Count of Aranda Census. Book I

Dioceses of Albarracín, Astorga, Ávila, Badajoz, Barbastro and Barcelona. Order Santiago: Llerena. Order of Alcántara: Magacela

Cover of the publication

With this volume, the INE commences publication of this Census, considered to be the first modern census to be conducted in Europe. In this case, it was a true pioneer in publishing said census, since it was only published in summarised form in the prologue of the Floridablanca Census, conducted 20 years later.

In order to better study the data, the INE has reclassified information on villages, at source sorted by parish, sorting it in accordance with the current provincial partitioning, completing the statistical tables with current cartography.

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  • Format:  Print
  • Number of pages: 694
  • Publication date: 15-02-01
  • Price (including VAT):  56.88 €

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The genuine history of the Spanish population censuses begins in 1768, when the Count of Aranda gave specific orders to commence tasks aimed at establishing the "genuine population of this Monarchy" so as to "promote useful ideas to the State, in terms of the sex and age of the population.

The execution of the Census ordered by the Count of Aranda was commissioned to the bishops who were given appropriate instructions to, through the parish priests of their different dioceses, collect the information required on the different locations in the areas in compliance with a single form.

Said form had to summarise the population in said locations using a two-way layout in accordance with six age groups, sex and marital status.

Since the results obtained from these tasks were not as satisfactory as expected, the Count of Floridablanca undertook the execution of a new Population Census.

The first step for the execution of this Census was taken when, as established by a Royal Order from 1785, the intendants of the different provinces were requested to send a list of all the towns in the area so as to create a Nomenclator that would be used to limit the field of action.