11. What is (the respondent's) marital status?

Section B: For all Persons
Begin by saying, "I would like information on ALL people who stayed at this household on the census night. This information is on the names of the persons, their relationship to head of household, their age and sex, survivorship of their parents etc. It is important that you give me as accurate information as possible about each person".

Q11 Current Marital status
This question should be asked members of the household age 15 years and above.

A man and woman who live together and who so regard themselves as husband and wife should be recorded as married. Thus in the main, the answer must be accepted as given by the respondent and not to question the legal aspect of the marital status.

If a person has been widowed or divorced and has since re-married, s/he should be recorded as married. Co-habiting is a form of marriage.

Divorce does not have to have gone through the court or other formalities for it to be considered as such. Thus it is the respondent who defines his/her marital status.

Please note that "never married" is not equivalent to "single" as the latter include those who have never married and those who have been married but are currently divorced/separated or widowed. "Never married" strictly refers to those who have never entered any marital union.