Ancestry.co.uk First to Release the Complete 1861 Census

LONDON, England, April 29, 2005/Ancestry.co.uk has the largest number of searchable records available on the web including four other Census. The addition of the 1861 Census now gives users the chance to discover their family history over the course of 40 years --- from finding out where they lived and who with, to how they made a living. For the first time ever the original Census records, complete with names, family members, birth places and occupations are scanned and ready to search online.

When using the Census to search your family tree you may well discover famous or infamous family members, like finding out you're related to Queen Victoria or the king of chocolate John Cadbury, both of whom feature as part of the 1861 records, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli and professional cricketer Heathfield H Stephenson.

Josh Hanna of Ancestry.co.uk says, "Interest in family history is rapidly growing and Ancestry.co.uk offers the most comprehensive Census records available online. Census records are the most popular way to search for your relatives because they contain so much information that really brings your ancestors and their everyday lives to life. We have created an online community that not only allows people to search original official records quickly from the convenience of their own home but also exchange information with fellow users."

In total Ancestry.co.uk features over 275 million searchable names dating back to the 1500s including Census records, birth, marriage and death records, military, immigration/emigration and court, land and probate records.