Copenhagen Police Census: Difference between revisions

In 1816, the Copenhagen police began taking a census of every resident over the age of ten, both male and female, in the city. The census was taken twice a year, once in May and once in November. After some time, a few of the surrounding suburbs were included in the census: Brønshøj-Rødovre (1868-1900), Sundbyvester and –øster (1889-1901), and Kastrup (1891, 1893-1895).<br>  

&nbsp;There are two types of registers to find someone in this census: the '''Alphabetical Register''' and the '''Street Register'''. Each year has an index that is divided into ''Kreds'' or ''Politikreds'', meaning police districts. All names are alphabetized and then listed under the street names. Once the street is located, the correct census can be pulled up.<br>The censuses themselves (not the registers) are organized by ''Kreds'' first, then street, then house number, and finally by resident. <br>  

All police census records and registers (1866-1923) are available at the Family History Library on microfilm. <br>

'''1866-1882'''- In the FHL&nbsp;catalog, search by Title, then type in "Mandtaller, 1866-1882".&nbsp; Currently the records for this year range are not listed with the other København censuses in the Place search. Click on View Film Notes.&nbsp; The Alphabetical Register will be listed first, followed by the Street Register.<br>

'''1882-1889''' or '''1889-1901'''- Use the FHL catalog under Denmark, København, København, then choose Census, then one of these two year ranges. Click on Mandtaller, then View Film Notes, and choose the film number corresponding to the year needed.Only a Street Register is available for these years.<br>

'''1890-1923'''- is online by clicking [http://www.politietsregisterblade.dk/index.php?option=com_sfup&view=politsearch '''HERE'''].

'''If you know the street address'''- Search the Street Register. <br>

'''If you do NOT know the street address'''-Search the Alphabetical Register first, then use the Street Register to find the film number.  

If there were many people listed with the same name as your ancestor, you may still be able to identify which one of them was your ancestor by looking at the other household members, although no children age 10 and younger were listed in the census.  

<br>'''Using the Alphabetical Register'''- First, find the desired&nbsp;year, then note the film number for each of the six Kreds.&nbsp; Next, go to the films and find your ancestor's&nbsp;surname.&nbsp;&nbsp;The surnames are alphabetized by the first letter of the surname, but not alphabetized beyond that first letter, so the search takes 20-40 minutes per Kreds. When you find the correct person in the name index of one of the Kreds, it will list his or her street address and birthplace. Using that street address, you are now ready to use the&nbsp;Street Register as described above.<br>  

== How To Use the Police Census _______________________________________________________ ==

'''Using the Police Census'''- After you have obtained the correct film by searching the register(s), look for the printed (not handwritten) pages entitled ''Anmældelse til Politiet''. At the bottom of each of these pages is the census month and year, written in bold. Unlike most documents, the most recent year is at the beginning, and the earlier years follow afterward.  

On the following page, you will then see a&nbsp;handwritten list&nbsp;of each buildings' residents (whether single-family or multiple-family dwelling). All even-numbered addresses are grouped together, followed by the odd-numbered addresses, as the enumerator canvassed the street, walking up one side, and down the other. Residents are listed on the left side of the page, servants in the middle, and lodgers on the right side. Be sure not to forget to check all three parts if you don't know in which category the individual or family was located.<br>