D. Census and Population Lists – The Bracknells of Odiham

Odiham is covered by the full run of national censuses from 1841 to 1911 (and later closed censuses), with data accessible through national census portals and the Vision of Britain “Odiham Registration Sub‑District” tables. Earlier name‑rich population sources such as hearth tax, militia lists and other county‑wide surveys exist for Hampshire and will include Odiham, but must be located through county archives and national guides rather than a single Odiham‑specific set.

Modern-era censuses (1841 onwards)

For genealogical work from the early Victorian period forward, standard England and Wales censuses (1841–1911 publicly available; 1921 via subscription) provide a near‑decennial snapshot of Odiham households. Vision of Britain aggregates many of these tables at the level of the Odiham registration sub‑district, giving context for population change, age structure and occupations, while images and name indexes are hosted by major commercial providers.

The dates of each census were as follows:

1841 – June 6
1851 – March 30
1861 – April 7
1871 – April 2
1881 – April 3
1891 – April 5
1901 – March 31
1911 – April 2
1921 – June 19

Enumerations and additions

1841 HO107

Age – usually rounded down to nearest 5 years for persons over 15.
Place of birth defined as whether or not in the county of enumeration.
Address may be no more than a street or even a village name.
Only one forename is noted.

1851 HO107

Also specifies whether a person is blind, deaf or an idiot.
Tradesmen usually defined as master, journeyman or apprentice.
Numbers of employees of a master given.

1861 RG9

No additions or changes

1871 RG10

Also distinguishes whether a person is imbecile, idiot or lunatic.

Table: Censuses covering Odiham

Census year	Coverage for Odiham	Main access routes	Notes
1841	Odiham as a civil parish and as part of the Odiham or Hartley Wintney registration sub‑district in Hampshire. familysearch+1	Commercial census sites; The National Archives; some free indexes via county and national projects. familysearch	First nominal census with relationships not fully stated; useful for establishing early 19th‑c households.
1851	Included within Odiham Registration Sub‑District tables (ages, population abstracts). visionofbritain	As above.	Adds relationships, marital status, birthplaces and occupations; Vision of Britain reconstructs thematic tables by sub‑district. visionofbritain
1861–1891	Full coverage as part of Hampshire census; Vision of Britain lists Odiham sub‑district tables for ages, marital condition, occupations, birthplaces, area, houses and population. visionofbritain	As above.	Enables tracking demographic, housing and occupational change across the Victorian era. visionofbritain
1901	Appears in county report tables listing registration counties, districts and sub‑districts with civil parishes, area, houses and population. visionofbritain	As above.	Good for late‑Victorian/Edwardian family reconstructions and for matching to early 20th‑c civil registration.
1911	Tables list Odiham within registration counties, districts and sub‑districts, with area, families/occupiers, and population. visionofbritain	As above (1911 images often on dedicated platforms).	First census where householders completed their own forms, preserving handwriting and fuller fertility data.

Earlier population-type listings

Before 1841, Odiham residents appear in national and county‑wide fiscal and military surveys such as hearth tax returns and militia lists compiled at parish level. These are not Odiham‑specific publications but form part of Hampshire series held at local archives and The National Archives, requiring use of general guides to taxation and militia records to identify exact volumes that include Odiham.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine+2

Table: Earlier name‑rich surveys likely to include Odiham

Record type	Date range (general)	Level of listing	Where to look for Odiham	Notes
Hearth tax returns	Mainly 1662–1674; some later survivals. whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine+1	Names of householders with number of hearths; some exemption lists name poorer residents. whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine+1	The National Archives series E 179 (taxation before 1689) and any published Hampshire hearth tax volumes. whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine+1	Acts as a 17th‑century “quasi‑census” at parish level; Odiham should appear among Hampshire parishes.
Muster rolls and early militia musters	16th–17th centuries (varied). nationalarchives	Lists of men liable for service; some name only “trained bands”, others give numbers only. nationalarchives	TNA military series and Hampshire archives; check Gibson & Medlycott’s guide for local militia list holdings. nationalarchives	Provide early male lists; coverage uneven, so confirm whether Odiham-specific rolls survive.
Militia lists and enrolment lists	1758–1831. nationalarchives	Annual parish‑level lists of men aged 18–45 and separate lists of those chosen to serve. nationalarchives	Hampshire Archives; identified through Gibson & Medlycott and archive catalogues. nationalarchives	Function as an “annual male census,” capturing names, ages and sometimes family circumstances.
Other tax lists (subsidies, land tax, etc.)	Mainly 16th–18th centuries. nationalarchives	Taxpayers listed by parish, often with property or assessment details. nationalarchives	TNA taxation series and any published Hampshire tax volumes. nationalarchives	Offer intermittent but valuable snapshots of better‑off inhabitants in Odiham.
Poll books and electoral registers	From 18th century (poll books) and especially 1832 onwards (registers). familysearch	Voters listed by place of residence or qualification. familysearch	Hampshire Archives; published poll books; 20th‑c registers often under access restrictions. familysearch	Useful for property‑holding and later‑19th‑c residence tracking, especially for respectable tradesmen and farmers.

Notes and research strategy

For 19th–20th‑century population reconstruction, combine census data (1841–1911) with civil registration and parish registers, using the Odiham Registration Sub‑District tables on Vision of Britain for quantitative context.visionofbritain+2
For earlier periods, treat hearth tax, militia lists and other tax/muster material as “population samples” rather than complete censuses, and use national guides on taxation and militia records to locate Hampshire series that include Odiham.nationalarchives+2