1851 New Zealand census
| First census of the Colony of New Zealand | |
|---|---|
 1851 census "Blue Book" statistics for "New Munster" (South Island). | |
| General information | |
| Country | Colony of New Zealand, British Empire |
| Date taken | 1 November 1851 |
| Total population | 26,707 |
| Most populous district | Auckland (9,430) |
| Least populous district | New Plymouth (1,532) |
The 1851 New Zealand census was the first national population census held in the Crown colony of New Zealand. The day used for the census, was Saturday 1 November 1851. The enumeration was left to the governments of New Ulster and New Munster, the two provinces into which the country was then divided and was ordered by the Census Ordinance of 1851.[1] The census, which was confined to Europeans, revealed a population of 26,707.[2]
Summary
General Census of 1851
- December 1851. (Reports appeared in Auckland Provincial Government Gazettes, 1853 and 1854.)[3]
Data availability
The Blue Books were statistical information from New Zealand's early Colonial period (1840–1855). They have information about population, revenue, military, trade, shipping, public works, legislation, civil servants, foreign consuls, land transactions, churches, schools, and prisons.[4]
Population and dwellings
Population counts for the New Zealand districts. The original six were Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago, though in 1858 New Plymouth was renamed Taranaki.
| District / Settlement | Males | Females | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Province of New Ulster | - | - | 17,371 | 65.0% |
| Auckland | ||||
| Auckland | 5,282 | 4,148 | } 9,430 | 35.3% |
| Windsor (near Auckland) | ||||
| Bay of Islands | ||||
| Hokianga | ||||
| Smaller settlements | ||||
| New Plymouth | 845 | 687 | 1,532 | 5.7% |
| Wellington | 3,613 | 2,796 | 6,409 | 24.0% |
| Province of New Munster | - | - | 9,336 | 35.0% |
| Nelson | 2,317 | 1,970 | 4,287 | 16.1% |
| Canterbury | ||||
| Akaroa | 1,965 | 1,308 | } 3,273 | 12.3% |
| Rest of province | ||||
| Otago | 1,013 | 763 | 1,776 | 6.6% |
 | 15,035 | 11,672 | 26,707 | 100.0% |
| Source: Dominion Population Committee (Reports of the)[5] Blue Books: 1840-1855 Archives New Zealand[6][7] | ||||
Birthplace
Population by country of birth:
| Country | Population |
Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
.svg.png){kind=small} | New Zealand | - | 12.3% |
| Total - Overseas-born | – | 87.7% | |
 | England | 13,485 | 54.8% |
 | Scotland | – | 12.7% |
| Ireland | – | 16.5% |
.svg.png){kind=small} | Wales | – | 0.4% |
| Totals, British Isles | – | 84.4% | |
| Other | – | 3.3% | |
| Colony of New Zealand | 26,707 | 100.0% | |
|
Source: Statistics New Zealand[8] | |||
Religion
Members of Christian denominations formed 93.35 per cent. of those who made answer to the inquiry at the census; non-Christian sects were 0.24 per cent.; whilst “other” religions constituted 6.41 per cent.
| Denomination | 1851 Census | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | |||
| Christian | 24,930 | 93.35% | ||
| Church of England | 14,179 | 53.09% | ||
| Presbyterians | 4,124 | 15.44% | ||
| Methodists | 2,755 | 10.31% | ||
| Baptist | 400 | 1.50% | ||
| Totals, Protestant | 21,458 | 80.34% | ||
| Roman; Catholic | 3,472 | 13.00% | ||
| Jews | 65 | 0.24% | ||
| Other specified religions | 1,712 | 6.41% | ||
| Grand total, Colony of New Zealand | 26,707 | 100.0% | ||
| Source: Religion in New Zealand.[9] | ||||
Numbers of livestock
Showing the numbers of livestock in the possession of Europeans in the several settlements in 1851.
| Settlement. | Horses | Mules and Asses | Horned Cattle | Sheep | Goats | Pigs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 1,035 | 11 | 10,943 | 11,075 | 2,604 | 5,679 |
| New Plymouth | 68 | - | 1,395 | 2,700 | 83 | 1,165 |
| Wellington (incl Hawkes Bay) | 788 | 28 | 11,407 | 64,009 | 2,654 | 3,135 |
| Nelson | 532 | 13 | 5,838 | 92,014 | 5,842 | 2,609 |
| Canterbury | 224 | 7 | 2,043 | 28,416 | 356 | 1,255 |
| Otago | 243 | 1 | 3,161 | 34,829 | 582 | 2,371 |
| Totals | 2,890 | 60 | 34,787 | 233,043 | 12,121 | 16,214 |
|
Source: 1851 Census of New Zealand.[10] | ||||||
References
- ↑ Government Gazette 1851 "An Ordinance for taking a Census of the Colony of New Zealand"
- ↑ A history of census-taking in New Zealand Early population counts
- ↑ Chapter 2: Early Statistical Sources – 19th Century Statistical Publications
- ↑ Blue Books: Statistics Information 1840 – 1855 Archives New Zealand. Download: (New Munster – Population – Page 133)
- ↑ DOMINION POPULATION COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE) (Mr. James Thorn, Chairman)
- ↑ Blue Books: Statistics Information 1840 – 1855 Archives New Zealand. Download: (New Munster – Population – Page 133)
- ↑ Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives of New Zealand By New Zealand. Parliament. House of Representatives
- ↑ Loyalism and the Formation of the British World, 1775–1914 By Allan Blackstock, Frank O'Gorman
- ↑ Religion in New Zealand Census data
- ↑ Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives of New Zealand 1851–1861 Census of New Zealand. (Page: 12)
