▪ I. census, n.
(ˈsɛnsəs)
[L. census registering of Roman citizens and their property, registered property, wealth, f. censēre to rate, assess, estimate.]
1. The registration of citizens and their property in ancient Rome for purposes of taxation.
| 1634 Preston New Covt. 337 If there should be a Census of men, as one may so say..as there was wont to be among the Romans. 1646 J. Benbrigge Vsura Acc. 28 The first worke of the Census was to value every mans estate. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. II. 63 An accurate census, or survey, was the only equitable mode of ascertaining the proportion which every citizen should be obliged to contribute for the public service. 1880 Muirhead Gaius 469 Entry of the name of a slave, by his owner's authority, in the census..was one of the Civil modes of freeing him. |
† 2. Applied to certain taxes, esp. a capitation or poll-tax. Obs.
| 1613 Purchas Pilgr. I. iv. xvi. 373 What is properly called Census, the poll-money of his subjects. 1756 Nugent Montesquieu's Spir. Laws (1758) II. xxx. xv. 370 What they called census at that time was a tax raised upon the bondmen. 1818 Hallam Mid. Ages (1872) I. 326 He paid a capitation tax or census to the state. 1828–64 Tytler Hist. Scot. I. 270 Pensions from the census of their burgesses. |
3. a. An official enumeration of the population of a country or district, with various statistics relating to them. Also attrib.
A census of the population has been taken every tenth year since 1790 in the United States of America, since 1791 in France, and since 1801 in Great Britain. In Ireland the earliest census was in 1813, since which it has been taken simultaneously with that of Great Britain.
| 1769 Goldsm. Rom. Hist. (1786) II. 115 The census, or numbering the people. 1789 Constit. U.S. i. §9 No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid unless in proportion to the census or enumeration [of inhabitants] hereinbefore directed to be taken. 1820 J. Marshall Const. Opin. (1839) 213 A census exhibiting the numbers of the respective states. 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) I. 448 Summary Account of the Population..at the periods at which Censuses have been taken. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. i. 3 A rough census was taken at the time of the Armada. |
b. attrib., as in census return, census-table, census-taker; census-paper, a paper left at each house, to be filled up with the names, ages, etc., of the inmates, and returned to the enumerators on the day of taking the census.
| 1831 J. M. Peck Guide for Emigrants 199 The census table of last autumn. 1840 Picayune (New Orleans) 25 Aug. 2/2 The following took place between a census taker and a married lady. 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) I. 611 The number given in the census returns. 1936 British Birds XXIX. 264 To guide future census-takers through some of the difficulties. |
▪ II. ˈcensus, v. rare.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To take a census of, enumerate in a census.
| 1881 Times 11 Apr., The visitors were called to be censused. |