Scotland Census

Scotland Wiki Topics
Beginning Research
Guided Research Research Strategies Record Finder Finding Town of Origin Online Learning
Record Types
Cemeteries Census Records Church Directories Church Records Civil Registration Court Records Crime & Punishment Directories Emigration & Immigration Genealogies Heraldry Land & Property Merchant Marine	Military Records Newspapers Nobility Occupations Online Records Periodicals Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc. Probate Records Religious Records Schools and Education Records Taxation
Scotland Background
Biography Church History Gazetteers Handwriting Historical Geography History	Jurisdictions Languages Maps Naming Customs Social Life & Customs For Further Reading
Cultural Groups
Scots Irish
Local Research Resources
Archives & Libraries Societies FamilySearch Centers

Scotland

Census Records

A census is a count and description of the population. Census records are a valuable source of genealogical information for Scotland, giving names, ages, and places of birth.

Various types of censuses have been taken by different British authorities for their own purposes. This section only discusses censuses intended to include the whole population.

Online Resources

• ScotlandsPeople, index, images, free index, pay per view ($)
• Scotland Census, 1841, no images. Also at MyHeritage, index, ($). Also at FindMyPast, index, ($). Also at Ancestry.com, index, ($).
• Scotland Census, 1851, no images. Also at MyHeritage, index, ($). Also at FindMyPast, index, ($). Also at Ancestry.com, index, ($).
• Scotland Census, 1861, no images. Also at [1], index, ($). Also at FindMyPast, index, ($). Also at Ancestry.com, index, ($).
• Scotland Census, 1871, no images. Also at FindMyPast, index, ($). Also at Ancestry.com, index, ($).
• Scotland Census, 1881, no images. Also at FindMyPast, index, ($). Also at Ancestry.com, index, ($).
• Scotland Census, 1891, no images. Also at FindMyPast, index, ($). Also at Ancestry.com, index, ($).
• Scotland Census, 1901, index and images, ($). Also at FindMyPast, index, ($). Also at Ancestry.com, index, ($).
• Scotland Census, 1911, index and images, ($).

Understanding the Census

The Scottish government has taken a census every ten years since 1801 except in 1941. The censuses from 1841 to 1911 are available for public use. It is important to note that in the countries of Great Britain, the census was compiled from forms (known as schedules) filled in by the head of each household. The Census takers (enumerators) copied this data into census books for the parish or registration district. As a result, names are spelled as the family spelled them at the time.

Census takers were instructed to list only those persons who spent the night in the household when the census was taken. People who were traveling, at boarding schools, or working away from home are listed where they spent the night. For example, night watchmen are often listed at their employer’s business address rather than with their families.

Dates of the census

1841	6 June
1851	30 March
1861	7 April
1871	2 April
1881	3 April
1891	5 April
1901	31 March
1911	2 April

Census Content

You will find the following information in censuses:

1801 to 1831. These censuses contain only statistical information. However, some parishes compiled lists of names when they gathered the information needed for the census.

1841. The 1841 census was taken on 7 June 1841. It lists each member of every household with:

• name
• sex
• address
• occupation
• whether or not they were born in the county

• The census takers usually rounded the ages of those over fifteen down to a multiple of five years. For example, someone who was actually fifty-nine would be listed as fifty-five.

1851 and Later. These censuses list the:

• names
• ages
• occupations
• relationships to the head of the household
• parish and county of birth (except foreign births, which give country only) of each member of the household
  
  

Census worksheets. The questions for the censuses of Scotland were mostly similar to those of England and Wales. This generic census worksheet can be used to record most of the information found in various Scotland census records. Or, England and Wales forms for specific census years are similar to Scotland's questions and are available at Ancestry.com:

• 1841 Census Form (PDF)
• 1851 Census Form (PDF)
• 1861 Census Form (PDF)
• 1871 Census Form (PDF)
• 1881 Census Form (PDF)
• 1891 Census Form (PDF)
• 1901 Census Form (PDF)
• 1911 Census Form (PDF)

Accessing Scotland Census Records

Online

The only site with both an index and images is ScotlandsPeople ($), the official government website for Scotland genealogy.

The other websites only have an index. It is therefore particularly useful to consult two or more of these sites if possible, since you will simply have to trust that their transcriptions are accurate.

FamilySearch, Ancestry ($) and FindMyPast ($) have all records 1841-1911 that survive. See the article Scotland 1841-1891 Censuses (FamilySearch Historical Records)

FreeCEN has a small number of records for Scotland, see their coverage tables.

Family History Library

The Family History Library has the 1841 through 1891 censuses on microfilm. Click on a year below to go to the FamilySearch Catalog entry for that year:

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

NOTE:  The census films are arranged first by county, starting in the north of Scotland and working south. Then within a county they are arranged in alphabetical order by parish.  

To find the census records for a specific parish of interest, do the following in the library catalog:

• Make a Place Search for the parish name.
• From the list of topics for that parish, click on the link for the topic of CENSUS.
• Click on the link for the Census returns, 1841-1891, for that parish.

1801-1831

The Scotlands People Centre Library holds transcripts and photocopies of some surviving 1801 to 1831 census records as well as other early population lists. Their library is located in the Dundas Room. For copies send request to enquiries@scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk.

Missing pieces

Various parts of the England, Wales, and Scotland census returns from 1841 to 1911 are incomplete and have pieces missing. Find My Past has has identified the known gaps by census year, nation, county, and village or parish in Census for England, Wales and Scotland: missing pieces

Smaller Local Census Surname Indexes at the Family History Library

In addition to the nationwide census surname indexes, there are many smaller surname indexes, created by individuals and family history societies in Scotland, that cover specific counties, districts or parishes. The following links will direct you to pages that show these smaller surname indexes for each county, and which are found in the Family History Library's collection.

Aberdeenshire Indexes	Angus (or Forfarshire) Indexes	Argyllshire Indexes	Ayrshire Indexes
Banffshire Indexes	Berwickshire Indexes	Buteshire Indexes	Caithness Indexes
Clackmannanshire Indexes	Dumfriesshire Indexes	Dunbartonshire Indexes	East Lothian (or Haddingtonshire) Indexes
Fife Indexes	Inverness-shire Indexes	Kincardineshire Indexes	Kinross-shire Indexes
Kirkcudbrightshire Indexes	Lanarkshire Indexes	Midlothian Indexes	Moray(or Elginshire) Indexes
Nairnshire Indexes	Orkney Indexes	Peeblesshire Indexes	Perthshire Indexes
Renfrewshire Indexes	Ross & Cromarty Indexes	Roxburghshire Indexes	Selkirkshire Indexes
Shetland (or Zetland) Indexes	Stirlingshire Indexes	Sutherland Indexes	West Lothian (Linlithgowshire) Indexes
Wigtonshire Indexes	.	.	.

Street Name Indexes at the Family History Library

The Family History Library has some street indexes in booklet form or microform. To find them, look in the  library and do a Place Search for any of these combinations:

SCOTLAND - CENSUS - [YEAR] - INDEXES

[COUNTY], SCOTLAND - CENSUS - [YEAR] - INDEXES

[PARISH or TOWN], [COUNTY], SCOTLAND - CENSUS - [YEAR] - INDEXES

1881 Surname Index

The 1881 Scottish census index is also available on microfiche. Each county has indexes arranged by:

• Surname
• Birthplace
• Census place. 
• A transcription of the census as it appears on the microfilm. 

The indexes and transcriptions are available on microfiche at the Family History Library, Family History Centers, the Registrar General, and at record offices and family history societies in the British Isles.

A national index for Scotland is also available. The national index consists of a surname index and a birthplace index. The county birthplace indexes are organized first by surname and then by birthplace. The national birthplace index is organized first by birthplace and then by surname.

To find the numbers for the 1881 census indexes, look in the  FamilySearch Catalog under:

SCOTLAND - CENSUS - 1881 - INDEXES

[COUNTY], SCOTLAND - CENSUS - 1881 - INDEXES

Street Indexes

If you have your ancestor’s street address for the time period of the census you are searching, you may search the census for that address and see if your ancestor is there. Street indexes exist for larger towns or cities.

You might find an address in letters, directories, civil registration certificates, church records, court records, and tax records.

You can find the street indexes listed in the  FamilySearch Catalog under [CITY], [COUNTY], SCOTLAND - CENSUS - [YEAR] - INDEXES.

Search Guidance

When searching any census records, remember:

• Search indexes first (see below). 
• Information in the census may be incorrect.
• Accept the ages with caution.
• Given names may not be the same as the names recorded in church or vital records.
• Names may be spelled as they sound.
• Place-names may be misspelled.
• If the family is not at the expected address, search the surrounding area.
• When you find your family in one census, search the earlier or later census records to find additional family members.
• Individuals missing from a family may be listed elsewhere in the census.
• There could be more than one family in the same locality by the same name with very similar information. Check the census thoroughly.
• A woman, especially a widow, might be listed under her maiden name.
• Notice who the neighbors are. They may be related.

Statistical Data From Pre 1841 Censuses

There are statistical charts available for the 1801, 1811, 1821, and 1831 census. See the article, Histpop — 'The Online Historical Population Reports Project'. The census gathered statistical data that allows one to see the economy of the people. It notes occupations, housing, population for every parish in Scotland. It notes changes from the previous census and reasons for the changes. The parish of Urr noted below had more Houses than any other parish in Kirkcudbrightshire in 1831.

Abstract of the Answers and Returns made pursuant to an Act ...1801, 1811, 1821, 1831 Census : 1831 is also free google ebook
Parish of Urr, Kirkcudbrightshire
		Employment
Years	Houses	Agriculture	Trade	Others	Persons
1801	352	refers to persons not families:233; 131; 1355;			1719
1811	456	148	132	243	2329
1821	534	180	167	292	2862
1831	589	132	218	357	3098

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.