To say the English, Welsh and Scottish census records are important for genealogists researching your ancestors from England, Wales or Scotland is truly an understatement. The English, Welsh and Scottish census records provide invaluable information in finding members of the same family, their sex, address, occupations, marital status and where they were born.

It is useful for researchers to know exactly the date each UK census was taken, as it can help with knowing where someone was (or wasn’t), as well as knowing peoples ages.

* United Kingdom Census 1801 – Tuesday, 10 March
* United Kingdom Census 1811 – Monday, 27 May
* United Kingdom Census 1821 – Monday, 28 May
* United Kingdom Census 1831 – Monday, 30 May
* United Kingdom Census 1841 – Sunday, 6 June
* United Kingdom Census 1851 – Sunday, 30 March
* United Kingdom Census 1861 – Sunday, 7 April
* United Kingdom Census 1871 – Sunday, 2 April
* United Kingdom Census 1881 – Sunday, 3 April
* United Kingdom Census 1891 – Sunday, 5 April
* United Kingdom Census 1901 – Sunday, 31 March
* United Kingdom Census 1911 – Sunday, 2 April (Scottish Census due 2011 – see below)
* United Kingdom Census 1921 – Sunday, 19 June (publication date 1 January 2022)
* United Kingdom Census 1931 – Sunday, 26 April (destroyed during World War II)
* United Kingdom Census 1939 – Friday, 29 September World War II National Registration (publication date 1 January 2040)
* United Kingdom Census 1941 – no census taken due to World War II
* United Kingdom Census 1951 – 8 April (publication date 1 January 2052)
* United Kingdom Census 1961 – 23 April (publication date 1 January 2062)
* United Kingdom Census 1971 – 25 April (publication date 1 January 2072)
* United Kingdom Census 1981 – 5 April (publication date 1 January 2082)
* United Kingdom Census 1991 – 21 April (publication date 1 January 2092)
* United Kingdom Census 2001 – 29 April (publication date 1 January 2102)

So, while 1911 Census for England and Wales was made available at the start of January 2009, the Registrar General for Scotland does not plan to release the Scottish 1911 Census information until just after the date of the 2011 UK Census (27 March 2011), by which time “the 100 year closure period will have ended”.