Find your ancestors in South Australia, Census 1841

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 1841 CENSUS

A census is a great source of genealogy data for anyone exploring their family history or building their family tree.

The following history should be noted in regards to these records:

The page numbering as outlined in this listing was created after the papers were transferred to the Archives from the Colonial Secretary's Files held in the Chief Secretary's Office in 1920. The records were originally held in geographical order. A typed index was created in 1949 and this has been widely used and is available at SA State Library, SA State Records and SA Genealogy & Heraldry Society Inc. On preparing this index a number of errors were discovered in this earlier version. Some interpretations of hand-written entries in the 1949 index vary from this one - these are noted in the Name Variants listing. While every attempt has been made to research these names in seeking clarification, the advantage of this index is that you can view the actual entry for yourself!

It is claimed in the preface of the copy held by SA State Library that page 81 (headed "Islington") does not seem to fit the pattern of the other pages - and indeed most names on this page can also be found on pp83, 85, 86 & 87. It is thought that this page could be the remnants of an earlier census. While some names appear as claimed on pp83, 85, 86 & 87, the tallies do not match (and so this theory needs to be treated with some caution). In light of this, an attempt has been made to link the names in the census with those in the following material:

• Register of Emigrant Labourers seeking Free Passage 1836–1841

• 1840 SA Directory

• 1841 SA Directory

• SA Births 1842–1906

• SA Marriages 1842–1916

• SA Deaths 1842–1915

• Biographical Index of South Australians 1836–1885 [BISA]

• Hotels and Publicans in South Australia

• Government Gazettes to 1842

This should enable the user to identify some of the occupants in households other than the head. The material in each biography only relates to the circumstances of the family up to the census. Therefore, later births, deaths etc. are not included.

Users are warned that only the most cursory research has been done and it is important that the material be confirmed if possible elsewhere as a fully accurate genealogy record.

Data provided by Graham Jaunay.

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