About the Irish census

The census is the closest thing we have to stepping into our ancestors' homes

Most (but not quite all) material from the earlier Irish censuses has been destroyed, some accidentally by fire, while others were pulped during the First World War. Some were deliberately destroyed shortly after they were taken, possibly to preserve privacy once the necessary statistics had been extracted. However, the 1901 and 1911 censuses survive almost in their entirety and are now available to view online on the National Archives of Ireland website (www.census.nationalarchives.ie).

The 1901 Irish census recorded address; name; relationship to head of household; religion; whether each person could read and write; age; occupation; marital status; place of birth and whether English or Irish was spoken. Questions were also asked about the house itself: the materials from which the house and the roof were built, the number of rooms and windows, whether there were outhouses, and the overall class of the property. Researchers can build a clear picture of the domestic situation and relative wealth or poverty of their ancestors, as well as spot any change for better or worse.

The 1911 census additionally asked married women to declare the number of years of the current marriage, the number of children born alive within the marriage and the number of these children still living.

Watch out!

Don't be distracted by crossings out on your census returns and discount potentially crucial details. These were made as data was counted and do not mean that the information is wrong.