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Where can I find census records?

Local and family history A-Z > Censuses

Online

  • You can search all England and Wales censuses 1841 - 1911, in person, free at the Ancestry Library Edition web site, available in all Bedfordshire libraries
    Ancestry are offering library members access to the Library Edition from home until the end of August 2020.
    Click here to log in with your library card number and PIN.
  • The only full census you can search free on the open web is the 1881 census, available on the Familysearch web site
  • There is also a site called FreeCEN which is entirely free, both to search and to view records, but it is not yet comprehensive
  • Links to census sites available in Weblinks

1841-1901 Bedfordshire census on microfiche/microfilm

1901 Bedfordshire on microfiche/film

1841 - 1901 Local areas on microfiche/film

Please note that information in census returns on microfiche and microfilm is arranged by area and street, not by name

Click on the place names below to see which libraries hold the census records for each place:


Page last updated: 26th June 2020