The French population censuses: Purposes and uses during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries

Abstract

From the mid-17th until the beginning of the 20th century, French censuses became increasingly more frequent and organized. This article focuses on the purposes of the first censuses (military), how the population was conceived of, and what variables were collected. The main characteristics of included individuals, the data considered important during each period, and the major categories chosen are examined. Also included are the evolution of reasons for knowing the precise age of individuals and how age groups were standardized because these aspects are closely linked to census operations. Finally, we will see how censuses have been used to obtain an overview of the population and, during the 19th century, how they were central to the discussion of the decline in fertility and, more generally, the changes occurring in the French population. How each new question led to the invention of a new variable and how data were presented is also examined.