Saudi Arabia Census

Saudi Arabia Wiki Topics

Saudi Arabia Beginning Research

Getting Started Online Learning Record Finder Research Strategies Finding Town of Origin

Record Types

Cemeteries Census Church Records Civil Registration Colonial Records Compiled Genealogies Court Records Emigration & Immigration Newspapers Online Genealogy Records Religious Records Tribes and Clans

Saudi Arabia Background

Biographies Gazetteers History Languages Maps Naming Customs Social Life & Customs

Saudi Arabia Genealogical Word Lists

Arabic

Local Research Resources

Archives & Libraries Societies Local FamilySearch Center

In other languages: العربية

Saudi Arabia

Census

Resources

Online Resources

• 1400-1923 Ottoman Archives at the Presidential State Archives in Turkey - Must have a Turkish ID to access online. All researchers can access the archives in person but must fill out a request form before visiting.
• 1974-2010 Population and Housing Censuses at General Authority for Statistics - Statistical reports only

Offices to Contact

General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT)
P.O. Box 3735
Riyadh 11481
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Telephone: +966 11 4398700
Email: info@stats.gov.sa
Website

Presidential State Archives, Ottoman Archive Complex
T.C. Cumhurbaşkanlığı Devlet Arşivleri Başkanlığı Osmanlı Arşivi Külliyesi
İmrahor Cad. Sadabad Mevkii
Kağıthane, 34406
Istanbul, Turkey Telephone: (0312) 307 90 00 - (0312) 307 86 40
Email: dab@devletarsivleri.gov.tr
Website

• Information for researchers

Background

During the Ottoman period, several censuses were conducted across the empire, including regions that are now part of Saudi Arabia (Hijaz, Asir, and Al Ahsa). The first general census was in 1831, followed by others in 1881-82, 1905-06, and 1914. These censuses aimed to gather data for military and tax purposes, although they faced significant challenges and were often incomplete. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) took over the responsibility of conducting censuses. The first comprehensive national census in Saudi Arabia was conducted in 1974, and since then, GASTAT has regularly conducted censuses to collect detailed demographic data.

Types of Censuses

Saudi Censuses

The first Saudi Census was conducted in 1974, followed by censuses in 1992, 2002, and 2010. Statistical reports from these censuses can be found on the General Authority for Statistics website. For more information, a request can be made here.

Ottoman Census

During the Ottoman period, several censuses were conducted across the empire, including regions that are now part of Saudi Arabia (Hijaz, Asir, and Al Ahsa). The first general census was in 1831, followed by others in 1881-82, 1905-06, and 19141. These censuses aimed to gather data for military and tax purposes, although they faced significant challenges and were often incomplete. These Ottoman records may be kept at the President's Archive in Istanbul, Turkey. A Turkish ID number is required to access digitized content online (using this portal), or researchers can visit in person and request to access both digitized and non-digitized records.

Information Recorded in the Records

• Saudi Censuses - These contain statistical information on population, nationality, gender, age, relationship to head of household, employment, and schooling.
• Ottoman Censuses - Name of the head of the household, family members, other taxpayers living in the same household, occupations and income levels, ethnicity, religion, gender, place of origin, tax status.