THE 1901 IRISH CENSUS is an enumeration of family members and their visitors, boarders, servants, etc., who slept or abode in the house on the night of Sunday, 31 March 1901. It recorded the first and surname of every individual plus vital information such as relation to the head of household, religion, education, age, sex, occupation, marital status, county or country of birth, language spoken and notation of any infirmities.

THE ENUMERATORS for this census were officers and men of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) in the rural areas and the Metropolitan Police in urban areas. These men distributed the 16½ x 10½ inch Form A - Family Return (also known as Schedule A) to each Head of Household prior to 31 March 1901, and the Head of Household was to complete the form immediately the following morning. Individuals absent from the house on the night of 31 March 1901 were not included. On or shortly after 1 April 1901, the enumerators returned to each household between 8:30 am and 6:00 pm to collect the completed schedules. If the the elder of the family unit had difficulties filling out the form, the enumerator assisted. If individuals refused or willfully gave a false answer to any question necessary for obtaining census information they were subjected to a five pound penalty according to Census Act, Section 7. A similar punishment was also applied to enumerators who defaulted in the performance of their duties. Further, any individual employed with the Census Office who breached confidentiality of any information from any census form was liable to prosecution under the Official Secrets Act, 1889.