Most British and Irish pre-1841 census records have only statistical information. However, approximately 1400 returns have named individuals. The Early British and Irish Census Project (EBIC) brings all the information from those returns into one searchable, free-to-the-public database (ebc.byu.edu, will soon be ebic.byu.edu). The database covers the period before civil registration and the more comprehensive censuses. It helps researchers find early nineteenth-century and late eighteenth-century people who can be difficult to trace due to increased mobility and increased religious nonconformity.
Discount code: census25 (valid at Familytreewebinars.com)
Valid through: October 28, 2025
In this engaging webinar hosted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars, historian Amy Harris and student researcher Kyra Bryant introduce the Early British and Irish Census Project—a groundbreaking initiative from Brigham Young University’s Center for Family History and Genealogy. Designed to uncover and digitize pre-1841 census records, this project is transforming how genealogists and historians access and interpret early population data across England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. By reconstructing fragmented local enumerations once thought lost, the team is building a free, searchable database that already includes over 325,000 names—with an ultimate goal of one million individuals. For anyone tracing ancestors in the British Isles before official national censuses began, this work offers a vital new bridge between parish records and later civil documentation.
Key Takeaways:
A Rediscovery of Early Census Treasures: Harris and Bryant detail how their team locates, digitizes, and indexes thousands of parish-level census returns from 1801–1831 that uniquely list individuals by name. Scattered across more than 100 archives—and sometimes held in private collections—these records shed light on communities often missing from national datasets.
Innovative Collaboration and Methodology: The project blends academic rigor with student training, providing BYU undergraduates hands-on archival experience in the U.K. Each document is photographed, transcribed, verified, and entered into a sophisticated database that supports basic and advanced searches by name, place, occupation, and more—empowering both genealogical and demographic research.
Historical and Genealogical Impact: Beyond tracing family lines, the database enables broader social insights—such as women’s occupational roles, mobility during industrialization, and demographic shifts before civil registration. Harris emphasizes that this collection can illuminate family structures and local economies in ways traditional censuses cannot, particularly for those seeking to bridge the gap between 18th- and 19th-century records.
Viewers are encouraged to explore the Early British and Irish Census Project website, where the database is freely accessible and continuously updated as new records from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales are added. Engaging with the full webinar provides valuable guidance on using the site’s tools effectively and understanding the nuances of these early censuses.
Genealogists are also invited to delve into the syllabus resources accompanying the presentation—rich with research tips, record links, and further reading on early British population studies. Whether tracing a single ancestor or studying entire communities, this innovative project opens new pathways for uncovering stories long buried in Britain’s archival past.
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Syllabus
I’m new to this and I am not a member but I am becoming one as soon as I fill out this survey! We are planning a trip to Ireland in sept 2026 and you mentioned the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin. Thank you! We will definitely go there. Even though I could only listen to the Webinar it gave me hope I might be able to find information on my Great Grandmother and Great Grandfather. We have always hit a brick wall because my Great grandfather and his two brothers were orphans.
Absolutely wonderful! The presentation and Q & A were very insightful and helpful. Thank you so much for the work that you and the students are doing to make this information available.
A very interesting webinar. Clearly there is a huge amount of information to be found in the presentation. Thank you both.
the project is ideal to get students keen on and involved with history and genealogy.
Fantastic webinar, the information in the database is awesome and I can see it helping me in my research
Brilliant, I can’t wait to try it
What a great project! Very helpful and eagerly awaiting a resource I badly need for many projects, including example of Allington, Dorset. Well done.
It was interesting to learn about the project the speakers are working on and about the records they are using.