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Original poster

2021 Census

122 replies

LagneyandCasey · 10/03/2021 14:47

How may times have you been included in a census and is yours very different from 2011?

This will be my 6th! I'm nowhere near 60 though. I just squeezed onto the 1971 census.

Ours will be very different this time. A different address with two less of us living here.

OP posts:
MorePotatoSalad · 10/03/2021 14:54

Well I suppose this is my third but I don't remember the other two. I had moved back home in 2011 and it's possible no one did it. In 2001 I was 21 and had just left Uni - I don't remember what happened.

It was a bit short! I don't know why I was expecting an A4 paper asking about my lifestyle habits 😂.

Clear now that's not what it's about!

I also had to ring someone about the heating question (I live in flats with no gas) as there was no guidance Blush.

TheWoollybacksWife · 10/03/2021 14:59

Ooh interesting! Sixth census here too.

'71 - with parents and all siblings still at home.
'81 - same home - just me, parents and younger sibling.
'91 - own home with DH, no children
'01 - different home with DH and 2 children
'11 - different home with DH and 3 children
'21 - another different home with DH and 3 children

Original poster
LagneyandCasey · 10/03/2021 15:10

Interesting written down like that TheWoollybacksWife

1971 - Family home, two parents, two siblings
1981 - Family home, one parent, one sibling
1991 - Me and a flat mate
2001 - First marital home, dh, two dc
2011 - Second marital home, dh, three dc
2021 - Third marital home, dh, one dc

OP posts:
TheWoollybacksWife · 10/03/2021 15:15

If the census happened just a few weeks later in the year it would only record 1 dc here too @LagneyandCasey

SanJunipero · 10/03/2021 15:17

1991 and 2001 I was living at home with my parents. For the 2011 one I was living with my wife; we'd got married (well, civil partnership-ed) the day before the date of the census, and I was so pleased to be able to put that down as our marital status. For this one, I'll have to tick the 'widowed' box, which will feel very sad given how full of hope for our future I was at the last census. I also have our son and a new partner now, though, so I'm focusing on a different future.

ratspeaker · 10/03/2021 15:20

ours will be postponed until next year as we're in Scotland

Devlesko · 10/03/2021 15:22

This is my 6th and I'm so excited and can't wait.
My race is mentioned as an option.
We are standing up and being counted Grin
Romany and proud.

Findahouse21 · 10/03/2021 15:23

91 - living with parents and sibling
01 - same
11 - me and partner
21 - me, husband and 2 children

I am irrationally bothered about this because we are due to move a week after the census completion. So our information will be wrong for 9 years and 51 weeks and I find it very upsetting!!

HouseOfTheRisingMum · 10/03/2021 15:24

It’ll be my 5th although I’m currently still in my 30s (just!) I was born days before the 1981 census.
I had a temp job in 2001 delivering and hand collecting the census forms. I think I had to help people fill them in if they were having difficulties and also record addresses of people who were refusing. It was interesting as I had lots of older people in my patch and the area demographic had changed hugely over time. I remember one old man who lived in a small mews house alone. He was born there and told me that when he was a kid he lived there with his parents and 7 siblings. 5 boys in one small bedroom, 3 girls in another small room and his parents in the only downstairs room. The census data of that house over time would be fascinating.

2021 will be my first census in our current house and as a parent.

2011 married and just DH and me.

2001 living with my parents but brother had left home.

1991 Mum dad bother me.

1981 mum dad brother and me (less than 2 weeks old!)

usernotfound0000 · 10/03/2021 15:33

4th census here although only second that I remember.

1991 - child living at home, no recollection of it.
2001 - older teenager living at home, vague memory of DM completing it.
2011 - recently moved into rented accommodation with then DP (now DH).
2021 - moved house twice, got married and had 2 kids since the last one!

Original poster
LagneyandCasey · 10/03/2021 15:39

MorePotatoSalad

Have you done it already? You're supposed to do it on 21st March. Dh was itching to do it when the letter came but I said no in case one of us kicks the bucket before the 21st. Fingers crossed we make it!

OP posts:
peboh · 10/03/2021 15:43

I'd never heard of the census until this year, though I suppose it's technically my third.

usernotfound0000 · 10/03/2021 15:43

@LagneyandCasey

MorePotatoSalad

Have you done it already? You're supposed to do it on 21st March. Dh was itching to do it when the letter came but I said no in case one of us kicks the bucket before the 21st. Fingers crossed we make it!

I did ours last week, it wasn't made clear anywhere online really I should wait, it is only after I completed it that I read about it being the 21st. But I can't imagine much will change by next week.
TeenMinusTests · 10/03/2021 15:47

The guidance on the sex question changed yesterday in court.

The ONS really shouldn't have been encouraging people to fill it out early, people have accidents, or unexpected visitors.

BiBabbles · 10/03/2021 16:18

This will be my second - I immigrated too late for '01.

I'd just found out I was pregnant before the '11 one, so we've an additional child and our lodger in the same house (not for lack of trying to move these last few months...).

lockdownrainbow · 10/03/2021 16:20

1971 - wasn't born
81- was 3 with parents and brother
1991- different address - 13 - with parents and brother.
2001 living in different house with husband
2011- same as above

DinosApple · 10/03/2021 16:34

91 - vague memory of dad doing it.
01- vague memory of dad doing it.
11- Did it myself
21- Did it myself, but it glitched so need another try.

Can you imagine on the 21st the whole nation trying to access the same government website...Grin
I'm sure it said to fill it in as if it's the 21st though. It's not like people can stay overnight yet. And if someone died, or had an unexpected hospital stay, completing the census is the last thing I'd be worrying about!

Knittingnanny · 10/03/2021 16:58

61 aged 5
71 teenager
81 pregnant
91 pregnant
01 can’t remember, so busy with teenagers etc!
11 bizarrely can’t remember doing it on paper or online with just the 2 of us
21 just done it online

Interestingly for figure historians the 1921 on view last year is the last one til 1951 census. The 1931 was destroyed during the war and there wasn’t a census in 1941 so a big gap for family historians.

Knittingnanny · 10/03/2021 16:59

Future not figure

KindergartenKop · 10/03/2021 19:22

@Knittingnanny there is the 1939 register which recorded similar info though.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 10/03/2021 19:28

91- small child at parents house
01- teenager at parents house
11- not on it, was living in Germany
21- married, 2 children. (Will be 8&9)

We haven't received a code yet... When do we worry?

WinterHoliday · 10/03/2021 20:16

This will be my fifth. Nothing much has changed since the last one in 2011 which is a bit depressing in some ways. I'm still living on my own, no kids. I remember thinking that in ten years' time my life might be completely different. My occupation has changed though.

I have a vague memory of the 2001 census when I was back living with my parents after uni. My dad said I could fill it out and put myself as head of the household if I wanted to. I wish I had now! It would probably baffle some future generations doing our family history.

GrumpySausage · 10/03/2021 20:21

@Knittingnanny

61 aged 5 71 teenager 81 pregnant 91 pregnant 01 can’t remember, so busy with teenagers etc! 11 bizarrely can’t remember doing it on paper or online with just the 2 of us 21 just done it online

Interestingly for figure historians the 1921 on view last year is the last one til 1951 census. The 1931 was destroyed during the war and there wasn’t a census in 1941 so a big gap for family historians.

Oh that's interesting, I didn't know that. I've recently become fascinated with the census after doing some research into my family, and it's such a shame there'll be a big gap.
MorePotatoSalad · 10/03/2021 20:23

@LagneyandCasey

MorePotatoSalad

Have you done it already? You're supposed to do it on 21st March. Dh was itching to do it when the letter came but I said no in case one of us kicks the bucket before the 21st. Fingers crossed we make it!

Oh, oops. I logged into the website and did it. Keen! Grin
WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo · 10/03/2021 20:30

91 - family home. 2 parents, 3 dc.(I think dad was still at home in 91)

01 - family home. 1 parent. 3 dc.

11 - own (rented) home. Single parent. 2 dc.

21 - same as 2011.