Egypt Census

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Egypt

Census

Resources

Online Resources

• 1876-1917 Palestine, Ottoman Census and Population Registers, 1876-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1883-1917 Nüfūs Registers (Ottoman Census and Population Registers of Palestine), 1883-1917(*) at FamilySearch - images; includes birth, marriage, divorce, and death records
• 1906-1907 Census register, 1906-1907,(*); Armenian Apostolic Church. Surp Krikor Loossavorich (Cairo) at FamilySearch Catalog-images
• 1907 The Census of Egypt: Taken in 1907," by Ministry of Finance, Egypt. Cairo National Printing Department: Cairo, 1909. Online at: Hathi Trust
• 1917 The Census of Egypt: Taken in 1917," by Ministry of Finance, Egypt. Cairo Government Press: Cairo, 1920. Online at: Hathi Trust
• 1933-1948 Census register, 1933-1948,(*); Armenian Evangelical Congregational Church (Cairo, Egypt) at FamilySearch Catalog-images
• 1960 Census register, 1960,(*); Armenian Evangelical Church (Alexandria, Egypt) at FamilySearch Catalog-images

Offices to Contact

Egyptian National Library and Archives
Nile Corniche, Ramlet Boulaq
Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt Telephone: +20 2 25750886
Email: darelkotob.babelkhalq@gmail.com
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• Documents collection
  

Background

Before Egyptian independence, censuses in Egypt were conducted under various regimes. During the Ottoman period, the first comprehensive census in 1848 was notable for being the first in a non-Western country to include detailed demographic, social, and economic data on nearly all individuals, including women, children, and slaves. The Nüfus registers recorded vital statistics such as births, marriages, and deaths, organized by religious affiliation. British censuses recorded detailed information about each household which were then compiled into statistical reports. Most Egyptian census records are believed to be held by the Egyptian National Library and Archives, which can be reached at the contact information above.

Types of Censuses

Egyptian Census

Several censuses have been carried out since the Egyptian revolution in 1952, including the years 1960, 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2017. These records are likely held at the National Archives of Egypt. Proof of familial relationship may be needed to request a search of these census records.

British Census

Six (decennial) censuses were conducted by the British in 1897, 1907, 1917, 1927, 1937, and 1947. Tabulated results of the 1907 and 1917 censuses were published in book form and are available online. The UK National Archives also has records related to census practices and British military personnel and operations in Egypt during this time.

Ottoman Census

During Ottoman rule, Egypt was under the control of viceroy leadership which carried out several censuses, such as Muhammad Ali and Ismael in 1848 and 1868, respectively. These are held at the National Archives of Egypt. Additional censuses were allegedly carried out in 1882, 1897, 1907, 1917, 1927, 1937, and 1947 and may also be at the National Archives.

Ottoman Nüfus Registers

Towards the end of the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Nüfus registers were created to gather information in 7 areas: 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. A portion of these Nüfus Registers have been digitized and indexed by FamilySearch and can be searched here.

Information Recorded in the Records

Egyptian Census - Modern censuses since 1960 are likely held at the National Archives of Egypt and may contain the following information:

• Full Name
• Address
• Date of Birth
• Nationality
• Relationship to Head of Household

British Census - (1907 Census and 1917 Census) Contain the area, density, number of occupied dwellings, sex, religion, civil status, and blindness statistical information for Egypt.

Ottoman Census (1848 and 1868) - Consists of "...6,592 handwritten registers contained at the National Archives of Egypt...They include information on a wide range of variables including location, name, ownership of dwelling, type of dwelling, relationship to household head, age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, place of origin, occupation, and place of work, among other variables. The data are recorded systematically for every individual in the household including females, children, and slaves." These are held at the Egyptian National Library and Archives.

Ottoman Nüfus Registers - 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.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

Due to contractual agreements, some images and/or databases on FamilySearch.org may only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library.