Sources connected with where people lived
Where did your ancestors live? This is the most important question for family historians wanting to find out more about their ancestors' lives.
We have very useful resources at Derbyshire Local Studies Library.
Census Enumerators Returns: Derbyshire 1841 to 1901, plus street and name indexes as published (currently 1851, 1861 in part, 1881, 1891). Surrounding counties, a few border communities only on microfilm, some available on CD. Indexes to surrounding counties are held but only Nottinghamshire is complete.
UK wide Census via free access to www.ancestry.com (opens in a new window) and other websites
1881 Census Index and abbreviated transcript on microfiche for England and Wales. Arranged by county plus a National surname index. Also available as CD Rom including Scotland, and on line.
1901 Irish census, some counties.
Trade Directories for Derbyshire, plus some for surrounding counties. For 1781 and the 1830s a countrywide set is held.
Telephone Directories historical and current: national coverage to 1880s to 1912, National excluding London 1920 to 1973, then regional.
Poll Books: These show how people voted in elections. We have a few, 18th to 19th century.
Electoral Registers: 1832 to 1847 and 2001 only.
Maps: Derbyshire in detail. 1880, 1899, 1920s near complete set as originals or microfilm plus National Grid mapping 1960s to date. National 1840 1 inch Ordnance Survey.
Published Hearth Tax and other community based documents.
Village and town histories often give details of local families.