Catalogue description General Register Office: 1911 Census Enumerator's Summary Books

Search within or browse this series to find specific records of interest.

Date range

Details of RG 78
Reference: RG 78
Title: General Register Office: 1911 Census Enumerator's Summary Books
Description:

This series contains 1911 Census Enumerator's Summary Books (ESBs) which contain instructions for each enumerator, particulars of each enumeration district including boundaries of districts and in urban areas the names of streets and partial streets. All houses and buildings habited or non-inhabited on the Census day were detailed in the summary books giving details of the types of buildings and what they were used for. They are signed by the enumerator and each registrar.

There are no Enumeration Summary Books for Royal Naval Vessels and Military Establishments overseas.

Enumerator's Summary Books serve as a crosschecking system to assist with the investigation of possible missing schedules (returns) in RG 14.

Although this has not yet been investigated, they may show evidence of those who refused to complete their census forms (this was a particular issue in the 1911 census due to a campaign by the Suffragette movement).

Electronic images of 1911 Census Enumerators' Summary Books are available through our partner website.

Date: 1911
Arrangement:

The 1911 Census records are arranged in two different series: Enumerators' Summary Books (RG 78) and bound volumes of Census Schedules (RG 14). Each Enumerator Summary Book has a corresponding set of Schedules.

The link between the two sets of documents is through a unique three-part reference number which reflects the arrangement of the records: Registration District Number (RD). Registration Sub-District Number (RS). Enumeration District Number (ED).

These numbers are written on the front of the Enumerator's Summary Book and on the spine of the corresponding bound volume of Schedules. Each unique reference number corresponds to a distinct Piece Number in the Series. For example, RD 444 RS 4 ED 7. The Enumeration District information is arranged into three sections:

Local sub-divisions (Civil Parish, Ecclesiastical Parish, Borough or Urban District, Ward of Borough or Urban District, Rural District and Parliamentary Borough or Division)Boundary. Contents (for example, a list of the streets).

Related material:

1911 Census schedules (returns) are in RG 14
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

General Register Office, 1836-1970
Physical description: 2015 volume(s)
Restrictions on use: In December 2006 the Information Commissioner's Office ruled that access should be given to the 1911 census, but that personally sensitive information should remain closed for a full 100 years. Sensitive information was digitally obscured or 'redacted' for a 2009 partial release. These records were made available in full in January 2012.
Access conditions: Closed until 2012
Administrative / biographical background:

Before 1911 the information contained in the Enumerators' Books was bound together with the actual Schedules (returns).

From 1911, when machine methods of processing returns were introduced, the Enumerators' Summary Books were compiled separately from the schedules. The Register General held the household Schedules and the Enumerators' Summary Books.

Have you found an error with this catalogue description?

Help with your research

How to look for...