[4c]

FreeCEN Field Descriptions

This section describes the necessary "rules" to ensure that FreeCEN maintains a uniform style and standards between the various counties and census years.
No-matter how much we try to define these standards there will always be specific situations which are not covered. Such situations should be clarified either with your Co-ordinator, or via the HELPERS mailing list.

Transcriptions may be conducted using entirely lower-case; the FreeCEN and Utility routines will change to upper-case where-ever required.

"Keyboard special characters" are not to be used for fractions, foreign accents, etc.
Welsh, or other non-English, words must be transcribed as written (apart from accents) and within the limits of available space! Do not attempt abbreviation, nor translation. Do not hesitate to flag queries and, if necessary, use the Notes field to write the full words.

Never enter a Question (Query) Mark (?) as part of a transcription - it may be used only in "Notes".
FreeCEN incorporates several "Query Fields" (which may be set to "x" to mark a doubt or query). See also "Notes & Comments" [7a].

While the requirements are constant for both INCENS or SSCENS transcription, the application differs slightly in that the conversion routine will "fill down" columns where necessary.
INCENS requires that all "mandatory" fields are entered before a record can be 'accepted'.

Note also that it is easy to enter too many characters into a spreadsheet cell. The conversion routine will simply clip these entries to the maximum permitted length, regardless of whether the remaining entry makes sense! Abbreviate [4j] where necessary.

A table, below, details the main features contained in the various Census Years and quick links to the information pages.

... continued ...

Information contained in Census Returns
(If data is not recorded, FreeCEN leaves the field empty, or with a hyphen)
.
1841
1851
1861
1871
1881
1891
Label and [Info link]
6/7 Jun
30/31 Mar
7/9 Apr
2/3 Apr
3/4 Apr
5/6 Apr
Registration Sub District
named in introduction pages
Civil Parish [4d]
yes
From 1851, the "Ecclesiastic Parish" is also named
Enumeration District No [4d]
defined in introduction pages
Folio Numbering (1) [4d]
stamped on alternate pages
Page Numbering [4d]
preprinted in top corner of page
Schedule Number [4e]
no
yes
Address [4e]
'place'
may detail house number and street name
Empty Premises [4e]
yes
Number of Rooms
no
yes (5)
Forenames & Surname [4f]
yes
Relationship to 'head' [4f] [4i]
no
yes
Married status [4f]
no
yes
Age and gender [4f]
(2)
yes
Occupation [4g] [4j]
yes
yes (6)
Birth County [4h] [4k]
(3)
yes
Birth Place [4h]
no
yes
Disability [4h]
no
yes (4)
Welsh spoken [4h]
no
yes (7)

Notes:
(1) SCT does not use Folio Numers!
(2) 1841: ages below 15 should be exact; above 15 to be rounded down to 5yrs.
(3) 1841: categories only for "this county", Ireland", Scotland" or "Foreign".
(4) Specific details differ in different years.
(5) 1891: "if less than five rooms". (Not recorded by FreeCEN).
(6) 1891: Extra columns for "Employer", "Employee" or "Neither ..."
(7) 1891: Option only for Welsh Census: "Yes", "No"," Both English & Welsh"

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27Nov2003