The 1901 Census

For family and local historians, the 1901 census online has been one of the most transformative resources made available in recent years. Countless hours can be sent digging through the pages of old census returns, and when coupled with that of 1911 many comparisons made. From my own point of view the census also holds curious information about personal connections, the names of servants employed and the occupation of ancestors.

Among the many search functions on the online census is one for occupation. It is interesting to see how many of a particular occupation were operating in Ireland of that time. Likewise, it is interesting to see peoples connections to places of work. For example, there are 602 people who gave their place of employment as connected to a workhouse. There were 114 people who mentioned some form of employment in the Guinness brewery, either as a ‘boatman’ or pensioner, while John P Griffin was pleased to declare that he was a clerk in the Jameson distillery.

For that level and detail and more, we have to thankful to those who urged the fullest and most complete taking of the census as was possible. On the day before it was taken in March 1901, the Drogheda Independent issued this call:

TOMORROW the Census of Ireland will be taken. This numbering of the population takes place every ten years, and is ono of the most effective means of testing the growth or decline of a people. The last five Census have helped to show a steady decline in the population of this Country. It is unnecessary to point here to the causes which have tended to bring about this deplorable result. They are known to all our readers, and may be summed up in the one word—Misgovernment. Our purpose to-day is not to deal with these causes, but to suggest to our readers the necessity of helping to the fullest extent those entrusted with the duty of taking the Census to make it an accurate return of the

number and circumstances of the present population of Ireland. On its accuracy will depend its usefulness for the purpose of the Political Economist, the Social Reformer, and the Statesman. If the forms which have been left in every house be accurately filled up, the result will give such a return as may be relied upon by all who will need to use the figures to point to the Nation's condition and to suggest such remedies as Legislation or the efforts of philanthropists can provide to stem the decline of the Irish Nation. In the return to be made on Form A— the Family Return—four columns are of very special importance—that in which the ages of the people are to be specified; that in which the extent of their, education is given; the nature of their profession, calling, or means of making a livelihood; and that relating to the Irish Language. We have always believed that the Census returns under this latter head were considerably at fault. Some knowledge of the old language of Erin is much more common amongst the Irish people than the figures of recent Census returns would tend to show. Now that the Language revival movement has taken such a hold on the people, it is most desirable that the returns on this head should be as full and as accurate as possible. There have been many persons, we think, who can speak the Irish Language, to some extent, but who hitherto have not returned themselves as Irish speakers on the occasions of past enumerations of the kind. These persons should take care that the fact is now duly recorded. In the matter of age there is, of course, some delicacy amongst a section of the people in setting out the correct figures. But this feeling is altogether based on a complete misconception of the uses of a return of this kind… It is to be hoped, then, that the people will cordially co-operate with the officials charged with the duty of making the Census, so as to ensure perfect accuracy in the returns which, with great labour, these officials will frame from the materials which the local enumerators will place before them.

….AND we are glad that the people did listen and contributed their information.

For more information search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )