THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS
Population Structure
Poland’s population statistics are largely influenced by its political history. During the nineteenth century Poland
was divided between Russia, Prussia, and Austria–Hungary. Thus, population statistics before the First World
War are included in these countries’ statistical publications. Nevertheless, there are huge differences in amount,
frequency, and detail of population statistics. Prussian statistics are very detailed, regular, and comprehensive,
but for Russia there was only one well-documented population census in 1897.
Population statistics dealt with here refer to independent Poland after World War I. There were only two
population censuses during the inter-war period in 1921 and 1931. During this period the territory remained
rather stable. There was also a population census shortly after World War II in 1946 but with only a limited
programme of questions. This census was confined to population status, but did not assess the age structure by
sex and marital status and did not contain data on households.
Population by age, sex, and marital status was published for both censuses of 1921 and 1931. In 1921 age was
classified in one-year age groups; in 1931 ages are given in five-year age groups beginning with 1940.
Vital Statistics
The main series of vital events such as live births, deaths, and marriages were introduced shortly after World
War I. More detailed demographic statistics became available only in the 1920s. Thus, births by legitimacy and
infant deaths are available since 1927. Other population statistics such as age at marriage and childbirth became
available only after World War II.
Vital statistics are not comparable before and after independence and before and after World War II.
Recalculations have been made by the National Statistical Institute (GUS) for the nineteenth century, but
territorial changes cannot be taken into account perfectly (cf. Główny Urząd Statystycny, 1993). Thus there are
inconsistencies concerning the territory before and after the war. The same situation applies after World War II,
and problems of comparability of vital statistics and population census data are aggravated by the massive
change in territory.
Households and Families
Data on households (gospodarstwa) were collected in the first Polish population census after independence, in
1921. This census provided basic information on households. The three elementary household types were
distinguished: one-person, family, and institutional households. The respective number of persons living in these
households is available as well. Furthermore, households were distinguished by number of persons. The persons
living in these households was published also. These household variables were published in the 1931 census as
well.
In 1921 the composition of private households in several categories was published. Household members were
divided by sex into the following categories: single persons, persons in family households, household heads,
women, sons, daughters, close relatives, distant relatives, servants (serviteurs), ‘domestiques’, boarders (‘souslocataires’), others, and finally members in institutional households.
In 1931 another way of presenting household composition was chosen: two basic household types were
distinguished: first, households comprising a single person and monofamilial households; second, polyfamilial
households. These two basic household types were further divided into four different types according the
presence of domestic servants, apprentices, or farm workers.
In neither the 1921 nor the 1931 population census were households classified according to profession or
social status of the household head.
The definition of a household (gospodarstwo) for the 1921 census was given in Głowny Urząd Statystyczny
Rzeczypospolitei polskiej (1930: Vf.) and is in principle the same as in the German household statistics. The
basic definition was the housekeeping-unit concept, meaning that a household was made up of persons who lived
from the same household budget, irrespective of how many persons lived in a dwelling or even one room.
Therefore boarders living in a family household but having their own budget and paying for their own meals
were counted as single-person households.
In the 1931 census household statistics were collected within the framework of a housing census. The
definitions deviate to some degree, especially concerning boarders, which were classified as belonging to the
household only if they were related to the household head. In any other case they were counted as single-person
households (Głowny Urząd Statystyczny Rzeczypospolitei polskiej, 1938: Xif.).
Family statistics in the sense of fertility statistics or as statistics of the biological nuclear family were not
collected in 1921 or 1931. Such data were collected only after World War II.
Remarks (also see introductory Table 6.1)
For Poland, data on illegitimate births and divorces are missing from 1919 to 1939. The population census of
1947 was not available for interpolation of v16–v21. In the inter-war period censuses were held in 1921 and
1931. These two censuses were used for linear interpolation back to 1919 and ahead to 1945.