The Population History of England 1541–1871

Marshals a mass of statistical material into a series of clear, lucid arguments about past patterns of demographic behaviour and their relationship to economic trends.

E. A. Wrigley (Author), R. S. Schofield (Author)

9780521356886, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 12 October 1989

820 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 5.1 cm, 1.314 kg

'The book is a great achievement, which will stimulate controversy, research, and the teaching of demographic and economic history everywhere for years to come.' Journal of Economic History

This was the first paperback edition of a classic work of recent English historiography, first published in 1981. In analysing the population of a country over several centuries, the authors qualify, confirm or overturn traditional assumptions and marshal a mass of statistical material into a series of clear, lucid arguments about past patterns of demographic behaviour and their relationship to economic trends. The Population History of England presents basic demographic statistics - monthly totals of births, deaths and marriages - and uses them in conjunction with new methods of analysis to determine population size, gross production rates, expectation of life at birth, age structure and net migration totals. The results make it possible to construct a new model of the interplay of economic and demographic variables in England before and during the industrial picture of English population trends between 1541 and 1871 is a remarkable achievement and in a short preface, the authors consider the debate engendered by the book, the impact of which has been felt far beyond the traditional disciplinary confines of historical demography.

Introductory note
Related publications
Preface to the first edition
Introduction
Part I. From Parish Register Data to National Vital Series: 1. The basic data
2. The representativeness of the date
3. Inflation to national frequencies
4. From baptisms and burials to births and deaths: corrections for nonconformity and late baptism
5. From baptisms and burials to births and deaths: final inflation ratios: offsetting other causes of non-registration
Part II. English Population History: 6. Secular trends: some basic patterns
7. Secular trends: back-projection estimates of population characteristics and vital rates
8. Short-term variations: some basic patterns
9. Short-term variation: vital rates, prices, and weather
10. The economic setting of long-term trends in English fertility and mortality
11. Conclusion
Appendices
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Social & cultural history [HBTB]