The 1851 Census: Discovering the Families of Victorian Swansea
The 1851 Census: Discovering the Families of Victorian Swansea Swansea Family History Revised and expanded: November 2026 Introduction: Swansea Ten Years Later On Sunday, 30 March 1851 , the people of Swansea were counted as part of Britain's sixth national census. Ten years had passed since the census of 1841, and Swansea was continuing its transformation into one of the most important industrial towns in Wales. Copper smelting, coal mining, shipping and commerce attracted families from neighbouring parishes, other parts of Wales, England and Ireland. Swansea's streets and industrial settlements were home to an increasingly diverse population. The official census figures reveal the scale of the changes taking place during this period. Between 1841 and 1851, the population of England and Wales increased by more than two million people, while Glamorganshire experienced particularly rapid growth. For family historians, the 1851 Census represents an important step forward. It prov...
