The
census is here
The
census is here
Access all areas of Findmypast, including the 1921 Census
Uncover more family stories and surprises
Was your grandmother one of the first female racing car drivers? Or your grandfather one of the last mole catchers? The 1921 Census reveals where they were, who they were with and what they were doing one summer night a century ago.
The most extensive British census open to the public, this detailed snapshot of 38 million lives is available to search and view online at Findmypast. We're delighted to have been chosen by The National Archives to bring it to you.
Watch our handy video to see how easy it is to unlock incredible census stories. From pinpointing the right relative to tracing house history, this must-see guide will get you started and keep you on track.
After 25 years of searching for his records, I was delighted to find my grandad on the 1921 Census, stationed in India.
The 1921 Census helped me to break down the most life-changing of ‘brick walls’. I've discovered my mum's birth mother and family.
Thanks to Findmypast and the 1921 Census, we have an amazing picture of some of the people who also called our house a home.
Explore the full list of 1921 Census frequently asked questions for further information.
The 1921 Census of England and Wales is a population census taken in June 1921 and paints a picture of the population over 100 years ago. It holds information on every household, vessel, institution and overseas residencies that were part of England and Wales in 1921, plus the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Also included are merchant ships in the waters of England and Wales, all ships of the Royal Navy and army and, for the first time, Royal Air Force units stationed overseas. This includes units on occupation duties following the First World War, or based in territories newly under British administration as a result of the war, such as Mesopotamia (modern Iraq).
A full entry on a standard household schedule will contain:
Other types of schedule for institutions/prisons, merchant vessels, or the armed forces add some additional questions about function within the institution, and rank or trade rather than occupation for the armed forces. Schedules used in Wales and the Isle of Man include an additional language question, asking if each person spoke Welsh (or Manx), English, or Both, while the armed forces schedule asks additionally if the person can speak Welsh or Gaelic (in addition to English).
Yes. To search records from the 1921 Census of England and Wales you will need to have a free Findmypast account. Once signed up, you can access unlimited 1921 Census records with a Findmypast Everything subscription.
You can view unlimited records from the 1921 Census of England & Wales with a Findmypast Everything subscription.
Purchasing a Findmypast Everything subscription is simple:
After payment is taken, we'll send you an email confirming your purchase. That's it, your Everything subscription will be ready to use instantly so you can start exploring the 1921 Census straightaway.
You can also purchase 1921 Census records on a pay-per-view basis using Findmypast micropayments. To purchase using micropayments:
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You can search the 1921 Census of England and Wales for free on Findmypast. For unlimited access to the records, you’ll need a Premium subscription.
If you’re a new subscriber, you can find a yearly Findmypast Premium subscription here.
If you’re an existing customer on a lower-level subscription, you can upgrade to a Premium subscription. The remaining pro-rated value of your previous subscription will be discounted from your upgrade price.
For example, the price difference between a 12-month Essential British & Irish subscription ($159.99 US) and a 12-month Premium subscription ($299.99 US) is $140 US. Therefore, if you decide on the first day of your 12-month Essential subscription that you want to upgrade to Premium, the pro-rata price would be $140 US. If you have six months remaining on your 12-month Essential subscription, the pro-rated value is $70 US. The Premium upgrade price is now $140 US minus $70 US, meaning an upgrade cost of $70 US. Your price will be automatically shown when you upgrade your subscription.
For upgrades to a Premium subscription, a minimum price of $29.99 US is in place if the remaining pro-rated value of your previous subscription falls below this price. This also applies to subscriptions that have been purchased at a discounted price.
You can also view 1921 Census records on a pay-per-view basis using Findmypast micropayments. Viewing transcriptions costs $3.50 per record. Viewing images of the original records costs $4.90 US each. 12-month Ultimate British & Irish subscribers enjoy a 10% discount on all 1921 Census pay-per-view purchases.
When first viewing a record image within the 1921 Census of England and Wales, you will land on what would have been the back of the household schedule, the primary part of the record that was filled in by those within the household. To see any of the other images including Address information, click on Extra (Address).
Extra (Address) is located within the filmstrip. You will then see an option to view the Front of the household schedule which includes the address information.
If you have closed the filmstrip this can be reopened using the "Open filmstrip" button at the bottom of your screen, or for smaller screens at the top next to Options.
Remember, you can download each page with the download button in the Options menu.
If you need to view the original image again to find the Extra Materials, you’ll find it in My Records. Alternatively, you can search again and there will be a tick next to the image entry if you have already viewed it.
In Scotland, National Records of Scotland (NRS) takes responsibility for historical census data. Scottish 1921 Census records were collected on the same night as those in England and Wales but processed and stored separately. The digitized records from the 1921 Census returns for Scotland are available on a pay-per-view basis at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk and in the ScotlandsPeople Centre.
As with Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland conducted their own censuses separate from England and Wales. However, The 1921 Census was not taken in Ireland due to the Irish War of Independence. Censuses in Ireland and Northern Ireland were conducted in 1926.
As The National Archives’ digitization partner, Findmypast was the first genealogy website to offer access to the 1921 Census of England and Wales and offered exclusive access for three years. While it is now available elsewhere, Findmypast remains the original online home to search the 1921 Census, as well as view images and transcriptions of the records.
The 1921 Census online at Findmypast is free to view on the premises at The National Archives in Kew, at the Manchester Central Library, and at the National Library of Wales, in Aberystwyth.
There are no plans to provide access at The National Archives at Kew to the large volume of physical documents that make up the 1921 Census of England and Wales. Now that Findmypast has completed scanning every household schedule, and in order to preserve the highly delicate physical documents for future generations, the original paper census returns of the 1921 Census will be kept in secure storage by The National Archives. Findmypast’s intuitive search experience makes it far easier to explore the 1921 Census online.
