Hello everyone, this is an on going project, so if you have spotted anything  that needs changing please do not hesitate to contact me.
 I have standardised spellings of surnames to make things easier.   
 United Kingdom Census
 Census returns were commenced in 1801. The returns are made available to the  public after 100 years. The first census of any real use to the Family  Historian is that of 1841.
 NB. Census returns have been found to contain errors in spellings, omissions  and other inaccuracies. 
 Contents of census return:
 1841:                 Place; Houses (Uninhabited or building/inhabited)  Names  ( each person living at the address on the preceding night); Age & Sex;  Profession/Trade or Employment, or of Independent means; Where born,( in same  County or in Scotland/Ireland or Foreign parts).
 1851 to 1891:    Place; Surname; Forename; Status; Married/Single; Age; Trade;  Birth place; Address ( Often included details of employer)
 1901:                 Address; Civil Parish; Town/Village/Hamlet; County;  Relationship to Head of Family; Condition as to marriage; Age last birthday;  Profession or Occupation; Employment status; Where born; Language;  Infirmity. 
 1911 Census was taken on the night of Sunday 2nd April. New information collected in the 1911  census was concerned with the family, with questions that had to be answered by married women  on how long they had been married and how many children there were from the marriage. 1921 Census census was taken on the 19th of June
  
 Some useful dates for the Family Historian    
 1538.          Parish Registers  were started by the Church of England. All  christenings, marriages, and burials were recorded in a book, kept in a 'sure'  coffer.
 1563.         Roman Catholic Church started registers. Baptisms and marriages  were recorded.
 1601-78.   Poor Law Acts came into being.
 1662/78.    Settlement Acts No stranger was allowed to enter a Parish without  a Settlement Certificate and the ability to maintain themselves. Failure  resulted in their removal, but not necessarily to the Parish from which they  came.
 1692.          Land Tax: introduced. Lasted until 1831. Was equal to about 4/-  (20p) in £1.
 1823           Marriage Act.  All previous clandestine marriage - those  without Banns or License, were declared valid. However, the Ministers who had  officiated at these weddings were made felons.
 1836.          Tithe Commutation Act.  Tithes were made into annual rents.  Tithe maps date around 1838 - 1854.
 1837.          Civil Registration Act. (GRO) All births, deaths and marriages  came under State control and had to be registered.
 1855.          Scotland. introduced similar measures.
 1882.          Married Woman's Property Act. Women were allowed to make Wills  and to have control over their own money and property.
 1926.          Child Adoption.  Legalized.
 1929.          Marriage Act.  Age of marriage, with the consent of parents was  raised to age 16. Previously, boys aged 14 and girls aged 12, were able to  marry with the consent of their parents.

SCOTTISH NAMING PATTERN

First son is named for the Father's Father.
 Second son is named for the Mother's Father.
 Third son is named for the Father's Father's Father.
 Fourth son is named for the Mother's Mother's Father.
 Fifth son is named for the Father's Mother's Father.
 Sixth son is named for the Mother's Father's Father.
 Seventh through Tenth sons are named for the Father's Great-Grandfathers. Tenth through Fourteenth sons for the Mother's Great-Grandfathers.

First daughter is named for the Mother's Mother.
 Second daughter is named for the Father's Mother.
 Third daughter is named for the Mother's Father's Mother. Fourth daughter is named for the Father's Father's Mother. Fifth daughter is named for the Mother's Mother's Mother. Sixth daughter is named for the Father's Mother's Mother. Seventh through tenth daughters are named for the Mother's Great-Grandmothers. Tenth through fourteenth daughters for the Father's Great-Grandmothers.

NOTES:
 In some cases you will find that the order is reversed with the first and second children, i.e.  the first-born son being named after the mother's father and the second-born son after the father's  father. If this is the case then the daughters are also usually reversed. You will also find instances where a child is named 'out of pattern', after an aunt or uncle  who has died, or after an admired other relative or friend of the parent. If a child dies in infancy, his or her name is often given to a subsequent child - a natural  consequence of the high birth rate and infant mortality rates of past times. These are only general guidelines and were certainly not always followed.