Census

A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). It can be contrasted with sampling in which information is only obtained from a subset of a population. As such it is a method used for accumulating statistical data, and it is also vital to democracy (voting).

Ancient and medieval censuses

Rome conducted censuses to determine taxes.

Related Topics:
Rome - Taxes

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Bible relates stories of several censuses. The Book of Numbers describes a divinely-mandated census that occurred when Moses led the Israelites from Egypt. A later census called by King David of Israel, referred to as the "numbering of the people," incited divine retribution (for being militarily motivated or perhaps displaying lack of faith in God). A Roman census is also mentioned in one of the best known passages of the Bible in the Gospel of Luke.

Related Topics:
Bible - Book of Numbers - Moses - Israelites - Egypt - David - Israel - Numbering of the people - Roman census - Gospel of Luke

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The world's oldest extant census comes from China during the Han Dynasty. Taken in the fall of 2 AD, it is considered by scholars to be quite accurate. At that time there were 57.5 million living in Han China, the world's largest population. The second oldest preserved census is also from the Han, dating back to 140 AD, when only a bit more than 48 million people were recorded. Mass migrations into what is today southern China are believed to be behind this massive demographic decline.

Related Topics:
China - Han Dynasty

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the Middle Ages, the most famous census is the Domesday Book, undertaken in 1086 by William I of England "to find out ... what or how much each landholder had in land and livestock, and what it was worth," so that he could properly tax the land he had recently conquered. In 1183, a census was taken of the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, to ascertain the number of men and amount of money that could possibly be raised against an invasion by Saladin, sultan of Egypt and Syria.

Related Topics:
Middle Ages - Domesday Book - William I of England - Crusade - Kingdom of Jerusalem - Saladin - Egypt - Syria

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~