Full censuses have taken place in the different jurisdictions of the United Kingdom every ten years since 1801, with the exceptions of 1941 (during the Second World War) and Ireland in 1921. Censuses were taken in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, with the returns being archived with those of England.
In addition to providing detailed information about national demographics, the results of the census play an important part in the calculation of resource allocation to regional and local service providers by the government of the UK.
The first four censuses (1801–1831) were mainly statistical in nature. Whilst usable by genealogists the information is quite sparse. They were recorded by way of conducting a head count, with virtually no personal information. A small number of older records exist in local record offices as by-products of the notes made by enumerators in the production of those earlier censuses. These might list all persons or just the heads of households. The 1841 Census was the first to intentionally record names of all individuals in a household or institution.
Because of the disruption caused by the Second World War, there was no census conducted in 1941. However, following the passage into law on 5 September 1939 of the National Registration Act 1939, a population count was carried out on 29 September 1939. The resulting National Register was later used to develop the NHS Central Register. Censuses were taken on 26 April 1931 in Great Britain, but the returns for England and Wales were destroyed in an accidental fire during the Second World War.
The 1851 census included a question about religion on a separate response sheet, whose completion was not compulsory. But the 2001 census was the first in which the government asked about religion on the main census form. New legislation was enacted through the Census (Amendment) Act 2000 to allow the question to be asked, and to make its response optional.
The Jedi census phenomenon is a grass roots movement that was initiated in 2001 for residents of a number of English-speaking countries, urging them to record their religion as "Jedi" or "Jedi Knight" (after the quasi-religious order of Jedi Knights in the fictional Star Wars universe) on the national census.
Encouraged by a chain letter that started in New Zealand, 390,000 people entered their religion as "Jedi Knight", with some areas registering up to 2.6% of people as Jedi. Thus, "Jedi" was the fourth-largest reported religion in the country. Your scribe also registered as a Jedi and a number of my friends did the same.
In addition to providing detailed information about national demographics, the results of the census play an important part in the calculation of resource allocation to regional and local service providers by the government of the UK.
The first four censuses (1801–1831) were mainly statistical in nature. Whilst usable by genealogists the information is quite sparse. They were recorded by way of conducting a head count, with virtually no personal information. A small number of older records exist in local record offices as by-products of the notes made by enumerators in the production of those earlier censuses. These might list all persons or just the heads of households. The 1841 Census was the first to intentionally record names of all individuals in a household or institution.
Because of the disruption caused by the Second World War, there was no census conducted in 1941. However, following the passage into law on 5 September 1939 of the National Registration Act 1939, a population count was carried out on 29 September 1939. The resulting National Register was later used to develop the NHS Central Register. Censuses were taken on 26 April 1931 in Great Britain, but the returns for England and Wales were destroyed in an accidental fire during the Second World War.
The 1851 census included a question about religion on a separate response sheet, whose completion was not compulsory. But the 2001 census was the first in which the government asked about religion on the main census form. New legislation was enacted through the Census (Amendment) Act 2000 to allow the question to be asked, and to make its response optional.
The Jedi census phenomenon is a grass roots movement that was initiated in 2001 for residents of a number of English-speaking countries, urging them to record their religion as "Jedi" or "Jedi Knight" (after the quasi-religious order of Jedi Knights in the fictional Star Wars universe) on the national census.
Encouraged by a chain letter that started in New Zealand, 390,000 people entered their religion as "Jedi Knight", with some areas registering up to 2.6% of people as Jedi. Thus, "Jedi" was the fourth-largest reported religion in the country. Your scribe also registered as a Jedi and a number of my friends did the same.
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