Activity handout – 2013 Census activities
General history
Pre-New Zealand censuses
3800 BC
The earliest recorded census was taken in the Babylonian
Empire.
2000 BC–300 BC
Censuses in China, Persia, Greece, Egypt, and India were used
for tax collecting purposes or for raising armies.
600 BC–72 AD
The Romans relied on census-taking to raise money, raise
armies and stay informed about their empire. Their most famous
census was at the time of the birth of Jesus.
1086–1087
William the Conqueror ordered a census in Britain. You can read
the results in the Domesday Book (www.domesdaybook.co.uk).
1449–1450
The city of Nuremberg, Germany was under siege. They counted
up everybody in the city to calculate the total amount of food
available.
1577–1578
Philip II of Spain ordered the first census in America in what is
now Mexico.
1655–1656
The first regular five-yearly counts of the population were in
Quebec, Canada.
1828–1829
The first regular census was taken in Australia. Before this,
irregular official counts of the population were taken, starting in
1788.
The New Zealand census
1840–1855
The Blue Books were New Zealand’s first official statistics on
population. They were handwritten and based on the magistrates
counting people in each settlement. The original 1851 Blue Book
is held at the National Archives in Wellington.
1842–1846
The Auckland Police Census Book provides a complete record of
the town.
1845, 1849
Censuses were held in Nelson.
1851
The first general census of all European settlers.
1857–1858
The first Māori general census. Māori censuses were resumed in
1874 after the Land Wars. In 1951, Māori were included in the
general census and separate censuses of Māori stopped.
From 1881
Five-yearly censuses have continued to the present day, except
for 1931 (because of the Depression) and the 1941 Census,
abandoned because of the war. The 1946 Census was moved to
September 1945. Sunday used to be census day because
people spent Sundays at home, but this was changed to Tuesday
in 1926.
2001
The thirty-first census, 150 years since the first census in New
Zealand. It was held again in early March, which is clear of
holiday seasons and of most seasonal work. Censuses need to
be held at the same time of year so the results can be compared
more closely.
2006
New Zealanders had the choice of completing census forms over
the Internet. This applied to both the individual and dwelling
forms, in English, Māori, or combination of Māori and English).
2011
The census was called off following the 22 February 2011
General history
1
www.stats.govt.nz/schools-corner-census
Activity handout – 2013 Census activities
Christchurch earthquake
2013
The census will be held on Tuesday, 5 March 2013
Questions
1. Why do you think the first records were written by hand?
2. When and why do you think census day was changed from a Sunday?
3. Throughout history people have recorded important information about their community, their
city, and their country in different ways. Several ways are listed above in ‘Pre-New Zealand
censuses’. Choose one to investigate. You may work by yourself or in a small group.
4. The article below mentions several key dates in the history of census taking in New Zealand.
Find them and mark them on a timeline. Write the date and the event.
5. Using your library or the Internet, find five more important dates from New Zealand history to
add to your timeline. Write the date and the event.
Census in New Zealand – a brief history
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. The first census in New Zealand was carried out in 1851.
In that year there were two provinces, New Ulster (the Auckland area) and New Munster (the rest of
New Zealand). For the next census, in 1854, there were six provinces. Each province had its own
government and carried out its own census, at different times. It is difficult to get accurate information
about the whole country from those censuses.
In 1877 provincial governments were abolished and one parliament, in Wellington, governed the
whole country. This led to the first five-yearly census of the whole country in 1881. There were two
occasions when no census was held. In 1931 the census was abandoned because the country was
going through the Depression and the government had reduced its number of public servants. In 1941
when so many people in New Zealand were involved in World War II, the census was postponed until
the end of the war. The 1946 Census was moved to September 1945.
It was not until 1951 that Māori were given the same census questionnaire as the rest of the
population. Then in 1996 the option of completing the form in Māori or English was introduced. Since
2006, New Zealanders have had the option of completing census forms over the Internet (both the
individual and dwelling forms, in English, Māori, or a combination of Māori and English).
The 2013 Census will be held on Tuesday, 5 March 2013.
General history
2
www.stats.govt.nz/schools-corner-census