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What is the census?

A census is a count of all people and households in the country. We have one in the UK every ten years to find out more about who we are as a nation.

Sunday 27 March was 2011 Census Day. In the weeks leading up to this day the Office of National Statistics (ONS) sent out questionnaires for around 25 million households to complete. The questionnaires asked about work, health, education, religion, national identity and so on, and could either have been sent back via post or completed online.

The census statistics produced using these questionnaires by ONS give a picture of our society, which allows for careful decision making tomorrow and for the future.

 

Why does it affect me?

Each census leaves a legacy: the facts and figures that help determine billions of pounds worth of funding for public services that matter to you, your children and your grandchildren. This is your chance to help shape your community for tomorrow.

Bournemouth Borough Council, like all local authorities in England and Wales, relies on census population statistics to identify local needs for public services. Services such as health, education and transport can be properly planned and funded based on these needs. Each council will receive a set amount of funding, per person, per year, from central government, based on how many and what kind of people the census shows live in our area.

Every person counts - this is Bournemouth’s only chance to get it right for the next decade. We need to make sure our communities don’t miss out on millions of pounds of much needed funding for public services.

 

What happens to the information I provide?

Everything you tell the census is strictly confidential and protected by law for 100 years. ONS will not share your personal information with any other government departments or organisations.

 

Census Family History

Aside from many present and future benefits, the census has the power to unlock the past. Census records are made public 100 years after they are collected. This marks the beginning of a journey for thousands of people to discover the lives, loves and lifestyles of their ancestors. Everyone’s journey into the past will tell a different story.

For more information, see the Census Family History| page.

 

Quick facts:

• The first census of Great Britain was conducted by John Rickman on 10 March 1801, revealing a total population count for England and Wales of 9.3 million
• A census has been carried out every ten years since (except for 1941 due to the Second World War)
• By 2001, the population of England and Wales had grown to over 52 million
• The 2001 census recorded Bournemouth’s population as 163,444 - an increase of 12,139 since the 1991 census.

 

More information on the previous census results for Bournemouth can be found here:

Bournemouth Census 2001|