Russian Empire Census - Organization

Organization

The census project was suggested in 1877 by Pyotr Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, a famous Russian geographer and chief of the Central Statistical Bureau, and was approved by Tsar Nicholas II in 1895.

The census was performed in two stages. In the first stage (December 1896 — January 1897) the counters (135,000 persons: teachers, priests, and literate soldiers) visited all households and filled in the questionnaires, which were verified by local census managers. In the second stage. (9 January 1898 ) the counters simultaneously visited all households to verify and update the questionnaires. Despite this being the only census they ever took, Historians were able to find out the Russian Empires population in earlier periods of time still from collecting city censuses.

The data processing took 8 years using Hollerith card machines. Publication of the results started in 1898 and ended in 1905. In total, 119 volumes for 89 guberniyas, as well as a two-volume summary, were issued.

The questionnaire contained the following questions:

• Family name, given name, patronymic or nickname (прозвище)
• Sex
• Relation with respect to the head of the family or household
• Age
• Marital status
• Social status: sosloviye (estate of the realm), rank or title (сословіе, состояніе, званіе)
• Place of birth
• Place of registration
• Usual place of residence
• Notice of absence
• Faith
• Mother language
• Literacy
• Occupation (profession, trade, position of office or service), both primary and secondary

In the census summary tables, nationality was based on the declared mother language of respondents.

• The first page of a census form from Kiev Governorate.

• The second page of a census form from Kiev Governorate.

• The third page of a census form from Kiev Governorate.

• A description page for a census form from Kiev Governorate.