
fact that the father was born in Ireland.

I asked on the soc.gen.ireland group if there was any way of finding
out more and was given the father's marriage and his father's name and
the fact they were from Dublin.

Margolotta...

You think you've got problems - I'm trying to trace my g-grandfather's
(birth) parents and no-one knows who they are. The story (according to my
g-uncle John) is that his birth mother became pregnant (aged 11 or 12) to a
sailor on shore leave in Inverness. She then ran away to Elgin to escape the
wrath of her father, which is where my g-grandfather was born and,
presumably, dumped in an orphanage or children's home.

John's been up to Elgin several times, but has come up dry every time. And,
it would appear, that Donald either didn't know (most likely) or wouldn't say
(unlikely) anything about anything.

It's like he was beamed down from another planet!

Henry Brownlee...

Or mayhaps be was Beamished down?

Henry

Parish records for pre-1837 events are by no means all (or
even mostly) online in the IGI. You will have to access
unindexed microfilms, often badly written.

Certainly, I make use of any indexes that are available.

*Is* it available, and if so, where?

chris_doran...

few counties scattered around the country, but their main interest
seems to be Wales.

Chris
Researching Penge, Anerley, London SE20, and neighbouring parts of
Beckenham, Kent.

caroline.bradford...

Index, transcription and images for *some* counties available on
"soon".

A. Gwilliam...

The whole census isn't yet available online, although Ancestry are
rumoured to be adding it to their site in the next couple of months or
so.

However, a few sites have certain counties. For example, The
the country, based on population. Also, FreeCEN has patchy coverage; I
know for instance that it has almost all of Roxburghshire.