Learning more from historical census data

The CSO’s Historical Statistics Recovery (HSR) initiative is focused on digitising and making accessible historical data from various sources, including the Census of Ireland, 1911.

The key objectives of the project, which has been running since 2022 are focused around the pillars of digitisation, accessibility and analysis.

The HSR initiative works with the statistical reports from the Census of Ireland, 1911, which were originally published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). These reports provide detailed insights into various aspects of the census data, including wealth, poverty, literacy, and more.

The project takes these documents, which are in paper format, and digitises them so that they can be downloaded, interacted with and explored. The tables are set up with a common coding structure so that they can be linked together and the various statistics combined to give greater insights into life in Ireland back then. There are accompanying maps where the data can be visualized and explored down to District Electoral Division level.

The published statistical reports can be accessed online through the CSO’s website under the Census of Ireland 1911, Original Reports section.  These 33 reports, one for each county and the General Report have been scanned and made available as part of the HSR initiative, ensuring that they are accessible to the public for research and educational purposes.

The HSR team has also published a series titled “Stories from Census” on the CSO website, which highlights themes from the census and brings this treasure trove of data to life, providing fascinating insights into wealth, poverty, and literacy in Ireland in 1911.

We invite you to visit the CSO Historical Statistics page on the National Archives of Ireland website. Here, you can find links to the original census forms and additional contextual information that enhances your understanding of the data. This collaborative effort between the CSO and the National Archives ensures that you have access to a comprehensive and engaging collection of historical data.