How times have changed
This week in 1841 saw the fifth census of Great Britain – the first full census in which all names were recorded. But how have things changed since then and 2011, when our most recent census took place?
| Then | Now | |
| Population of GB | 26.7million (England, Scotland and Ireland combined). The population of London, already the largest city in the world, was 1.58million | 63 million – with 8 million of those living in London (now only the 23rd largest city in the world) |
| Population of US | 17million | 310.5million |
| Life expectancy | 40.2 years for men, 42.2 for women. More than 70 per cent of the population was under 35. Out of every 1,000 babies, 150 died before they were one | 79.5 years for men, 82.5 for women. 66% of the population are aged between 15-64 |
| Average number of children per family | 5.5 | 1.7 |
| Baby names | The most popular girls’ names were Mary and Elizabeth. For boys it was John and William – a top four that remained unchanged for 50 years | Amelia and Olivia are currently the most popular names for girls, with Harry and Oliver at the top for boys |
| Literacy rate | Thought to be below 50%. 33 per cent of men and 44 percent of women signed marriage certificates with their “mark” as they were unable to write a signature | 99% at age 15 and above |
| Occupations | Manufacturing was the most dominant industry, accounting for 36% of the workforce, followed closely by services at 33%. The most popular occupation was domestic servant. 22% of people worked in agriculture and fishing | Services are the dominant industries in England and Wales with four out of five (81%) working people in this sector. Less than one in 100 people currently work in agriculture |
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