Methodology

The methodology used for visualisation of the Census of Wales 1831 series.

Introduction

The aim of this section is to describe the methodology used to formulate the statistics presented in the Census of Wales in 1831. The first census of Great Britain was taken in 1801, with subsequent censuses taken in 1811, 1821 and, shown here, 1831. Specifically, the statistics shown here are for Wales only, including the county of Monmouth, as this county sometimes was grouped with the records for English counties, albeit now a part of Wales today. In this census, questions were asked and recorded at parish-level, which leads to values by hundred, county, and all-Wales level. The statistics that were asked in the census were (from the Enumeration Report of the 1831 census):

  • How many inhabited houses? And by how many families are they occupied?
  • How many houses are now building, and therefore not yet inhabited?
  • How many other houses are uninhabited?
  • What number of families employed in and maintained by agriculture; or by trade, manufacture, or handicraft; and how many families are not comprised in either of the two preceding classes?
  • Number of persons? (put into males and females, including those in the militia)
  • Males upward of 20 years
  • Males upward of 20 years (agriculture separated into three, occupiers of land employing labourers, occupiers not employing labourers, and labourers employed by these)
  • Males upward of 20 years (manufacture or in making of manufacturing machinery)
  • Males upward of 20 years (retail trade if handicraft)
  • Males upward of 20 years (professional and other educated)
  • Males upward of 20 years (labourers other than agriculture)
  • Males upward of 20 years (male servants over 20)
  • Males upward of 20 years (other)
  • Males upward of 20 years (female servants and males under 20 years)
  • Questions concerning major changes from 1821

In the below sections, there will be an overview in how the above statistics lead to the visualisation shown in this series.

Hundreds and Counties

The 1831 census series currently shows hundred-level and county-level statistics with maps for clear visualisations. Please note any spellings and names of hundreds and counties are the ones used in the Census, which may differ to what is known today. Note that hundreds, as an area, are sub-units of counties. Other than these sub-units, there are boroughs and urban centres but for illustration purposes, these have been grouped with the hundred which was known to be historically associated with these areas. For example, the townships which made up the town of Cardiff, were placed in the hundred of Kibbor.

The following are the urban centres/boroughs and which hundred they are grouped to (format: Borough, Hundred, County):

  • Beaumaris, Tyndaethwy, Anglesey
  • Holyhead, Tal-y-Bolion, Anglesey
  • Brecon, Penkelly, Brecon
  • Cardigan, Troedyraur, Cardigan
  • Carmarthen, Elvet, Carmarthen
  • Bangor, Is-Gorfai, Carnarvon
  • Denbigh, Isaled, Denbigh
  • Holywell, Coleshill, Flint
  • Cardiff Town, Kibbor, Glamorgan
  • Swansea Town, Swansea, Glamorgan
  • Dolgelly, Tal-y-Bont and Mowddwy, Merioneth
  • Pool (Town), Pool, Montgomery
  • Haverford West, Roose, Pembroke
  • Pembroke, Castle-Martin, Pembroke
  • Tenby, Narberth, Pembroke
  • Radnor, Radnor, Radnor
  • Monmouth, Skenfreth, Monmouth

Also note there are some counties which have additional people, which are not recorded in hundreds, only at county-level. These people were refered to as "militia in training". As a result, the sum of hundreds in the counties of Denbigh, Glamorgan, and Merioneth will not equal the reported county level.

Summary Statistics

These statistics cover an overview of each unit in Wales. This includes:

1. Number of Persons

2. Number of Houses Inhabited

3. Number of Families

4. Number of Males over 20 yrs

5. Total Number of Houses

6. Female Proportion of Population

Except 6, these are reported totals while the female proportion is the percentage of total population who are female.

Family Occupations

These statistics cover the breakdown in the occupations at which families are employed:

1. Percentage of Families in Agriculture

2. Percentage of Families in Manufacturing/Trade

3. Percentage of Families in Other Occupations

These are percentages of the total families, where the totals themselves are not specified.

Occupations of Males over 20

These statistics cover the breakdown in the occupations of males over 20 years old:

1. Agriculture employing labourers

2. Agriculture not employing labourers

3. Agriculture that are labourers

4. Manufacturing

5. Retail trade or handicraft

6. Professional or other education occupations

7. Labourers not in agriculture

8. Servants

9. Other occupations

These are percentages of the total population over 20 years, where the totals themselves are not specified.

Housing

These statistics cover the breakdown in the housing:

1. Percentage of Houses Inhabited

2. Percentage of Houses Being Built

3. Percentage of Houses Uninhabited

These are percentages of the total number of houses, where the totals themselves are not specified.

Other

These statistics cover other questions asked:

1. Percentage of female population who were servants

2. Male servants under 20 years old

These are percentages for 1, of the total female population, and for 2, of the total males under 20 years, where the totals themselves are not specified.

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