2011 Census

Average household numbers getting smaller, says census

Household sizes in England and Wales are now less than half what they used to be in the census year of 1801, figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal.

Average household size in the first census of 1801 was 5.6, in 1901 it fell to
5.1 and in the last census in 2001, it was only 2.4.

Being Christmas time, it means we now have proportionately fewer presents to buy and are finding uses for our left over turkey for a greater number of days after December 25 as we have fewer mouths to feed per household!

But do spare a thought for those living in England and Wales in 1801 - whose households on average were made up of over twice as many people!

In 1801 Santa Claus delivered presents to just 2 million households in England and Wales and in the same year census collectors, known as 'overseers of the poor', knocked on all of these doors to gather the information in person. In contrast in 2010 Santa will be climbing into the chimneys of around 26 million homes and on March 27 2011 all of these will have had census questionnaires delivered by post for completion and return.

Deputy Census Director Pete Benton said: "Census provides a fascinating snapshot of how we all live and how that changes over time. Census statistics are used for really practical purposes - like planning the right number of school places for all the children in a family."

Advances in technology since 1801, have also made our Christmas shopping much easier as we no longer have to battle through hordes of people surrounding market stalls and can instead choose to buy our presents on the internet and have them delivered directly to our front doors.

The 2011 census will also make use of technology and invites respondents to complete their census forms online for the first time.

The Office for National Statistics is employing 35,000 field staff to help carry out the 2011 census. There are a range of full and part-time roles still available with flexible hours ranging from 15 to 37 hours a week. A short-term role with census jobs could be the perfect way to pay off the Christmas credit card in the New Year.

Visit www.censusjobs.co.uk to apply for one of these roles.

Over the years census returns have uncovered some very festive or wintry sounding people's names:

• 1881 census - Winter Day
• 1901 census - Winter Frost
• 1891 census - Winter White
• In the 1901 census there were 639 people with the first name Christmas

These days there are a wealth of unique and wonderful names, but the information entered onto census returns in 2011 is strictly confidential and protected by law and will not be available to the public until 2111.
                                  

Average household sizes by county
|------------------------------+------+------|
|            County            | 1801 | 2001 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Bedfordshire                 |  5   |  2.5 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Berkshire                    |  5   |  2.5 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Buckinghamshire              |  5   |  2.5 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Cambridgeshire               |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Cheshire                     |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Cornwall and Isles of Scilly |  6   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Cumbria                      |  5   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Derbyshire                   |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Devon                        |  6   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Dorset                       |  5   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Durham                       |  6   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Essex                        |  6   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Gloucestershire              |  5   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Hampshire and the Isle of    |  6   |  2.4 |
| Wight                        |      |      |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Herefordshire                |  5   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Hertfordshire                |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Kent                         |  6   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Lancashire                   |  6   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Leicestershire               |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Lincolnshire                 |  5   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| London and Middlesex         |  8   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Norfolk                      |  6   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Northamptonshire             |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Northumberland               |  6   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Nottinghamshire              |  6   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Oxfordshire                  |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Rutland                      |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Shropshire                   |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Somerset                     |  6   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Staffordshire                |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Suffolk                      |  6   |  2.3 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Surrey                       |  6   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Sussex                       |  6   |  2.2 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Wales (counties not          |  6   |  2.4 |
| available)                   |      |      |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Warwickshire                 |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Wiltshire                    |  6   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Worcestershire               |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+------|
| Yorkshire                    |  5   |  2.4 |
|------------------------------+------+----

About the census

1.       The census provides an estimate of the population of England and Wales
and is carried out every ten years by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The information given is confidential and is protected by law.

2.       The statistics derived from the census underpin the allocation of
important funding for necessary services like education, transport and health.
They are also used by policy makers in central and local government to identify and understand the needs of communities.

3.       In March 2011 each household in England and Wales will receive a
questionnaire through the post.  The questionnaires can then be completed and returned by post or using the new secure online questionnaire.

4.       ONS is responsible for carrying out the census in England and Wales.

5.       National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out
in the Code of Practice for official statistics. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference. © Crown copyright 2010

6.       The 2011 Census will offer a wide range of fixed full and
part-time temporary employment opportunities across England and Wales. Roles will range from full time managerial positions, to supervisory roles and community based ones which involve interaction with the public. Details of these roles and how to apply can be found on www.censusjobs.co.uk. All the latest recruitment updates can be found by following us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/CensusJobs