Census enumerators’ returns
These were produced every 10 years and are available to view between 1841 and 1921. More recent ones are not available yet. This is a legal requirement to protect personal privacy. They list by name everyone resident in households on census night, usually a Sunday night in March or April.
The local studies library in the Derbyshire Record Office has complete returns for the county on microfilm from 1841 to 1901, while Chesterfield has them for northern Derbyshire, excluding the Glossop area. Other libraries have a more limited area around their home town.
Ancestry database
You can access AncestryLibrary.com at any Derbyshire library including the local studies library in the Derbyshire Record Office, for free. This contains census returns for the whole country from 1841 to 1911.
Find My Past database
You can access Find My Past.co.uk at any Derbyshire library including the local studies library in the Derbyshire Record Office, for free. This contains census returns for the whole country 1841 – 1921. The 1921 Census is not currently available for free in libraries. It is only available using pay-per-view access using personal Find My Past subscriptions. Viewing costs £2.50 for every record transcript and £3.50 for every original record image.
The 1921 census is also available for free at the National Archives at Kew, Manchester Central Library and the National Library of Wales.
Electoral registers
Early electoral registers only included wealthier people. It was not until 1928 that every adult had the right to vote. Nevertheless they can be of great help in researching individuals or families. The local studies library in the Derbyshire Record Office has some from the 1830s to 1840s for the county, but the main county set is in our record office. Some libraries, notably Chesterfield, have substantial collections of local registers.
Statistics for local history
Local studies libraries hold many statistics for the county. You can find out about everything from unemployment to rainfall figures. Population statistics are one of the most useful series. We produce population estimates and projections which update the latest census data.