Census & musters guide

​Historical background

Population Surveys

The first systematic survey of the population of the New South Wales settlement was made in 1795 when Governor Hunter called a muster. Until 1828 when the first census was held, musters were used to number people and to note whether they were victualled (received provisions) from the Government, as a means of assessing whether the Colony would be able to maintain itself without assistance from the public stores, and as a control over the convict population. Prior to 1795 returns giving the population count at Sydney and Norfolk Island appear to have been compiled and sent back to England for the years 1791, 1792, 1793 and 1794. Unfortunately, copies of those returns do not appear to have survived. The earliest muster to survive appears to be the 1800 Settlers Muster, which along with the 1788 Victualling book and the 1792-96 Norfolk Island Victualling book, constitute the earliest records of this kind for the Colony.

Musters

General musters which included all the inhabitants of the Colony appear to have been held annually between 1795 and 1825 and different classes of musters were taken at different times more frequently. The other classes of musters included settlers musters, musters of livestock, musters of convicts, or specific ones that included only males, females or children or convicts per a certain ship. A general muster was usually supervised by the Governor or the Lieutenant Governor and always an officer of the Commissary who was responsible for the collection of land and stock returns. In the dependent settlements musters were taken by the Lieutenant Governor or the Commandant. In 1820 the procedure was changed and, in the hope of greater accuracy in the returns, the Magistrates were instructed to supervise and receive the returns for their respective districts. In 1821 the Governor again personally supervised the muster, probably owing to the inaccuracy of the 1820 Muster. However, in a proclamation dated 15 August 1822 Governor Brisbane ordered that the Magistrates again supervise the muster.

Censuses

The first census was held in November 1828 after it was found that a Governor had no right to compel free men to come to a muster. Although the census fulfilled the same functions as the muster, there were some differences. It was taken by specially appointed collectors, generally responsible to a Commissioner or a Bench of Magistrates, who completed printed forms for each household in the territory allotted to them. After the census the magistrates were instructed to check the returns and send abstracts to the Colonial Secretary. The returns were then gathered together, statistics extracted and the final returns made.

Censuses were held thereafter in 1833, 1836, 1841, 1846, 1851, 1856, 1861 and then every ten years to 1901. The relevant Act passed for each census is listed below. Unfortunately, records of individuals' names are available only for the 1841, 1891 and 1901 censuses.

The military were not enumerated (recorded) with the rest of the inhabitants in the censuses of 1828, 1833 and 1836, although their wives and children were probably included in the total population. Separate military returns may have been submitted to the Home Office.

The 1841 census showed a marked advance over all preceding enumerations, the population being taken in police districts, counties and towns. The tabulation of results was more scientific. The results included age groups, conjugal condition (married or unmarried), religious denomination and civil condition. Civil condition provided statistical information on the number of bond (convict) or free males and females in a household, whether they were born in the colony, arrived free, held a ticket of leave, and whether they were in government employment or private assignment.

The 1891 census was the second time that the enumeration of the inhabitants of the British Empire was made on the same day (1881 being the first). The date of the 1891 census, 5 April 1891, was determined by the British Government for the United Kingdom, India and the Crown Settlements, and was assented to by the various independent colonies.^[1]

The 1901 census, taken on 31 March 1901, made provision for:

the taking of a census of New South Wales in 1901, and for
obtaining certain statistics and certain particulars relating to
livestock and crops, and the occupations for the said and
subsequent years; and for purposes incidental to or consequent
on the aforesaid objects.'

The above description suggests that the 1901 census may contain a wealth of information about the people of NSW, their occupations, land held and information regarding the produce of the land. Unfortunately, the only records created under the census that have survived are the Collectors' Books for household returns.

[1] T.A. Coghlan, General report on the Eleventh Census of New South Wales, Government Printer, Sydney, 1894, p.7.

Common Abbreviations

NSW Population Musters

NSW Census

Additional Records from The National Archives UK

Copies of records from The National Archives UK (formerly Public Record Office London).

Other muster and census records

• 1800 Settlers Muster Book Original [Parliamentary Library Safe RQ/SET/1] Transcription by T.D. Mutch [ML A4413]. Original located at Parliament House. However, there is an index and a copy in the Mitchell Library. (N.B. This volume is included in the 1800-02 Musters and Lists New South Wales and Norfolk Island, published by the ABGR)

* The following records concern the administrative arrangements of the various censuses and do not include returns of the names of individuals.

• NRS 1276, 1833 *Census [4/1242.3] Abstract of Returns. Arrangement: alphabetical by district
• NRS 1277, 1833 *Census [4/l242.4], [4/1242.5] Tables of Returns. Arrangement: alphabetical by district
• NRS 1278, 1833 *Census [4/1242.6] Working Papers
• NRS 1279, 1836*Census [4/1242.7] Abstract of Returns
• NRS 1280, 1836*Census [4/1242.8] Working Papers
• NRS 1283, 1856*Census [4/6846.2] Papers relating to forms
• NRS 1284, 1861*Census [4/1696] part Register of Letters received re Census, 1861-63
• NRS 1284, 1871*Census [4/1696] part Register of letters received re Census, 1870-71

Printed sources of muster and census records

1800-02 Musters and Lists New South Wales and Norfolk Island, 1800-02 COD 503A&B (multiple copies)
ed. by Carol Baxter. ABGR in association with the Society of Australian Genealogists, Sydney, 1988.

1805-06 Musters of New South Wales and Norfolk Island COD 509A&B (multiple copies)
ed. by Carol J. Baxter. ABGR in association with the Society of Australian Genealogists, Sydney, 1989.

1806 Muster of Female Convicts
Compilation by the ABGR Project based on the Home Office Population Muster, 1806 [HO 10/37] PRO Reel 72

• Alphabetical by name COD 479
• Alphabetical by ship COD 480

1811 General Musters of New South Wales, Norfolk Island and Van Diemen's Land COD492A-C (multiple copies)
ed. by Carol J. Baxter. ABGR in association with the Society of Australian Genealogists, Sydney, 1987.

1811 Population Muster COD475
Transcript of the Colonial Muster for Van Diemen's Land Norfolk Island, 1811, [4/1233], Reel 1256. Transcribed and ed. by Neil Chick, University of Tasmania Demography Project, 1984.

1822 General Muster and Land and Stock Muster of New South Wales COD 504A&B (multiple copies)
ed. by Carol J. Baxter. ABGR in association with the Society of Australian Genealogists, Sydney, 1988.

1823-25 General muster list of New South Wales, 1823, 1824, 1825 COD 550 (multiple copies)
ed. by Carol J. Baxter. ABGR in association with the Society of Australian Genealogists, Sydney, 1999.

1828 Census of New South Wales, November 1828 COD 245&246 (multiple copies)
edited by Malcolm R. Sainty and Keith A. Johnson. Library of Australian History, Sydney, 1980.

1837 General Return of convicts in New South Wales, 1837 COD 494-5 (multiple copies)
ed. by N.G. Butlin, C.W. Cromwell, K.L. Suthern. ABGR in association with the Society of Australian Genealogists, Sydney, 1987.

1841 Census COD 107
Index to Port Phillip returns compiled by M. J. Morgan.

1844 Population Muster COD 2 (SRC)
This is a handwritten return of convicts on Norfolk Island, August 1844 (Copy of original in the Archives Office of Tasmania)

Commercial directories such as the Sands' Directory may also provide useful information. Sands' Directory is available in our reading room and in many public libraries. The Electoral Rolls Guide may also provide additional sources for research. See also the Convict Guide under the headings of Musters, Tickets of Leave and Rations for additional records.