Marital status
P-17. What is [person's] marital status?
[] 2 Married monogamous
[] 3 Married polygamous
[] 4 Widowed
[] 5 Divorced
[] 6 Separated
[] 9 Unknown
26. Column P17: Marital status
(Is this person monogamously or polygamously married, widowed, divorced or separated, or never married?)
26.1 Persons who have never married including young children should be coded "1" (never married).
26.2 People who regard themselves as husband and wife should be coded "2" or "3" regardless of whether or not they have been through any civil, religious or customary ceremonies. The census is not trying to find out who is legally married and who is not. Accept the answer as it is given to you.
26.3 If a person is widowed at the time of the Census, he/she should be coded as "4", i.e. widowed. If a person has been widowed but has since remarried, he/she should be coded as married ("2" or "3" as the case may be).
26.4 If people think of themselves as divorced or separated, code them as such. It does not matter whether they have been to court or gone through other formalities. Accept the answer as it is given to you.
26.5 Accept what people say about their marital status. Do not embarrass yourself or the respondent by inquiring into the nature of marriage or divorce.