Introduction / The Island / Population

Health Warning

It is worthwhile to issue a few words of caution regarding figures derived for the population and the analysis of these.

While the actual number of the population is derived from the censuses and should be accurate, analysis of this by reference to percentages can vary quite a bit due to the small size of the population. One family moving to or from the island can make a considerable difference. A visiting relative on the night of the census could throw up a new surname.

Ages of adults were rounded down to the nearest five years for the 1841 census.

Places of birth should be treated with caution and it is not uncommon for a person’s place of birth to change from one census to the next. Accuracy was dependent in part upon the census enumerator but also upon the person giving the information. The same may arise for person’s age.

Subject to these caveats, the figures provided should provide some overall idea of the profile of the population.