Although national censuses of Britain were taken starting in 1801, personal names were not recorded until the decennial census of 1841. However, prior to 1841, some parishes made occasional lists of their inhabitants that sometimes included information beyond names. These can be useful for genealogical research prior to 1841.

The records for Illington, Norfolk include a list of inhabitants prepared in 1801. In addition to each person’s name, their sex was recorded. The names were grouped by family, and a note on the list indicates that there were 11 families living in 5 houses. In total, there were 71 persons living in Illington when the list was created.… Continue reading