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The 1828 Census - What it contains, how to use it, what to look out for (book version)
The significance of the 1828 Census is that is the only detailed census for NSW to survive in full to the present day.
Background
The Return forms were printed and were issued to each Bench of Magistrates whose responsibility it was to ensure that one was completed for each household and returned to the Colonial Secretary's office. A district Constable was accompanied to each household by a Clerk who actually completed all the details on the form from verbal statements submitted by the householder or individuals questioned. Most returns reached the Colonial Secretary's office during November 1828 but some must have been arrived during 1829 as several people who did not arrive until early 1829 are included.
The Census contains 27,611 males and 8,987 females - a total of 36,598. It was estimated that runaway convicts and persons of no fixed abode and omissions did not exceed 2,000. The serving military personnel and their families are NOT recorded - who number approximately 2,550.
In many instances incorrect information was given to the Clerk sometimes deliberately and in other instances, particularly as regards year of arrival, through hazy recollection. Widely differing accents and the Clerks interpretation and literacy can also attribute to some information being recorded incorrectly. {Take a liberal approach to the possible variations in the spelling of surnames} When the returns were subsequently transcribed into bound volumes some errors also occurred.
The Census contains the following:
Main index = of names and details:
Appendix 1 = The information listed comprises the data that was contained in the original PRO and State Records columns but which could not fit into the main text of the main section of the book. It also contains editorial references which appear in the Remarks column, some of which also relate to Appendix 2 entries as well as additional data contained in wither the Pro or State Records volumes.
Appendix 2 = this lists the date of death of just over 400 men and women listing the and reason for some deaths. They are people who are listed in the Main Index and are indicated by a * against the Ref. No. They relate to some deaths from November 1828 up to March 1834.
Appendix 3 = This lists Land and Stock. - the total acres, those cleared, & cultivated, number of horses, cattle and sheep and other eg pigs. The land & stock listed under any particular reference entry may NOT belong to the primary entry but may belong to his employer or landlord. The land & stock also may NOT be the total of his/her holding. In cases where a person had more than one property, or was an absentee landlord or employer, his/her property may be listed under the names of his employees. This may be determined by consulting the Cross Reference Index and checking each reference entry listed = THEREFORE making it possible to list completely a landowners employees and his total Land & Stock holdings.
Index 1 = Lists all the surnames in the main index and as the main index is not in 'strict' alphabetical order it is essential to consult this Index.
Index 2 = Cross Reference. The main function of this is to list the names of every person found as the Employer. Its main value lies in the fact that it contains for names of a number of Employers who for some reason do not appear in the main Index. It allows you to find a full listing of the Employees and Land holdings of a particular employer or person. All the persons of a difference surname, living with a particular person may be identified.
The Main Index of the Census contains the following headings:
Name: Age: F/B, Ship, Year, Sentence, Occupation, Employer or Remarks, Residence, Ref Number
Name: The Census lists names in 'loose' alphabetical order and the names beginning with 'I' & 'J' are combined. Families are (in most cases) listed together - the beginning of a 'family' or 'household' is indicted by the letter 'F' in front of the householders age and the end of the group is indicated by the letter 'G' i.e. F= Family G=Group
Age = Self-explanatory although beware as some children under the age of 2 years are recorded incorrectly eg. 30 months old recorded as 30 years old.
F/B = Free or Bond. This will (in most cases) advise you if the person listed arrived free or as a convict. There are many abbreviations used, but the main ones are:
AP - Absolute Pardon: AS - Assigned: BC - Born in Colony: C - Convict: CF - Came Free: CP - Conditional Pardon: E - Emancipated: F = Free: FS - Free by Servitude: GS - Government Servant: P - Prisoner: TL - Ticket of Leave
Ship: Never assume that the ship name given is correct. Don't assume because of voyage number has been omitted that it implies it is the first voyage. Again many abbreviations are used eg. M. Cornwallis for Marquis of Cornwallis : E. Cornwallis - Earl Cornwallis.
Year: Many of the years of arrival noted in the Census do not correspond with the year that the ship actually arrived, and, as with the ship name, year of arrival was often incorrectly recollected by the informant.
Sentence: Mostly self-explanatory - giving number of years of original sentence whether the sentence had been completed or not. Other abbreviations are - Colonial Sentence, L- Life: NS - Not stated: R - Respite
Religion = All information has been abbreviated to one letter eg. C - Catholic: H - Pagan: I - Hebrew, J - Jewish: P - Protestant: S - Presbyterian: W - Wesleyan & Methodist: M- Malay etc
Occupation = Due to space restrictions a persons second occupation may not be listed in this main Index, but may be found in the remarks column or in Appendix 1. Unless specified, persons working on road gangs etc are not given an occupation and can be assumed that they were government labourers. There are some errors eg A Farmer listed as a Tanner and Sawyers as Lawyers. The Mineral Surveyors are in fact Labourers working for the Mineral Surveyors Department
Employer & Remarks: It is not always clear what the relationship was between the principal and the ancillary persons referred to in an entry and in some instances both the name of the Employer and Landlord are given. Government departments are shown as Employers eg Road Gang - 12 and Engineers Department. Reference should be made to the Cross Reference index.
Residence = Place names are not always abbreviated identically and the spelling of Property names may differ from the original spelling. Place names may also be spelt differently from those used today.
Reference Number = Every entry in the Main Index has its own number and those with an * before the Ref. No. indicates that ALL appendices SHOULD be consulted SOURCE 1828 NSW Census
1841 Census
Taken in March 1841
Index of names can be found on the State Records of NSW web site and the microfilm providing all the information as noted below is available at many libraries.
Please note that not all of this census survived, but it does contain some 9354 entries, so is still a valuable resource.
The *head of the household, employer of servants or proprietor of land is the only person mentioned by name, whilst the others in that household are listed as just a statistic.
*The names of those in the districts of Lachlan and Liverpool are only statistical returns with no individual names listed.
The Census provides these details:
NAME OF ESTABLISHMENT: (Name of Householder)
NUMBER OF EACH AGE:-
MALES
Under 2:
2 & under 7:
7 & under 14
14 & under 21
21 & under 45
45 and under 60
60 and upwards
FEMALES
Under 2:
2 & under 7:
7 & under 14
14 & under 21
21 & under 45
45 and under 60
60 and upwards
MARRIED OR SINGLE
Married Males:
Single Males
Married Females:
Single Females:
CIVIL CONDITION
MALES
Free. Born in Colony:
Free: Arrived Free
Free: Other Free person:
Bond: Holding Ticket of Leave
Bond: In Government employ
Bond: In Private Assignment
FEMALES
Free. Born in Colony
Free: Arrived Free
Free: Other Free person
Bond: Holding Ticket of Leave
Bond: In Government employ
Bond: In Private Assignment
RELIGION
C of England
C. of Scotland
Wesleyan Methodist
Other Protestant
Roman Catholic:
Jews
Pagans
OCCUPATION:
Merchants, Bankers & professional
Shopkeepers
Mechanics
Shepherds
Gardeners, Stockman & Persons employed in agriculture
Domestic servants
All other persons not included in the forgoing classes
Totals
Males
Females
General Totals
HOUSES:
Stones or Brick
Wood
Finished
Unfinished
Inhabited
Uninhabited
Land grants - Leases & Purchases
Check the following:
* The State Records hold microfilm of Registers of Land Grants & leases
1792 - 1856 and you will see many of the films available on their web site.
* Land Grant 1788 - 1809 (book) - A record of registered grants and leases
in NSW & VDL and NI Edited by R J Ryan
* The Sydney Gazette and the HRA often included the names of those who
obtained grants and leases.
* 1828 Census and various Musters
* Index of Land Grants - Leases and Purchases 1820 - 1856 Indexed by Jean McNaught.
This Index details the following:
Surname; Given Name; Location, AO Loc. Lot No. Soc. No. Acreage (Acre,
Rods, Perches) Vol No. Folio Number, Year and Tenure
Eg of info on Index:
Stubbs, Thomas Location: Lane Cove Archives Office Location - 7/499, Lot
Number blank Soc No. blank, Acres 15 Volume Number 39, Folio Number 287,
Year 26 - 53, Tenure; Purchase
Eg. of information on MICROFILM (State Records of NSW) : (another person)
No: 193
Register:
No: 31
Folio: 261
Name: Robert Fopp of Sydney
Quantity: 700
Tenure: Purchase
County or Parish: County of Argyle - Parish unnamed
By Whom Granted: Sir Richard Bourke
When Granted: 29th March 1836
Annual Quit Rent: One peppercorn
Witness: G. Holden
Description: At the Upper Wollondilly. Bounded on the East by part of the
Western Boundary of Captain Curries grant being in line bearing North, nine
chains, on the North by the Wollondilly River on the West by a line bearing
South one hundred and two chains, and on the South by a lien bearing East
one hundred and three chains to Captain Curries boundary. Being the land
sold as Lot 30 in pursuance of advertisement of 13 October 1835. Amount of
purchase money £175
Conditions: Reserving a right of way or ways, all stone, gravel and indigenous timber, all .(?) .of gold, silver and coal all land 100 feet above high water mark.
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