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The 1828 Census - What it contains, how to use it, what to look out for (book version)
The significance of the 1828 Census is that is the only detailed census for NSW to survive in full to the present day.
Background
The Return forms were printed and were issued to each Bench of Magistrates whose responsibility it was to ensure that one was completed for each household and returned to the Colonial Secretary's office. A district Constable was accompanied to each household by a Clerk who actually completed all the details on the form from verbal statements submitted buy the householder or individuals questioned. Most returns reached the Colonial Secretary's office during November 1828 but some must have been arrived during 1829 as several people who did not arrive until early 1829 are included.
The Census contains 27,611 males and 8,987 females - a total of 36,598. It was estimated that runaway convicts and persons of no fixed abode and omissions did not exceed 2,000. The serving military personnel and their families are NOT recorded - who number approximately 2,550.
In many instances incorrect information was given to the Clerk sometimes deliberately and in other instances, particularly as regards year of arrival, through hazy recollection. Widely differing accents and the Clerks interpretation and literacy can also attribute to some information being recorded incorrectly. {Take a liberal approach to the possible variations in the spelling of surnames} When the returns were subsequently transcribed into bound volumes some errors also occurred.
The Census contains the following:
Main index = of names and details:
Appendix 1 = The information listed comprises the data that was contained in the original PRO and State Records columns but which could not fit into the main text of the main section of the book. It also contains editorial references which appear in the Remarks column, some of which also relate to Appendix 2 entries as well as additional data contained in wither the Pro or State Records volumes.
Appendix 2 = this lists the date of death of just over 400 men and women listing the and reason for some deaths. They are people who are listed in the Main Index and are indicated by a * against the Ref. No. They relate to some deaths from November 1828 up to March 1834.
Appendix 3 = This lists Land and Stock. - the total acres, those cleared, & cultivated, number of horses, cattle and sheep and other eg pigs. The land & stock listed under any particular reference entry may NOT belong to the primary entry but may belong to his employer or landlord. The land & stock also may NOT be the total of his/her holding. In cases where a person had more than one property, or was an absentee landlord or employer, his/her property may be listed under the names of his employees. This may be determined by consulting the Cross Reference Index and checking each reference entry listed = THEREFORE making it possible to list completely a landowners employees and his total Land & Stock holdings.
Index 1 = Lists all the surnames in the main index and as the main index is not in 'strict' alphabetical order it is essential to consult this Index.
Index 2 = Cross Reference. The main function of this is to list the names of every person found as the Employer. Its main value lies in the fact that it contains for names of a number of Employers who for some reason do not appear in the main Index. It allows you to find a full listing of the Employees and Land holdings of a particular employer or person. All the persons of a difference surname, living with a particular person may be identified.
The Main Index of the Census contains the following headings:
Name: Age: F/B, Ship, Year, Sentence, Occupation, Employer or Remarks, Residence, Ref Number
Name: The Census lists names in 'loose' alphabetical order and the names beginning with 'I' & 'J' are combined. Families are (in most cases) listed together - the beginning of a 'family' or 'household' is indicted by the letter 'F' in front of the householders age and the end of the group is indicated by the letter 'G' i.e. F= Family G=Group
Age = Self-explanatory although beware as some children under the age of 2 years are recorded incorrectly eg. 30 months old recorded as 30 years old.
F/B = Free or Bond. This will (in most cases) advise you if the person listed arrived free or as a convict. There are many abbreviations used, but the main ones are:
AP - Absolute Pardon: AS - Assigned: BC - Born in Colony: C - Convict: CF - Came Free: CP - Conditional Pardon: E - Emancipated: F = Free: FS - Free by Servitude: GS - Government Servant: P - Prisoner: TL - Ticket of Leave
Ship: Never assume that the ship name given is correct. Don't assume because of voyage number has been omitted that it implies it is the first voyage. Again many abbreviations are used eg. M. Cornwallis for Marquis of Cornwallis : E. Cornwallis - Earl Cornwallis.
Year: Many of the years of arrival noted in the Census do not correspond with the year that the ship actually arrived, and, as with the ship name, year of arrival was often incorrectly recollected by the informant.
Sentence: Mostly self-explanatory - giving number of years of original sentence whether the sentence had been completed or not. Other abbreviations are - Colonial Sentence, L- Life: NS - Not stated: R - Respite
Religion = All information has been abbreviated to one letter eg. C - Catholic: H - Pagan: I - Hebrew, J - Jewish: P - Protestant: S - Presbyterian: W - Wesleyan & Methodist: M- Malay etc
Occupation = Due to space restrictions a persons second occupation may not be listed in this main Index, but may be found in the remarks column or in Appendix 1. Unless specified, persons working on road gangs etc are not given an occupation and can be assumed that they were government labourers. There are some errors eg A Farmer listed as a Tanner and Sawyers as Lawyers. The Mineral Surveyors are in fact Labourers working for the Mineral Surveyors Department
Employer & Remarks: It is not always clear what the relationship was between the principal and the ancillary persons referred to in an entry and in some instances both the name of the Employer and Landlord are given. Government departments are shown as Employers eg Road Gang - 12 and Engineers Department. Reference should be made to the Cross Reference index.
Residence = Place names are not always abbreviated identically and the spelling of Property names may differ from the original spelling. Place names may also be spelt differently from those used today.
Reference Number = Every entry in the Main Index has its own number and those with an * before the Ref. No. indicates that ALL appendices SHOULD be consulted
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