Census - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition census

Definition :

Census, a numbering of the people. It formerly took place in this country once in every 10 years. The first was taken in 1801 under 41 Geo. 3, c. 15; that of 1891 on Sunday, 5th April, 1891, under the Census Acts, 1890 [53 & 54 Vict. c. 61 (England), c. 38 (Scotland), and c. 46 (Ireland)], and that of 1911 under the Census (Great Britain) Act, 1910 (10 Edw. 7 & 1 Geo. 5, c. 27), and the Census (Ireland) Act, 1910. The Census Act,1920, provides that a census maybe taken, if so directed by an Order in Council, at any time, provided that five years have elapsed since the last census, and provided that a draft order has been laid before Parliament for 20 days. The early Census Acts only got at the numbers, occupations, etc., by a series of questions to overseers, clergymen, etc. The Act of 1840 (3 & 4 Vict. c. 99), was the first to get at the name, etc., of every person in every house. The Act [s. 11 (3)] makes it penal for a person employed in the census to communicate, without lawful authority, any information acquired in the course of his employment.

Population, for a particular purpose, is sometimes expressly directed to be ascertained 'by the last published census for the time being'; see, e.g., Licensing (Consolidation) Act, 1910, s. 109.