Census in Denmark

Census In Denmark

Census taking in Denmark started in its modern form in 1769, and the next two censuses were taken in 1787 and 1801. Problems that arose during the implementation and tabulation of the first census demonstrate the difficulties in establishing an efficient administration of population statistics from scratch. By trial and error during the course of the first three censuses, the administration learned how to carry out and tabulate a census so that by 1801 census taking had reached a form that could be used for the rest of the 19th century with only minor changes and additions.

In Danish historical demography a distinction is made between enumerations of the population for taxation purposes (mandtal) and real censuses carried out to obtain information about the size and composition of the population (folketællinger).

Mandtal were frequent in the 17th and early 18th centuries and ranged from lists with just the names and occupations of household heads to a few examples of detailed lists of all inhabitants with their position in the household, civil status, and age. In the towns, magistrates took these enumerations, while in the rural areas they were done by local royal civil servants, who were part of the lens (fief) and, from 1660, the amts (county) administration.