[4d]

FreeCEN Field Descriptions

Spreadsheet
Column letter:
"Field" name 		Whether
Mandatory
Description & Rules
Header Information
Column A

Civil Parish

Yes
Up to 20 characters
This information is found top-left of each Census Page and is normally constant for an Enumerator.
Do not confuse with Ecclesiastic Parish which is at the right of this row.
Column B

Enumeration
District

Yes Up to three numerals + one optional suffix
This will be identified at the first page of the introductory pages to each Census District.
  • If there is no identifiable Enumerator Number then use zero.
    Note that "Enumerator =1" may not necessarily be the first District of a Census Piece.

    The suffix will be necessary if:

  • indicated alongside the Enumeration on the first page (as above)
    or
  • Institutions and Shipping

    NOTE: In the unlikely case of an Institution booklet being listed under "Enumeration District "2a", the Enumerator number would be entered as the numeral "2" and the "special situation" suffix added as below.

    • Enumerator
    Special
    Situations         		Yes
    "Institutions & Shipping"
    Certain categories may feature in a Piece but are not included on the "normal" returns.
    These normally come at the end of the piece, as different format reports without record of Enumerator number.
    The following number should be used as the relevant suffix
    1. Barracks & Military Quarters
    2. HM Ships, at Home --- See Supplementary Instructions [4d2]
    3. Workhouses & Pauper Schools
    4. Hospitals (Sick, Convalescent, Incurables)
    5. Lunatic Asylums
    6. Prisons
    7. Certified Reformatory & Industrial Schools
    8. Merchant Vessels & Lighthouses --- See Supplementary Instructions [4d2]
    9. Schools
    ... continued ...
    Enumerator
    Special
    Situations
    continued    		 Where
    Applicable    		 The schedules for Institutions & Shipping should be entered in the normal Folio Sequence

    SSCENS: Since no Enumeration District is identified on Institution pages, Column B should be entered as "0#3" (for a Workhouse).
    NOTE the need for the # sign, only with SSCENS entries!

    There will be no Schedule Numbers: Use "0" (zero).
    For Merchant Vessels, there may be no Page Numbers: Use "0" (zero)
    Some Institutions used a booklet in which each page has the individual lines numbered from 1 to 25: DO NOT type these numbers anywhere.
    "Relationship to Head" should follow the census detail (e.g. 'Passenger'), with any qualifying details (e.g. 'Master's Wife') being included in the Occupation field (Column Q), if room, or entered in the Notes field (Column Y).
    Note that for some Institutions it is not possible to maintain 'normal' family grouping; for example a Lighthouse Station which lists the staff first and then the various wives and children.
    When transcribing any Institution Booklet do not start a new Household for each person defined as "Head"
    An Institution is treated as a single household (even if a very large one) and as a single schedule number which may contain several "head", "wife", etc. Transcribe in the sequence that persons are recorded in the Enumeration.

    Column C

    Folio
    Number

    		Yes Up to four numerals + one alpha-suffix
    This is the number hand-stamped at the top right-hand corner of every odd-numbered page
    Folio Numbers start from 1 at the beginning of a Piece and progressively increase regardless of changes to the Enumeration District
    Sometimes pages were missed (the number may have been pencilled in later) or even whole books may not have been numbered.
    Suffix letters are very rarely found.
    If a Folio Number is missing from its normal position DO NOT type zero EXCEPT for the first Folio position of a Piece.

    SCT 1841 does not use Folio Numbering: enter zero.
    SCT only: Some Parishes are filed under "Book Number"
    Any Book Number should be recorded in the "Folio" field (which is otherwise set to zero)

    Column D

    Page
    Number

    		Yes Up to four numerals
    The Page Number is preprinted on the Census Pages (except for Shipping Schedules) and generally found at the top of the page
    Next Section[4e] - or Use [Browser Back] .
    Shipping: Supplementary Instructions [4d2]

    Jan2004