1939 England and Wales Register

On 29th September 1939, following the outbreak of the second world war, the population of England and Wales was surveyed. The information collected was used to issue identity cards and ration books, and to co-ordinate the direction of labour and conscription into the armed forces. To this day, it remains the only surviving survey of the population between 1921 and 1951 because the census of 1931 was destroyed in a fire during the second world war and there was no census in 1941. Therefore, it can be an important source of information for family historians and researchers, offering a unique insight into the lives of millions of people.

Recorded details

It recorded the names, dates of birth and occupations of the population, as well as gender and marital status. It also recorded whether individuals were in hospital, an asylum or prison. The letters O, V, S, P and I, were used to record if individuals who were an Officer, Visitor, Servant, Patient or Inmate.

The register has come to act as a supplementary census, especially as the records of the 1931 census were destroyed during the second world war and there was no census in 1941 due to the ongoing conflict. It contains around 7000 volumes and the details of more than 45 million individuals. Separate registers record the details of individuals born after 29th September and those of individuals who arrived in the country after that date. These registers are not yet publicly available.

Exclusions

The register does not include the details of any members of the armed forces who were on leave, even if they were staying in the house on the night of 29th September. Civilians at military bases were also not recorded.

Updates

After the war, the records remained in use and were updated throughout the period of National Registration. In 1948, the records became the Central Register for the newly created National Health Service. The NHS continued to update the records until 1991 when paper record keeping was abandoned in favour of digital technology.

Notification of changes of name and address were required under the National Registration Act. Most changes of name that occurred between 1939 and 1991 are therefore recorded in the register. If a woman married between these dates, then the records were amended to show changes to her surname. Changes of address do not appear in the register, as these were recorded at the local level instead of the national level. However, not all changes were notified, especially when there was no legal requirement to do so following the end of the National Registration Act in 1952.