The 1926 Census was the first census after the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. It was conducted by the Statistics Branch of the Department of Industry and Commerce under the Statistics Act 1926.
One hundred years after collection, personal information from census forms can be made public. The release of the 1901 and 1911 census data sparked a surge of interest in Irish genealogy.
This trend is expected to continue with the release of Census 1926, which will be published online and made freely available for searching in April 2026.
First Irish Free State census
Census 1926 holds a unique place in history as it was the first census conducted after the establishment of the Irish Free State. Taken on April 18, 1926, it provides a detailed snapshot of life in Ireland during that period.
Population
The 1926 Irish census recorded a population of 2,971,992, a decrease of 5.3% from the 1911 census.
Demographics
It collected data on age, sex, marital status, religion and the ability to speak Irish.
- 92.6% of the population identified as Catholic
- 18.3% could speak Irish
Occupations
The census detailed various occupations.
- 51% of the workforce was employed in agriculture
- 14% in manufacturing
- 7% as domestic servants
Housing
Information on housing conditions was also gathered, providing insights into the living standards of the time.
Census 1926 household returns
The 1926 census data is currently controlled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and has been transferred to the National Archives.
Census 1926 is stored in 1,299 boxes, containing over 700,000 return sheets. The returns are laced together in 2,494 canvas volumes each representing an enumeration area within each of the 26 counties. Census 1926 is made up of 21 data sets listed in Household Returns (A Form) and Enumerator Returns (B Form).
The Household Returns include:
- Name and surname
- Relationship to head of household
- Age
- Sex
- Marriage or orphanhood
- Birthplace
- Irish language
- Religion
- Occupation and employment: personal occupation and name of employer
- Information regarding present marriage required from married women
- Information regarding present and previous marriages required from married men, widowers and widows
- The total area in statute acres of all agricultural holdings (if any) situated in the Irish Free State of which persons usually resident in the household are the rated occupiers
Preparation for 2026 publication
In preparation for public release, Census 1926 returns are being catalogued by county. A programme of conservation is being undertaken to maintain the integrity of the original records.
Digitisation project
The digitisation project, supported by the government, aims to make this valuable historical data accessible to the public by 2026. This initiative will not only preserve the records but also make them searchable and free to access, offering a rich resource for researchers and the general public alike.
State-of-the-art, high-volume scanning equipment configured according to National Archives’ specifications is being used to digitise the returns. Intelligent automation is being used to transcribe the handwritten responses. This is followed by a process involving automated transcription, manual checking and correction, before exporting the transcribed data to a SQL database.