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Population Size

 

The population size of England and Wales was relatively stable at about five million in the period 1650-1750. In the second half of the eighteenth century the population grew rapidly (more than 70%) to 8.9 million for reasons which the historical and demographic experts cannot agree on. Life expectancy at birth was about 36/37 years in 1801, virtually the same as a century earlier.

Most people lived in rural areas with the majority of people living in the south. The continuing Industrial and Agricultural Revolutions gradually resulted in people moving from the countryside to the towns, which were developed without plan. Insanitary conditions produced many cholera epidemics. Hours of work were extremely long and wages often low.

In England and Wales between 1801 and 1901, the population was roughly doubling every 50 years. The overall population increased by 265%. This rise is more impressive because for most of the nineteen century the death rate was stationery or actually rising.

 

 

POPULATION OF ENGLAND & WALES 1811-1991

 
Year Males Females Total Sex Ratio 10 year
growth %

1801

1811

1821

1831

1841

 4,255

4,874

5,850

6,771

7,778		 4,638

5,291

6,150

7,126

8,136		 8,893

10,165

12,000

13,897

15,914		 1090

1086

1051

1052

1046

14.3%

18.1%

15.8%

14.5%
1851

1861

1871

1881

1891		 8,781

9,776

11,059

12,640

14,060		 9,147

10,290

11,653

13,334

14,943		 17,928

20,066

22,712

25,974

29,003		 1042

1053

1054

1055

1063		 12.7%

11.9%

13.2%

14.4%

11.7%
1901

1911

1921

1931

1941		 15,729

17,446

18,075

19,133

 16,799

18,624

19,812

20,819

 32,528

36,070

37,887

39,952

 1068

1068

1096

1088

 12.2%

10.9%

5.0%

5.5%
1951

1961

1971

1981

1991		 21,016

22,304

23,683

23,873

24,182		 22,742

23,801

25,067

25,282

25,708		 43,758

46,105

48,750

49,155

49,890		 1082

1067

1058

1059

1063

5.4%

5.7%

0.8%

1.5%

 


POPULATION OF SCOTLAND 1811-1991


Year Males Females Total Sex Ratio 10 year
growth %
1801

1811

1821

1831

1841		 739

826

983

1,114

1,242		 869

980

1,109

1,250

1,378		 1,608

1,806

2,092

2,364

2,620		 1176

1186

1128

1122

1110

2.3%

15.8%

13.0%

10.8%
1851

1861

1871

1881

1891		 1,376

1,450

1,603

1,799

1,943		 1,513

1,612

1,757

1,937

2,083		 2,889

3,062

3,360

3,736

4,026		 1100

1112

1096

1077

1072		 10.3%

6.0%

9.7%

11.2%

7.8%
1901

1911

1921

1931

1941		 2,174

2,309

2,348

2,326

 2,298

2,452

2,534

2,517

 4,472

4,761

4,882

4,843

 1057

1062

1079

1082

 11.1%

6.5%

2.5%

- 0.8 %
1951

1961

1971

1981

1991		 2,434

2,483

2,515

2,466

2,392		 2,662

2,696

2,714

2,665

2,607		 5,096

5,179

5,229

5,131

4,999		 1094

1086

1079

1081

1090

1.6%

1.0%

- 1.9 %

- 2.6 %


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