Statistics Sweden's circular letter
To all vicars and parish priests, except in Stockholm, regarding the general census to be taken on the 31st of December 1910
Regarding the coming general census the government [Kungl Maj:t] has on the 10th of June 1910 issued an ordinance regarding information about occupations for the census on the 31st of December (Swedish code of statutes 1910 number 67) and on the 30th of September issued an ordinance about information about occupations for the census on the 31st of December in the city of Gothenburg (appendix to the Swedish code of statutes 1910 number 63). The government has also through a letter to the Statistics Sweden on the 30th of September 1910 ordained:
That the census information for the entire country, except the city of Stockholm, should be provided, in accordance with the announcement of the 4th of November 1859, by vicars and parish priests in the form of extracts from the parish books of each parish.
That for parishes where the parish books is not ordered by place of dwelling but instead chronologically or alphabetically should, in addition to the extracts from the parish book, also extracts from the property register [fastighetslängd] belonging to the parish book be provided if it is deemed necessary.
That the extent of the census information should be the same as that for the 1900 census with the exceptions that an extract of the content in column 12 in the parish book should be provided and that information about a person leaving the church of Sweden no longer has to be recorded.
That the extracts from the parish books should contain extracts from the book over "non existent". The extracts should only contain those people that have been recorded, and not deleted from the records, during the period 1901 to 1910.
That the Statistics Sweden has to decide whether or not extracts from the property register belonging to the parish book should be provided by the parish. The Statistics Sweden should also take all measures, and give all instructions, that are necessary for the preparation and taking of the census.
That a provision for the taking of the census in the city of Stockholm, should be given after consultations with the office of the governor-general. [Överståthållareämbetet].
In order to ensure an as exact population number as possible the Statistical Committee has suggested that persons, who during the period 1st of January to 15th of March 1911 move to a parish having a certificate of moving issued during a preceding year, should in the moving in register be recorded under the 31st of December and thus be included in the census which pertains to the situation at the end of the year 1910. This request from the Statistical Committee has been approved by Statistics Sweden but not yet been formally decided on by the government.
As a result of the aforementioned government letter the Statistics Sweden hereby states about the 1910 census:
1. The census information for the entire country, except the city of Stockholm, should be provided by vicars and parish priests in the form of extracts from the parish book, showing the status at the end of the year, at 31st of December 1910, regardless of changes that has occurred after the aforementioned day. Children born in the year 1911 or persons moving in to the parish that year should not be included in the extracts, but people existing in the parish book before 1911 who have died after 1910 should be recorded as being parish members at the end of the year 1910. It should however be observed--that if the aforementioned request from the Statistical Committee will be approved by the government--that persons, who during the period 1st of January to 15th of March 1911 move to a parish having a certificate of moving issued during a preceding year, should in the moving in register be recorded under the 31st of December and thus be included in the extracts from the parish books.
2. The information should be recorded with the enumeration forms sent out by Statistics Sweden in November and December. One form for the extracts and another form for summations.
3. The extracts should be provided for every parish that has a parish book. When a deanery consists of several parishes new forms should be written for every parish. If a parish comprises of different municipalities or of parts of different counties, judicial districts or municipalities, extracts should be provided for each part of the parish, as if the parish part was a parish of its own. The same holds true if there within the parish is an "urban district" [municipalsamhälle] or "small town" [köping] that do not constitute a municipality of its own. The extract will in such a case get the following heading: "Extract from the parish book for Vallentuna judicial districts part of Vallentuna parish, Danderyds judicial districts part of Vallentuna parish, Liljeholmens urban district in Brännkyrka parish, Örby urban district in Brännkyrka parish, Brännkyrka parish (except urban districts)" etcetera. Each page should have a heading, containing the parish name. Each page should also be numbered in sequence.
4. The extracts should contain, in the proper columns, with few exceptions, the same information that in the decree of the 6th of August 1894 was stated for the parish books. Therefore almost nothing else is requested than the reproduction of the content in the columns in the parish book. The rules for filling out the enumeration forms is described here and in the following form filled out with an example. Of the 18 columns in the parish book only the columns 1,2,3,5, 7-8, 12 and 14 are in the enumeration form for the census.
5. For every page in the extracts from the parish book the number of households or "consumption units" should be summed up at the bottom of column 1. The number of persons (in columns 7 and 8) should be summed up at the bottom of the column. The total number of persons should be summed up at the bottom of column 14. (As a control it should be noted, as the page contains 50 rows for names, that the number of persons summated in column 14, together with the number of rows used for village names or other things sum up to the number 50.) When the sums of households and persons have been calculated they should be recorded in a special form (mentioned under paragraph 2) for summarizing the page sums to a total sum for the parish or parish part ("small town" etcetera).
6. In the aforementioned total sum all people recorded as living in the parish should be included. The sum should not include those listed as "remaining non existent". Regarding these there should at the end of the extract under the heading "remaining non existent since the years 1901-1910" be information noted about those who during the years 1901 to 1910 have been transferred to the "book over non existent" and not since then from that book have been deleted. The extracted information for these people should, as far as possible, correspond to the information in the parish book and also contain information about the possible place of residence outside the parish. For parishes where there are no remaining non existent persons from the years 1901 to 1910 the extracts should contain a specific note about this fact.
7. The correctness of the extract should be confirmed by the vicar or parish priest with a signature on the last page of the extract. There should also be a signature on the page of summations mentioned under paragraph 5.
8. The report "summary of population" [summarisk redogörelse för folkmängden] of the 31st of 1910 should be prepared in the usual way. If the calculated, and on row 8 in the form recorded, population summary is different from the population summary from the census the heading for the row should be altered to "Population at the end of the year should thus be" and below row 8 should an additional heading be inserted "Population according to the census" with a note of the true population from the census.
9. Given that the aforementioned request from the Statistical Committee is approved by the government the extracts from the parish book together with the corresponding summations and the in the royal decrees of the 10th of June and 30th of September 1910 described written recordings of information about occupations should be sent to the Statistics Sweden as soon as possible after the 15th of March and at least at such a time that the information can be received by the Statistics Sweden before the end of March. If a vicar finds it appropriate the extract from the parish book can be made before the 15th of March with the necessary additions added before it is sent to Statistics Sweden. At the same time as the census information the aforementioned population summaries for the year 1910 as well as the extracts from the books of births, marriages and deaths should be sent to Statistics Sweden. If the supply of enumeration forms for the year 1910 is not sufficient the vicar should as quickly as possible send a requisition of the necessary amount of forms to Statistics Sweden together with the in paragraph 2 mentioned forms. For extracts from the church books and population summaries for the year 1911 and subsequent years new forms will be send out without the need for a specific request.
2. The information should be recorded with the enumeration forms sent out by Statistics Sweden in November and December. One form for the extracts and another form for summations.
3. The extracts should be provided for every parish that has a parish book. When a deanery consists of several parishes new forms should be written for every parish. If a parish comprises of different municipalities or of parts of different counties, judicial districts or municipalities, extracts should be provided for each part of the parish, as if the parish part was a parish of its own. The same holds true if there within the parish is an "urban district" [municipalsamhälle] or "small town" [köping] that do not constitute a municipality of its own. The extract will in such a case get the following heading: "Extract from the parish book for Vallentuna judicial districts part of Vallentuna parish, Danderyds judicial districts part of Vallentuna parish, Liljeholmens urban district in Brännkyrka parish, Örby urban district in Brännkyrka parish, Brännkyrka parish (except urban districts)" etcetera. Each page should have a heading, containing the parish name. Each page should also be numbered in sequence.
4. The extracts should contain, in the proper columns, with few exceptions, the same information that in the decree of the 6th of August 1894 was stated for the parish books. Therefore almost nothing else is requested than the reproduction of the content in the columns in the parish book. The rules for filling out the enumeration forms is described here and in the following form filled out with an example. Of the 18 columns in the parish book only the columns 1,2,3,5, 7-8, 12 and 14 are in the enumeration form for the census.
5. For every page in the extracts from the parish book the number of households or "consumption units" should be summed up at the bottom of column 1. The number of persons (in columns 7 and 8) should be summed up at the bottom of the column. The total number of persons should be summed up at the bottom of column 14. (As a control it should be noted, as the page contains 50 rows for names, that the number of persons summated in column 14, together with the number of rows used for village names or other things sum up to the number 50.) When the sums of households and persons have been calculated they should be recorded in a special form (mentioned under paragraph 2) for summarizing the page sums to a total sum for the parish or parish part ("small town" etcetera).
6. In the aforementioned total sum all people recorded as living in the parish should be included. The sum should not include those listed as "remaining non existent". Regarding these there should at the end of the extract under the heading "remaining non existent since the years 1901-1910" be information noted about those who during the years 1901 to 1910 have been transferred to the "book over non existent" and not since then from that book have been deleted. The extracted information for these people should, as far as possible, correspond to the information in the parish book and also contain information about the possible place of residence outside the parish. For parishes where there are no remaining non existent persons from the years 1901 to 1910 the extracts should contain a specific note about this fact.
7. The correctness of the extract should be confirmed by the vicar or parish priest with a signature on the last page of the extract. There should also be a signature on the page of summations mentioned under paragraph 5.
8. The report "summary of population" [summarisk redogörelse för folkmängden] of the 31st of 1910 should be prepared in the usual way. If the calculated, and on row 8 in the form recorded, population summary is different from the population summary from the census the heading for the row should be altered to "Population at the end of the year should thus be" and below row 8 should an additional heading be inserted "Population according to the census" with a note of the true population from the census.
9. Given that the aforementioned request from the Statistical Committee is approved by the government the extracts from the parish book together with the corresponding summations and the in the royal decrees of the 10th of June and 30th of September 1910 described written recordings of information about occupations should be sent to the Statistics Sweden as soon as possible after the 15th of March and at least at such a time that the information can be received by the Statistics Sweden before the end of March. If a vicar finds it appropriate the extract from the parish book can be made before the 15th of March with the necessary additions added before it is sent to Statistics Sweden. At the same time as the census information the aforementioned population summaries for the year 1910 as well as the extracts from the books of births, marriages and deaths should be sent to Statistics Sweden. If the supply of enumeration forms for the year 1910 is not sufficient the vicar should as quickly as possible send a requisition of the necessary amount of forms to Statistics Sweden together with the in paragraph 2 mentioned forms. For extracts from the church books and population summaries for the year 1911 and subsequent years new forms will be send out without the need for a specific request.
Stockholm on the 17th of October 1910
LUDVIG WIDELL
E. Arosenius.
Instructions for filling out the enumeration forms
(Compare the following instructions with the attached example form)
On filling out the form for extracts from the parish book the following rules should be followed.
Column 1
a. Within the column called "Household or consumption unit" persons belonging to the same household or consumption unit should be kept together with a bracket and a one (1) before the household. People living by themselves should only be marked with a one (1).
b. If the parish book is kept by place of dwelling the names of villages or other places of residences (blocks or wards in cities) should be written on a special row and underlined.
c. If the parish book is not ordered by place of dwelling, but instead chronologically or alphabetically after names, should the aforementioned information about village, place of residence (blocks or wards in cities) be noted in the extract (in column 1 or in column 14) in the way considered most appropriate. In the cases where the necessary clarity can not be achieved an extract from the property register belonging to the parish book may be requested at a later time.
d. The list of persons should contain the full name of every person, with the given name before or after the last name according to the custom in the parish book. There should also be a note about the person?s position within the family, for example wife, son, daughter, the husband's son in his first marriage etcetera. Appropriate abbreviations may be used. The persons title, if it differs from what is stated in the occupation column (column 2), should also be recorded. There should also be a note stating, for persons not belonging to a foreign faith, if the person isn't baptized or not baptized by the church of Sweden. No person may occupy more than one row in the enumeration form.
Column 2
a. As occupation should be recorded the office or trade from which the person earns his living. Titles such as "master in law with court training", "doctor of philosophy", "juryman", "miss", "dowager" may not be recorded as occupations. Occupation should be recorded as accurately as possible in order to explain from what work the person gets his livelihood. Such designations as "director", "factory owner", "engineer", "craftsman", "bookkeeper", "machine operator", "stoker", "worker" should not be used without stating in what trade or in which company the person is occupied, instead occupation should be given as: "director of a joint stock company", "tobacco factory owner", "master painter", "merchant bookkeeper", "machine operator at a public bath", "match factory worker". The occupation statement should also describe if the person is self-employed or works as an employee. In the latter case designations such as "carpenter", "tin-smith" should be replaced by "carpenter journeyman", "tin-smith worker" etcetera. If someone has more than one occupation the main occupation is recorded. For a person who temporarily is out of work his latest occupation should be recorded. For a person who no longer works the former trade or office should be recorded with the addition of the letters "f. d." ("former"), for example "former captain in the royal navy", "former master shoemaker". For a widow who don?t have an occupation of her own the occupation of her deceased husband should be recorded, for example "shopkeeper widow". A person who gets most of his subsistence from the relief of the poor should be designated as "pauper". Occupations should be recorded also for wives and for other members of the household if they have an occupation, office or trade. For a person who has given a written statement about occupation, as described in the royal decrees of the 10th of June and the 30th of September, should in this column alongside the occupation designation also the number of the written occupation statement be recorded.
b. Foreign ethnicity, for example Finn, Sami, Roma, should be recorded. In the absence of any better principle the ethnicity can be determined from the language commonly used in the household.
c. For those persons that are in some way disabled it should be recorded if a person has epilepsy, is mentally ill (having been mentally healthy earlier), is an idiot (being mentally retarded from childhood), is blind or is deaf-mute.
Column 3 and Column 5
When recording birth year and place of birth the appropriate abbreviations can be used.
Column 7-8
For a correct distribution of sex and marriage status a one (1) should be put in one of these columns in accordance with the label in the column header. This applies also for infants.
Column 12
For a person who has taken Holy Communion [nattvard] within the church of Sweden the letter "n" is recorded in this column. For a person who has undergone confirmation [konfirmation] within the church of Sweden, but not taken Holy Communion within this church, the letter "k" should be recorded. For a person who has received confirmation education within the church of Sweden and is regarded ready, after completed confirmation, to receive Holy Communion the letters "kb" (ready for confirmation) should be recorded.
Column 14
Of the information that should be recorded in this column in the parish book the only information that should be included in the extract (with the exception of some cases of place of residence as stated in paragraph c) for column 1) are information about foreign religious belief, foreign nationality and absence. The following should be observed:
a. If information about foreign faith is recorded in a special part of the parish book, or in the property register, all information should be gathered and recorded in this column in the extracts, not only from column 14 in the parish book, but also from the other columns. As a member of a foreign faith should only be recorded a person who legally belongs to a foreign religious body, and for such a person it should be recorded the faith he or she confesses to.
b. Foreign nationality should be recorded as accurately as possible. Recording names such as "Germany" or "Austria-Hungary" is not sufficient. Instead a state should be recorded, for example "Prussia", "the kingdom of Saxony", "Hamburg", "Bavaria", "Austria", "Hungary", "Bosnia" etcetera.
c. If a member of the parish is absent for a long time from the parish the place of residence for the person should be recorded, if it is known, and also the persons occupation at the other place. Examples can be: "studying at the N.N. university or school", "admitted to the N.N. hospital or prison", "at sea" or something similar. In this column (column 14) it should also be noted if only one out of two spouses is present in the household. The other husband or wife, and his or her place of residence if it is known, should also be recorded in this column.
Regarding summation and the rules for filling out the form for "summary of summations" see the paragraph 5 in the circular letter.