3. Census of 1821.—The heads of in quiry were the same as in 1811, with an additional head respecting the ages of the population. For the first time it was at tempted to ascertain the age of every per son, distinguishing males from females. The first head included persons under the age of five ; and the quinquennial period was adopted for all persons not ex ceeding 20, after which the ages were classified in decennial periods ; and there was a head which comprised all persons aged 100 and upwards. The ages of 92 out of every 100 persons were thus ascer tained.
4. Census of 1831.—The new features in this census were an alteration in the form of inquiry respecting occupations. In 1801 the attempt to ascertain the oc cupation of every individual was, as al ready stated, a failure ; and the inquiry in 1811 and 1821 had reference only to the heads of families ; but this form was altered, in consequence, as Mr. Rickman states, of " the often recurring and un answerable doubt as to what is to be deemed a family." The returns to the questions, as modified under the census of 1831, showed, as in 1811 and 1821, the number of families employed in, 1, Agri culture ; 2, In trade, manufacture, and The ; and 3, 'he number of fami lies not comprised iu either class ; but they also showed, in addition to the infor mation procured at any former period, the number of persons (males aged twenty years and upwards) employed in, 1, Manu facture or in making manufacturing ma chinery ; 2, Retail trade or handicraft, as masters or workmen ; 3, The number of capitalists, bankers, and other educated men; • 4, Labourers employed in non agricultural labour ; 5, Other males aged twenty years and upwards (not including servants) ' • 6, Male servants aged twenty and upwards ; and also male servants un der twenty. The number of female ser vants was also returned under a separate head. The returns also showed, in re ference to the occupation and cultivation of the land, the number of-1, Occupiers employing labourers ; 2, Occupiers not employing labourers ; 3, Labourers. The inquiry respecting age, which had on the whole been so successful in 1821, was abandoned, except in so far as it went to ascertain the number of males aged twenty years and upwards, on the ground that it imposed " too much labour in combina tion with the other inquiries," and that, for so short an interval as ten years, the information was " unnecessary and in conclusive." With regard to males aged twenty and upwards employed in trade, manufactures, and handicrafts, an attempt was made to show the number employed in different branches of these employments. The following was the plan adopted for this purpose :—A form, containing a list of one hundred different trades and handi crafts, comprising those most commonly carried on, was furnished to the overseers in each parish or place required to make a separate return, to be filled up with the number of males aged twenty and upwards ; and the overseers were au thorized to add to the list such additional trades as were not included in the printed form. The absence of uniformity in de
scribing occupations not inserted in the official formula, and the difficulty of test ing the accuracy of that part of the classi fication which was left to the discretion of the overseers, were the principal defects of this plan. The number of distinct occupations returned in the census was 598.
The censuses of 1801, 1811, 1821, and 1831 were each superintended by the late Mr. Rickman, clerk assistant of the House of Commons, and the business of enumeration was conducted by the over seers of the poor in England and Wales, and by the parochial schoolmasters in ' Scotland.
Census of 1841.—This is far more com plete and comprehensive than any pre ceding census. The heads of inquiry were more numerous and more minute, while the results obtained are more ac curate. In consequence of the death of Mr. Rickman, two census commissioners (Edward Phipps and Thomas Vardon, Esqrs.) were appointed, and the officers of the registrar-general of births, mar riages, and deaths were employed as enu merators, instead of the less intelligent parochial overseers. England and Wales were divided into about 35,000 enumera tion districts, each containing not less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred houses, so that each district might be com pleted in a single day. Public institu tions, barracks, gaols, workhouses, &c. were required under the Census Acts, 3 & 4 Vict. c. 99, and 4 Vict. c. 7, to be enumerated by the several officers re siding therein. Two very important im provements were made as to the inquiry respecting ages and occupations. Instead of quinquennial and decennial periods be ing taken, as in 1821, or only the age of males aged twenty and upwards, as in 1831, the exact age of every person was ascertained. In reference to occupations, the enumerators were directed to ascertain the employment of every person, distin guishing sex, and whether above or un der twenty years of age. A new head of inquiry was also introduced for the pur pose of showing the number of persons born in the county in which they resided ; the number born in other counties of the same country ; and the number born in Scotland (for Scotland the number born in England), Ireland, the colonies, and in foreign parts.