Tracing Ancestors In The UK

Previously details of census records were not released until a lapse of 100 years, but recently this has been over-ruled, and the 1911 census UK is now available online at Find My Past.

Taken on 2nd April 1911, the information contained in the 1911 British census for England and Wales includes the following:

• Place of residence
• Age on the night of the census
• Members of the household and their relationship to the head
• Place of birth
• Occupation
• Number and names of servants (if any)
• Whether employee or employer

All this information had been given in previous censuses, but in 1911 additional questions were asked and the following information is also available:

• Details of nationality
• Duration of  marriage
• The number of children born to that marriage, including children not at home or who died before 1911
• Extra occupational details, i.e. the particular branch of the profession or trade an individual worked in.

Another difference with the 1911 census is that you can now see the actual household schedules, which means you will see the documents which were filled out in your ancestors handwriting, as well as the enumerators’ summaries.   You will also be able to see any unsolicited comments they made.  Previously these schedules had been destroyed once the enumerators had transcribed the information.

What is not so good for the family historian (though of historical interest) is the missing details for many women who refused to fill in the census in protest of the government’s refusal to granvotes for women.

Arrest of Suffragette

These suffragettes (and often their husbands) protested in two ways. They either refused to fill in the form, in which case the refusal was noted in the records, or they stayed away from home for the whole night of the census thereby evading being counted at all.

However we may admire those women for their fight for women’s right to vote, this makes it very frustrating for family historians hoping to find their female ancestors!

At least if the protest was noted, you will know that there was a woman or women in the household, but if your suffragette ancestor stayed away that night, there is no way of finding her on this census.

It is not know exactly how many women boycotted the census in this way, but it could be up to several thousand.

If you wish to search the 1911 census uk index, you can do this for free, but to view the records you will need to register at Find My Past and buy credits. You will then be able to search and view records at www.1911census.co.uk.

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