Subscribe today with a 14 day free trial to Ancestry.co.uk

With a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk, you can search the complete 1841-1901 Census collection for FREE.

These invaluable records can help you build up a detailed picture of your ancestors - where they lived, who they lived with, even what they did for a living.
So start your search now. Who knows what you'll find?


Search
fascinating historical records

Here's a brief history of the UK Census records:

The first national census was taken in 1801 - and a census has been taken every 10 years since then (apart from 1941).

The first census to record names was taken in 1841.

All census records included details of anyone who was staying in a property on census night - including guests. So you may discover some strange names in your search!

From 1851, a person's health was recorded (often in less than flattering terms). In 1881, for example, people could be recorded as being "deaf and dumb, blind, imbecile or idiot, or lunatic".

The 1911 Census records will start to become available from 2009.

Print this page

Search tips

  • Always search from the individual Census, rather than doing a general search. You can then refine your search by filling in all the details you know.
  • Not ticking 'Exact matches only' will give you a larger number of potential matches.
  • Remember some names may have been transcribed incorrectly. If you're not sure how a name is spelt, just enter the first three letters followed by an asterisk (*).
  • When entering birth year, it's best to select +/- 2 years, as the information given on Census forms is not always correct.
  • If you tick 'Exact matches only', enter only the information you're sure about.
  • Clicking 'Soundex' will let you search for a name phonetically rather than how it is spelt.
  • Found an entry that's been transcribed incorrectly? Click on 'Comments and Corrections' to notify us by email. We action all corrections every two weeks.


Click here to claim your 14 day FREE trial and start discovering your family story

Terms and Conditions

Free trial requires registration with a valid credit card but no money will be taken during the free trial. To cancel your membership without incurring cost, simply login and go to 'My Account' and click on 'Cancel Subscription' before the expiry of the 14 day free trial otherwise a UK annual membership payment of £83.40 will automatically be taken on expiry of the 14 day free trial.