Jordan Census: Difference between revisions

The University in Amman houses rare manuscript materials, including Shari'a Court Records from 1926-2003 (legal matters, marriages, inheritance) Ottoman registers and statistics, newspapers, and Mamluk Period documents. Contact general support at the email address below to request more information about these collections.

Background[edit | edit source]

Types of Censuses[edit | edit source]

Census Records
The British took censuses in 1922 and 1931, however, these were incomplete. The Jordanian government also took a census in 1952 which was incomplete. The first complete census was taken in 1961.
These records are located at the National Archives in Amman.

Nüfūs Registers (سجلات النفوس العثمانية) - Ottoman Census and Population Registers of Palestine
These records are in Ottoman Turkish (Turkish in Arabic script) except for seven books of the Ashkenazi community in Jerusalem, which are in Hebrew. The collection consists of 7 types of registers: preliminary registers; basic registers; early population registers; registers of births, marriages, divorces and changes of address; registers of men of military age; registers of foreigners; and Mukhtars' registers. Registers are arranged into 10 districts, each including cities (divided into neighborhoods) and villages in present day Palestine, Israel, and parts of Jordan and Egypt. Registration within each locality is according to religious affiliation. The collection also includes a catalog in English, created by the Israel State Archives (the current owners of the archives), which includes general background information about the registers, a locality index and detailed descriptions of the contents of each register.

The Ottoman population registers were compiled in an initial census survey; thereafter vital information was added as births, marriages, and deaths occurred. Supplemental registration of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths were sometimes added to the register itself or sometimes compiled in separate registers.

Time period: 1883 to 1915.

The population registers list the names of household members including children, sex, birth date, residence, age, religion, craft or occupation, marital status, marriage date, health, military status. If deceased, the register provides the death date or crosses out the name of the deceased.

These records are at the National Archives in Amman and in Jerusalem.

Information Recorded in the Records[edit | edit source]

The first censuses (1922-1952) listed only males, and the number in each household. After 1961 the registers list the names of all household members including children, sex, birth date, residence, age, religion, occupation, marital status, health status, military status.

Strategy[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ==Resources==
 ===Online Resources===
-'''For more information on Ottoman Nüfus Records (سجلات النفوس العثمانية), including content, locations, and how to access them, please see [[Palestine, Ottoman Census and Population Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records|Palestine, Ottoman Census and Population Registers]].'''
+*'''1876-1917''' {{RecordSearch|4496121|Palestine, Ottoman Census and Population Registers, 1876-1917}} at FamilySearch — [[Palestine, Ottoman Census and Population Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
-*'''1876-1917''' {{RecordSearch|4496121|Palestine, Ottoman Census and Population Registers, 1876-1917}} at FamilySearch — index & images
+*'''1883-1917''' {{FSC|34209|item|disp=Nüfūs Registers (Ottoman Census and Population Registers of Palestine), 1883-1917}}(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - includes birth, marriage, divorce, and death records.
-*'''1883-1917 -''' {{FSC|34209|item|disp=Nüfūs registers (Ottoman census and population registers of Palestine), 1883-1917}}. Includes birth, marriage, divorce, and death records. These records can only be accessed at a [https://www.familysearch.org/fhcenters/locations/ FamilySearch center] or a [https://www.familysearch.org/fhcenters/locations/ FamilySearch affiliate library].
-::These records are in [[Turkish Genealogical Word List|Ottoman Turkish]] (Turkish in [[Arabic Genealogical Word List|Arabic]] script) except for seven books of the Ashkenazi community in Jerusalem, which are in Hebrew. The collection consists of 7 types of registers: preliminary registers; basic registers; early population registers; registers of births, marriages, divorces and changes of address; registers of men of military age; registers of foreigners; and [[Lebanon Mukhtar Records|Mukhtars]]' registers. Registers are arranged into 10 districts, each including cities (divided into neighborhoods) and villages in present day Palestine, [[Israel Genealogy|Israel]], and parts of [[Jordan Genealogy|Jordan]] and [[Egypt Genealogy|Egypt]]. Registration within each locality is according to religious affiliation. The collection also includes a catalog in English, created by the Israel State Archives (the current owners of the archives), which includes general background information about the registers, a locality index and detailed descriptions of the contents of each register.
-* '''1979''' [https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNAAV970.pdf Population and Housing Census] - PDF version. Statistical information only.
 ===Offices to Contact===
-'''National Library of Jordan'''<br>
+'''University of Jordan Library'''<br>
-Number 9, Haroun Al-Rasheed St.<Br>
+V89+5XP<br>
-P.O. Box 6070<br>
+Amman, Jordan<br>
-Amman, Jordan 11118<br>
+Phone:+962 6 5355000<br>
-Email: nl@nl.gov.jo<br>
+Email: [mailto:library@ju.edu.jo library@ju.edu.jo]<br>
-Telephone: +962-6-5662791<br>
+[https://library.ju.edu.jo/EN-library/ENlib_contactus.aspx Send us a Message]<br>
-[https://nl.gov.jo/Default/Ar Website]
+[https://library.ju.edu.jo/NEWLIBRARY/EN_Library/Default.aspx Website]<br>
+:The University in Amman houses rare manuscript materials, including Shari'a Court Records from 1926-2003 (legal matters, marriages, inheritance) Ottoman registers and statistics, newspapers, and Mamluk Period documents. Contact general support at the email address below to request more information about these collections.
+:* [https://library.ju.edu.jo/EN-library/ENAboutLibrary.aspx About the Library]
+:* [https://library.ju.edu.jo/EN-library/ENLib_manuscript.aspx Manuscript collections]
-* The National Library of Jordan is the primary repository for records produced by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and other records that preserve its cultural legacy. Only a selection of records are available online with ongoing efforts to digitize more of their collection. Original government documents are only viewable in-person by Jordanian citizens.
+==Background==
-* [http://opac.nl.gov.jo/uhtbin/cgisirsi.exe/?ps=arckhi2jAi/MAIN/247170003/2/1000 National Library Catalog] - Descriptions and ID numbers of the records in the archive
+===Types of Censuses===
-* [https://hazine.info/tag/jordan-en/ the National Library of Amman] - Article by Hazine about the holdings of the library, as well as how to visit
+'''Census Records''' <br>
+The British took censuses in 1922 and 1931, however, these were incomplete. The Jordanian government also took a census in 1952 which was incomplete. The first complete census was taken in 1961.<br>
+These records are located at the National Archives in Amman.
+<br>
+'''Nüfūs Registers (سجلات النفوس العثمانية) - Ottoman Census and Population Registers of Palestine'''<br>
+These records are in [[Turkish Genealogical Word List|Ottoman Turkish]] (Turkish in [[Arabic Genealogical Word List|Arabic]] script) except for seven books of the Ashkenazi community in Jerusalem, which are in Hebrew. The collection consists of 7 types of registers: preliminary registers; basic registers; early population registers; registers of births, marriages, divorces and changes of address; registers of men of military age; registers of foreigners; and [[Lebanon Mukhtar Records|Mukhtars]]' registers. Registers are arranged into 10 districts, each including cities (divided into neighborhoods) and villages in present day Palestine, [[Israel Genealogy|Israel]], and parts of [[Jordan Genealogy|Jordan]] and [[Egypt Genealogy|Egypt]]. Registration within each locality is according to religious affiliation. The collection also includes a catalog in English, created by the Israel State Archives (the current owners of the archives), which includes general background information about the registers, a locality index and detailed descriptions of the contents of each register.
-'''University of Jordan Library'''<br>
+The Ottoman population registers were compiled in an initial census survey; thereafter vital information was added as births, marriages, and deaths occurred.  Supplemental registration of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths were sometimes added to the register itself or sometimes compiled in separate registers.
-P.O. Box 11942<br>
-Amman, Jordan<br>
-Email: library@ju.edu.jo<br>
-Telephone: +962 6 5355000<br>
-[https://library.ju.edu.jo/EN-library/ENLib_manuscript.aspx# Website] - Manuscript collection
-*[https://library.ju.edu.jo/EN-library/ENlib_contactus.aspx Send us a Message]
+Time period:  1883 to 1915.
-*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Jordan_Library Wikipedia]
-* The University in Amman houses rare manuscript materials, including Shari'a Court Records from 1926-2003 (legal matters, marriages, inheritance) Ottoman registers and statistics, newspapers, and Mamluk Period documents. Contact general support at the email address below to request more information about these collections.
-==Background==
-In the past few centuries, Jordan has been under the rule of several different powers and administrative governance. During Ottoman rule (1516-1918), the area now known as Jordan was part of a greater region called Bilad al-Sham or Southern Syria. The Ottomans took periodic population registers for taxation and conscription purposes, although these did not always cover small towns. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Jordan became part of the British Mandate of Palestine (1921-1946) but Hashemite royalty was given de facto control of what was then considered Transjordan, including Jordan, as well as parts of Syria and Iraq. No formal censuses were conducted during this time, with leadership relying on population estimates. In 1946, the Hashemites declared independence and became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Since gaining independence, Jordan has conducted several censuses with the first attempted census in 1952.<ref>Wiki contributors, ''History of Jordan'', Wikipedia, accessed 10 January 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Jordan.</ref><ref>Wikipedia contributors, ''Emirate of Transjordan'', Wikipedia, accessed 10 January 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirate_of_Transjordan#cite_note-BeaumontBlake2016-60.</ref>
-===Types of Censuses ===
-====Ottoman '''Nüfus''' (population) Registers ====
+The population registers list the names of household members including children, sex, birth date, residence, age, religion, craft or occupation, marital status, marriage date, health, military status. If deceased, the register provides the death date or crosses out the name of the deceased.
-The Ottoman population registers, covering the period from 1883 to 1915, were initially compiled through a census survey and subsequently updated with vital information such as births, marriages, and deaths. These registers, which establish family groups and individual identities, list household members' names, including children, along with details such as sex, birth date, residence, age, religion, craft or occupation, marital status, marriage date, health, and military status. In cases of death, the register provides the death date or crosses out the name of the deceased. Supplemental registrations of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths were sometimes added directly to the register or compiled in separate registers. These records are housed in the National Library (archives) in Amman and Jerusalem, with less than 5% available in the FamilySearch Library, primarily from the Ottoman province of Palestine, including parts of Jordan. The population coverage is about 80%, though remote areas may not be fully counted, and while the reliability is generally good, some information may be incomplete.
-====Hashemite Kingdom Censuses====
+These records are at the National Archives in Amman and in Jerusalem.
-The British conducted censuses in 1922 and 1931, but these were incomplete, as was the Jordanian government's 1952 census. The first complete census was taken in 1961. The early censuses (1922-1952) listed only males and the number of individuals in each household. From 1961 onwards, the registers include the names of all household members, including children, along with details such as sex, birth date, residence, age, religion, occupation, marital status, health status, and military status. These records are housed in the National Library (archives) in Amman. The population coverage of early censuses was less than 20%, while later censuses cover over 90%.<ref>Based on private research files of the FamilySearch content team.</ref>
 ==Information Recorded in the Records==
+The first censuses (1922-1952) listed only males, and the number in each household. After 1961 the registers list the names of all household members including children, sex, birth date, residence, age, religion, occupation, marital status, health status, military status.
-* '''Ottoman Nüfus (population) registers''' - These registers, which establish family groups and individual identities, list household members' names, including children, along with details such as sex, birth date, residence, age, religion, craft or occupation, marital status, marriage date, health, and military status. In cases of death, the register provides the death date or crosses out the name of the deceased. Supplemental registrations of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths were sometimes added directly to the register or compiled in separate registers.
+==Strategy==
-* '''Hashemite Kingdom Censuses''' - Names of all household members, sex, birth date, residence, age, religion, occupation, marital status, health status, and military status.
-==Strategy==
-Search the Ottoman Nüfus register database (under Online Resources above) for records previous to 1919. For records after 1919 during the rule of the Hashemite Kingdom, search the [https://nl.gov.jo/AR/Pages/%D9%81%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%B3_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%83%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9 catalog] of the National Library of Amman and contact them at nl@nl.gov.jo with research questions.
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
 [[Category:Jordan]]
 [[Category:Census records by country|Jordan]]