The Memorandum on the Census of British India of 1871-72 is a short document, around 42 pages of text, and 21 pages of tables which summarises the findings of the first attempt at a census of India made during the British Raj. This document has now [April 11, 2005] been updated to include the pages of tables which are on pages 43 to 63 of the original.

It is a concise summary of the findings of what attempted to be the first true census of India. There were, as the memorandum indicates, a number of problems encountered: in particular that it was not conducted simultaneously over the whole of India was probably the greatest shortcoming in the undertaking. However, it was a milestone in the development of the census of India and in many senses was the first real census of India. The memorandum also contains much which is indicative of the importance of the census in the creation of categories which became firmly embedded in the consciousness of later census makers, and in the colonial conceptulisation of India. It contains not only substantial amounts of numerical data on the matters enumerated but also delightful anecdotal details concerning India at the time.

The page numbering given here mostly refers to the print edition listed below, however the page numbering in the tables at the end is from another edition, actually printed as part of Hansard, in which the text was also printed as it was presented as a report to parliament.

Bibliographic Details:-

Title: MEMORANDUM ON THE CENSUS OF BRITISH INDIA OF 1871-72
Author: HENRY WATERFIELD
Publisher: EYRE AND WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE
Date: 1875
Place: LONDON