First census of the
Colony of New Zealand
1 November 1851; 172 years ago (1851-11-01) 1858 →
1851 census "Blue Book" statistics for "New Munster" (South Island).
General information
CountryColony of New Zealand, British Empire
Results
Total population26,707
Most populous ​districtAuckland (9,430)
Least populous ​districtNew Plymouth (1,532)

The 1851 colony of 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][2] The census, which only surveyed European New Zealanders, revealed a population of 26,707.[3]

Summary

General Census of 1851

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.[5]

Population and dwellings

Map of New Zealand settlements (1857)
New Ulster & New Munster (1848 onwards).

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.

Birthplace

Population of New Zealand colony in 1851.[6][7]

Birthplace Population
 Percentage
United Kingdom New Zealand - 12.3
Totals, Overseas-born - 87.7
England England 13,485 50.5
Scotland Scotland – 12.7
United Kingdom Ireland – 16.5
Wales Wales – 0.4
     Totals, British Isles – 84.4
Other – 3.3
Colony of New Zealand 26,707 100.0

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.[8][9]

Denomination 1851 Census
Number Percent (%)
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, Protestants 21,458 80.34
    Roman; Catholic 3,472 13.00
Jews 65 0.24
Other specified religions 1,712 6.41
Totals, New Zealand 26,707 100.0

Numbers of livestock

Showing the numbers of livestock in the possession of Europeans in the several settlements in 1851.[10]

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

References

  1. ^ "Government Gazette 1851 An Ordinance for taking a Census of the Colony of New Zealand". paperspast. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Census Act 1851 (15 Victoriae 1851 No 8)". New Zealand Acts As Enacted. New Zealand Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  3. ^ "A history of census-taking in New Zealand Early population counts". stats.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 13 November 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Chapter 2 Early Statistical Sources 19th Century" (PDF). Statistical Publications. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Blue Books: Statistics Information 1840-1855". Archives New Zealand. Download: New Munster Population. p. 133. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  6. ^ Bueltmann, Tanja; Gleeson, David T.; MacRaild, Donald M. (2010). Locating the English Diaspora 1500-2010. ISBN 9781846318191. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  7. ^ Blackstock, Allan; O'Gorman, Frank (2014). Loyalism and the Formation of the British World, 1775–1914. ISBN 9781843839125. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  8. ^ Early New Zealand Books | 1851
  9. ^ Religion in New Zealand Census data
  10. ^ "Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives of New Zealand 1851–1861 Census of New Zealand". p. 12. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
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