Web: Greece, Census Indexes, 1724-1879

General Collection Information

This collection contains Greek census records between 1724 and 1879. Censuses are included from the regions of Mykonos, Hermoupolis (also known as Ermoupoli), and Cerigo (present day Kythira). Although most records are in Greek, records from Cerigo from 1724 to 1836 are written in Italian. All languages used in the census are written using the Latin alphabet.

Using this Collection

The record may include the following information:

• Name
• Location of census
• Date of census
• Age
• Gender
• Occupation
• Parish
• Residence
• Birthplace
• Marital status
• Names of family members
• Citizenship status
• Languages spoken
• Literacy
• Religion

If you don’t speak Greek or Italian, knowing a few common words can aid in your search:

• Gynh is Greek for “wife”
• Yios is Greek for “son”
• Thygathr is Greek for “daughter”
• Adelph is Greek for “brother”
• Adelphi is Greek for “sister”
• Moglie is Italian for “wife”
• Figlio or Fio is Italian for “son”
• Figlia or Fia is Italian for “daughter”
• Fratello is Italian for “brother”
• Sorella is Italian for “sister”

Language spoken is often listed as “Ellhnikh,” an English spelling of ελληνικη, which translates to “Greek.”

Children aren’t always listed by last name. When searching for children, it’s a good practice to first look for their parents. This may also be true of adult children living with elder parents. Children are usually listed underneath their parents, addressed by their first names.

Prior to becoming an independent nation in 1821, parts of Greece were occupied by the Ottomans, Venetians, British, and French. If you can’t find a record in a Greek census, try to pinpoint where your ancestors lived and see who governed the area at the time.

Collection in Context

Although parts of Greece have been taking censuses since the 1500s, the first modern Greek census took place in 1836. Population listings for earlier years may also be found by checking tax records. While Greek history is one of the oldest recorded histories, the country of Greece is relatively young. After breaking away from the Ottoman Empire, Greece became an independent nation in 1821. The British returned the Ionian Islands (including Cerigo) to Greece in 1864. Thessaly was ceded in 1881 from the Ottoman empire. Epirus, Southern Macedonia, Crete, and the Aegean Islands were ceded in 1913 by the Treaty of London.

Early independent Greece frequently conducted censuses, sometimes yearly. Early census years include 1828, 1830, 1836 to 1845, 1848, 1853, and 1856. Censuses became less frequent after that. A census was conducted in 1861, 1870, 1879, 1889, 1896, 1907, 1920, 1928, and 1940. Beginning in 1951, the modern Greek census has been recorded every 10 years.

This collection was published in association with Greek Family History. Greek Family History is an online resource that provides educational material to support Greek family history.

Bibliography

Hellene Statistical Authority. “The Evolution of the Statistical Service in Greece.” Last Modified 2020.https://www.statistics.gr/en/history

In2Greece.com. “History of Modern Greece.” Last Modified 2021.https://www.in2greece.com/english/historymyth/history/general/modern.htm

MacEntee, Thomas. “Greek to You.” Family Tree Magazine.” Last Modified 2021.https://www.familytreemagazine.com/heritage/greek/greek-genealogy-research-guide/

Statista.com. “Population of Greece from 1821-2020.” last Modified 2020.https://www.statista.com/statistics/1014317/total-population-greece-1821-2020/