The 1911 census - coming in 2009

The 1911 census for England and Wales will be launched online in 2009 at www.1911census.co.uk, the official census website, powered by findmypast in association with The National Archives. This will be a PayAsYouGo site, and customers who are already registered on findmypast.com will be able to enter their username and password and use any findmypast credits across both sites. This means you’ll be able to view records from each census from 1841 to 1911*, plus many more essential family history records, by purchasing just a single package of credits.

Later, the 1911 census will also appear on findmypast.com, which will then be the only family history site to offer the 1911 census as part of a subscription package, providing unlimited access to the records for a fixed annual fee.

Register for 1911 census updates now

If you haven't already, then be sure to register for updates on the official site. If you have friends or colleagues who share your interest in family history, then be sure to tell them to register too, so that they don’t miss out.

If you register for a findmypast.com account then you’ll be able to use the username, and any credits you purchase, on both findmypast.com and 1911census.co.uk (when launched).

New on the 1911 England and Wales census

As with previous censuses the 1911 census shows the name, age, sex, and marital status of each person, as well as detailing their occupation and birthplace. But for the first time ever the following information is also included:

• Details of nationality
• Duration of current marriage
• How many children have been born to that marriage – including children no longer living at home and those who died before 1911
• Details of the precise branch of a profession or trade an individual worked in. For instance, whether a carpenter worked in a colliery, a ship works, or was a house carpenter and joiner
• Household schedules have survived so we can see our ancestors' own handwriting, complete with any unsolicited additional comments they might have made
• 1911 is the first ever UK census to be scanned in colour, meaning sharper, more faithful images

1911 census vouchers – the perfect Christmas gift

Findmypast PayAsYouGo vouchers, giving you access to over 700 million records on findmypast.com and the 1911 census in 2009, make the perfect Christmas present for any family historian.

There are several ways to purchase vouchers for the 1911 census:

• With a secure online credit or debit card payment from either The National Archives or My History
• Via mail order from the Guild of One Name Studies. Download the Guild of One Name Studies' order form
• In person, by mail order, or by phone from one of our other stockists. Find your nearest stockist

Please note: our subscription vouchers will not initially provide access to the 1911 census. When ordering, if it's the 1911 census you want, then please ensure you select one of our PayAsYouGo vouchers.

The 1911 census – a truly global appeal

The early launch of the 1911 census is outstanding news, not only for amateur family historians and professional genealogists, but for anyone with an interest in pre-First World War England and Wales. On 2 April 1911 (the night of the census) 36,070,492 people were returned as living in England and Wales – that’s 3,542,649 more people than at the time of the 1901 census. These men, women and children are the forebears of people the world over. Not only does the 1911 census offer a snapshot of a bygone age, but it also encapsulates our collective history.    

Plug the gaps in your research with the 1911 census

The England and Wales birth, marriage and death indexes are perhaps the family historian’s most valuable research tool. The earlier indexes, however, do have their limitations. Prior to September 1911 no mother’s maiden name is given for births, and similarly, it is not until January 1912 that spouses are listed for marriages.

For the Victorian era, the 1841-1901 censuses have provided the chief means of compensating for this shortfall in BMD index information. But for the period April 1901 to March 1911 research has been rather difficult. With the launch of the 1911 census, however, this vital but hitherto missing family history link will be ours.

Purchase credits for findmypast and the 1911 census now

 *The findypast.com 1851 census is not yet available, but is forthcoming. Free transcripts are currently available for the 1881 census – images will be added soon. The 1901 census is not yet complete – the remaining counties will be added over the coming months.