A census is a government-mandated count of the population residing in a specific geographic location. Besides recording the number of inhabitants, the census typically collects significant data. The United Kingdom has conducted a census every ten years (except in 1941 during WWII) since 1801.
Starting in 1841, detailed lists were created featuring the names of all residents of England and Wales. By 1851, the census schedule included personal information such as full name, age, gender, occupation, address, relationship to household head, marital status, and exact town or parish of birth.
This resource contains all the information that you would typically find on a census page. By knowing the specific town or parish where an individual was born, you can trace their movements and locate the appropriate entry in civil registration or parish registers.