English Population History from Family Reconstitution 1580–1837 (Cambridge Studies in Population, Economy and Society in Past Time, Series Number 32)

English Population History from Family Reconstitution 1580–1837 is the most important single contribution to English historical demography since Wrigley and Schofield's Population History of England. It represents the culmination of work carried out at the Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure over the past quarter-century. This work demonstrates the value of the technique of family reconstitution as a means of obtaining accurate and detailed information about fertility, morality, and nuptiality in the past. Indeed, more is now known about many aspects of English demography in the parish register period than about the post-1837 period when the Registrar-General collected and published information. Using data from 26 parishes, the authors show clearly that their results are representative not only of the demographic situation of the parishes from which the data were drawn, but also of the country as a whole. Some very surprising features of the behaviour of past populations are brought to light for the first time. Cover......Page 1 Frontmatter......Page 2 Contents......Page 8 List of figures......Page 13 List of tables......Page 17 PART I......Page 24 1 - Introduction......Page 26 The scope of the present study......Page 27 The origins of the present study......Page 29 Family reconstitution and the estimation of the demographic characteristics of a population......Page 35 The organisation of the book......Page 40 2 - The reconstitution parishes......Page 42 The set of reconstitution parishes......Page 43 The start and finish problem......Page 46 The characteristics of the individual parishes......Page 50 The 8 parishes rejected......Page 51 The final set of 26 parishes......Page 52 3 - Representativeness......Page 62 The occupational structure of the reconstitution parishes......Page 63 A comparison of national totals of events and totals from the parish groups......Page 75 What the tests of representativeness suggest......Page 92 Changes in the relative importance of parishes......Page 93 4 - Reliability......Page 95 Indirect evidence from totals of events in the reconstitution parishes......Page 96 Coverage of events in Anglican registers......Page 109 The completeness of Anglican registration in the reconstituted parishes......Page 113 Reconstitution data and the Registrar-General's early returns......Page 114 Delayed baptism and dummy births......Page 132 The processing of data taken from FRFs......Page 138 Conclusion......Page 139 PART II......Page 141 5 - Nuptiality......Page 143 The special characteristics of the reconstitution marriage data......Page 148 Nuptiality trends and characteristics......Page 150 The frequency distribution of age at marriage in bachelor/spinster marriages......Page 161 Other marriage rank combinations......Page 169 The age gap between spouses......Page 172 Marriage ages from reconstitution compared with the Registrar-General's returns......Page 175 Sources of bias in the estimation of age at marriage......Page 181 The changing relative frequency of different marriage rank combinations......Page 185 Marriage age and birth parity......Page 187 Remarriage......Page 192 Parochial trends and characteristics......Page 202 Conclusion......Page 212 6 - Mortality......Page 216 Mortality and economic circumstances......Page 219 Mortality, social conventions, and life styles......Page 224 The reconstitution data and techniques of analysis......Page 228 Infant and child mortality......Page 232 Adult mortality......Page 296 Overall mortality......Page 309 Male and female mortality......Page 314 Maternal mortality......Page 323 Seasonal mortality......Page 338 Conclusion......Page 363 7 - Fertility......Page 370 The evidence from completed marriages......Page 373 Particular influences on fertility characteristics......Page 416 Long-run trends......Page 443 Fecundability......Page 476 The individual parishes......Page 511 Conclusion......Page 516 PART III......Page 522 Generalised inverse projection and back projection......Page 524 Revised input data......Page 529 The effect of the new data on demographic estimates......Page 540 Changing the input parameters......Page 542 The new GIP estimates and reconstitution......Page 548 9 - Conclusion......Page 554 APPENDICES......Page 568 1 - A list of the reconstituted parishes from which data were drawn and of the names of those who carried out the reconstitutions......Page 570 2 - Examples of the slips and forms used in reconstitution and a description of the system of weights and flags employed......Page 572 3 - Truncation bias and similar problems......Page 578 4 - Tests for logical errors in reconstitution data......Page 583 5 - Correcting for a `missing' parish in making tabulations of marriage age......Page 587 6 - The estimation of adult mortality......Page 590 Infant and child mortality......Page 608 Adult mortality......Page 609 8 - The calculation of the proportion of women still fecund at any given age......Page 617 9 - Summary of quinquennial demographic data using revised aggregative data and produced by generalised inverse projection......Page 620 10 - Selection criteria used in compiling the tables in chapters 5 to 7......Page 624 Bibliography......Page 630 Name index......Page 642 Place index......Page 645 Subject index......Page 648 Cambridge Studies in Population, Economy and Society in Past Time......Page 665 Cover 1 Frontmatter 2 Contents 8 List of figures 13 List of tables 17 PART I 24 1 - Introduction 26 The scope of the present study 27 The origins of the present study 29 Family reconstitution and the estimation of the demographic characteristics of a population 35 The organisation of the book 40 2 - The reconstitution parishes 42 The set of reconstitution parishes 43 The start and finish problem 46 The characteristics of the individual parishes 50 The 8 parishes rejected 51 The final set of 26 parishes 52 3 - Representativeness 62 The occupational structure of the reconstitution parishes 63 A comparison of national totals of events and totals from the parish groups 75 What the tests of representativeness suggest 92 Changes in the relative importance of parishes 93 4 - Reliability 95 Indirect evidence from totals of events in the reconstitution parishes 96 Coverage of events in Anglican registers 109 The completeness of Anglican registration in the reconstituted parishes 113 Reconstitution data and the Registrar-General's early returns 114 Delayed baptism and dummy births 132 The processing of data taken from FRFs 138 Conclusion 139 PART II 141 5 - Nuptiality 143 The special characteristics of the reconstitution marriage data 148 Nuptiality trends and characteristics 150 The frequency distribution of age at marriage in bachelor/spinster marriages 161 Other marriage rank combinations 169 The age gap between spouses 172 Marriage ages from reconstitution compared with the Registrar-General's returns 175 Sources of bias in the estimation of age at marriage 181 The changing relative frequency of different marriage rank combinations 185 Marriage age and birth parity 187 Remarriage 192 Parochial trends and characteristics 202 Conclusion 212 6 - Mortality 216 Mortality and economic circumstances 219 Mortality, social conventions, and life styles 224 The reconstitution data and techniques of analysis 228 Infant and child mortality 232 Adult mortality 296 Overall mortality 309 Male and female mortality 314 Maternal mortality 323 Seasonal mortality 338 Conclusion 363 7 - Fertility 370 The evidence from completed marriages 373 Particular influences on fertility characteristics 416 Long-run trends 443 Fecundability 476 The individual parishes 511 Conclusion 516 PART III 522 8 - Reconstitution and inverse projection 524 Generalised inverse projection and back projection 524 Revised input data 529 The effect of the new data on demographic estimates 540 Changing the input parameters 542 The new GIP estimates and reconstitution 548 9 - Conclusion 554 APPENDICES 568 1 - A list of the reconstituted parishes from which data were drawn and of the names of those who carried out the reconstitutions 570 2 - Examples of the slips and forms used in reconstitution and a description of the system of weights and flags employed 572 3 - Truncation bias and similar problems 578 4 - Tests for logical errors in reconstitution data 583 5 - Correcting for a `missing' parish in making tabulations of marriage age 587 6 - The estimation of adult mortality 590 7 - Adjusting mortality rates taken from the four groups to form a single series 608 Infant and child mortality 608 Adult mortality 609 8 - The calculation of the proportion of women still fecund at any given age 617 9 - Summary of quinquennial demographic data using revised aggregative data and produced by generalised inverse projection 620 10 - Selection criteria used in compiling the tables in chapters 5 to 7 624 Bibliography 630 Name index 642 Place index 645 Subject index 648 Cambridge Studies in Population, Economy and Society in Past Time 665 9780521022385 Cambridge Studies in Population, Economy and Society in Past Time (No. 32) English Population History From Family Reconstitution 1580-1837 Represents The Culmination Of Work Carried Out At The Cambridge Group For The History Of Population And Social Structure Over The Past Quarter-century. This Work Demonstrates The Value Of The Technique Of Family Reconstitution As A Means Of Obtaining Accurate And Detailed Information About Fertility, Mortality, And Nuptiality In The Past. Indeed, More Is Now Known About Many Aspects Of English Demography In The Parish Register Period Than About The Post-1837 Period When The Registrar-general Collected And Published Information. Using Data From 26 Parishes, The Authors Show Clearly That Their Results Are Representative Not Only Of The Demographic Situation Of The Parishes From Which The Data Were Drawn, But Also Of The Country As A Whole. 1. Introduction -- 2. The Reconstitution Parishes -- 3. Representativeness -- 4. Reliability -- 5. Nuptiality -- 6. Mortality -- 7. Fertility -- 8. Reconstitution And Inverse Projection -- 9. Conclusion -- App. 1. A List Of The Reconstituted Parishes From Which Data Were Drawn And Of The Names Of Those Who Carried Out The Reconstitutions -- App. 2. Examples Of The Slips And Forms Used In Reconstitution And A Description Of The System Of Weights And Flags Employed -- App. 3. Truncation Bias And Similar Problems -- App. 4. Tests For Logical Errors In Reconstitution Data -- App. 5. Correcting For A 'missing' Parish In Making Tabulations Of Marriage Age -- App. 6. The Estimation Of Adult Mortality -- App. 7. Adjusting Mortality Rates Taken From The Four Groups To Form A Single Series -- App. 8. The Calculation Of The Proportion Of Women Still Fecund At Any Given Age. E.a. Wrigley ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 623-634) And Indexes. English Population History from Family Reconstitution is the second part of the single most important demographic enquiry of the past generation, the first part being The Population History of England, 1541-1871. This study proves that family reconstitution has been particularly successful in obtaining accurate information about the demography of past populations. The authors prove that the results obtained are representative of the demographic situation of the country at large. English Population History from Family Reconstitution will be an essential source of information for British social historians.