1891 Census of India

The 1891 Indian Census of India was conducted by the British and covered India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma.[1] The Census Commissioner was Jervoise Athelstane Baines, who was later knighted for his work in India. Baines changed the classification from that which had been used in the 1881 census. His obituary in the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society describes the changes as being "first the separation of caste from religion and, secondly, the substitution of the population subsisting by an occupation for that exercising it." He wrote the resultant 300-page General Report, which had "a literary flavour and wide scholarship" rather than a mere analysis of the data.[2]

The ethnic distribution was as follows:

Class Group Caste Population
All Classes All Groups All Castes 286,912,000
Military & Aristocratic Total 29,393,870
Rajput 10,424,346
Jat 6,688,733
Ahir 8,155,219
Gujjar 2,171,627
Maratha 3,324,095
Babhan 1,222,674
Nair 980,860
Kallar 410,983
Maravar 313,881
Velama 479,783
Khandayat 671,272
Awan 616,328
Kathi 41,996
Meo 365,726
Kodava 32,641
Others 1,648,925
Agricultural Total 56,335,357
Cultivators Total 47,927,361
Kunbi 10,531,300
Mali 1,876,211
Lodh 1,674,098
Kachhia 1,384,222
Koeri 1,735,431
Vellalar 2,254,073
Vokkaliga 1,360,558
Lingayat 655,491
Panchamsali 482,763
Kaibartta 2,298,824
Namasudra 1,948,658
Kochh 2,364,365
Koli 3,058,166
Reddy 2,666,399
Others 13,636,802
Field Labourers Total 8,407,996
Musahar 622,034
Bagdi 804,960
Bawari 612,430
Dubla 172,052
Palli 2,242,499
Pallar 814,989
Mala 1,365,520
Cheruma 523,744
Others 1,249,768
Pastoral Total 16,721,494
Cattle graziers Total 11,569,319
Gauli/ Goala 2,237,323
Others 1,176,777
Shepherds Total 5,152,175
Gaderia 1,294,830
Dhangar 1,305,583
Kuruba 1,059,185
Idiga 665,232
Rabari 434,788
Bharwad 128,271
Others 264,286
Forest Tribes Total 15,806,914
Group 1 Total 4,275,685
Santhal 1,494,045
Kol 474,969
Korwa 158,700
Ho 150,262
Munda 110,621
Bhuiya 909,822
Pan 341,710
Kharwar 112,298
Oraon 523,258
Group 2 Total 3,353,989
Baiga 136,478
Kur 155,831
Gond 3,061,680
Group 3 Total 2,686,096
Bhil 1,665,474
Bhilala 175,329
Kirar 175,508
Meena 669,785
Group 4 Total 518,747
Kathodi 77,705
Warli 168,631
Ghat-Thakur 130,481
Naikda 74,479
Dhanka 67,451
Group 5 Total 1,368,585
Kandh (Khond) 627,388
Savara 438,317
Halaba 102,613
Gadaba 34,127
Yanadi 84,988
Jatapu 81,152
Group 6 Total 60,443
Toda 739
Kota 1,201
Irula 58,503
Group 7 Total 762,023
Khasi 172,150
Kachari 243,378
Garo 150,227
Mech 96,873
Tippera 99,395
Group 8 Total 199,880
Mikir 94,829
Naga 101,568
Singpho 3,483
Group 9 Total 266,896
Kuki 25,940
Lushai 43,840
Kathe (Manipuri) 84,540
Khyun 82,710
Khyun Khwemu 14,200
Khyun Mro 15,666
Fishers Total 8,261,878
Kahar 1,943,155
Mala 1,147,544
Kewat 989,352
Boya 606,190
Jhinwar 489,819
Dhimar 287,436
Gaurhi 317,111
Machhi 260,496
Others 2,220,775
Artisans Total 28,882,551
Goldsmiths Total 1,661,088
Sonar 1,178,795
Aksale 307,670
Thattan 56,044
Others 118,579
Blacksmiths Total 2,625,103
Lohar 1,869,273
Kammar 666,887
Others 88,943
Carpenters and Masons Total 3,442,201
Suthar 681,790
Barhai 932,718
Tarkhan 696,781
Badagi 452,339
Asari 100,409
Khati 301,476
Gaundia 76,995
Raj 19,770
Others 179,923
Brass and Coppersmiths Total 301,519
Kasera 161,596
Thathera 60,837
Bogar 37,002
Others 42,084
Tailors Total 735,548
Darzi / Shimpi 710,092
Others 25,456
Weavers and Dyers Total 9,369,902
Julaha 2,660,159
Kori 1,187,613
Tanta 483,912
Jugi 424,219
Balai 305,635
Sali 391,064
Kaikola 316,620
Tatwa 328,778
Koshti 225,019
Ganda 291,768
Patnuli 96,443
Khatri 116,880
Rangrez 187,698
Others 2,354,094
Cotton Cleaners Total 859,288
Pinjara 753,675
Kadhera 105,613
Oil pressers Total 4,672,907
Teli / Ghanchi 4,147,803
Ghaniga 142,374
Vaniya 186,297
Kalu 191,395
Others 5,038
Potters Total 3,497,306
Kumbhar 3,346,488
Kusuvan 138,097
Others 12,721
Glass and Lac Total 155,003
Churihar 55,616
Lakhera 32,139
Others 67,248
Salt and Lime Total 1,531,130
Lonia 796,080
Uppar 267,715
Agri 241,336
Rehgar 77,856
Others 148,143
Goldsmiths' Cleaners Total 6,363
Niaria 5,808
Jhalgar 555
Iron and Gold Washers Total 24,893
Jhora 7,337
Dhangari 3,672
Asuri 3,552
Deoli 2,289
Others 8,043
Domestic Service Total 14,019,626
Barbers Total 3,729,934
Nai 2,532,067
Hajjam 605,721
Ambattan 186,187
Mangala 151,438
Bhandari 103,026
Others 151,495
Washermen Total 2,824,451
Dhobi 2,039,743
Agase 126,710
Vannan 258,508
Sakala 327,720
Parit 60,129
Others 11,641
Service Total 430,065
Gola 33,804
Bhishti 98,824
Khas 215,200
Chakar 25,706
Others 56,531
Grain Parchers / Confectioners Total 1,407,169
Bhadbhunja 343,308
Kandoi 524,155
Halwai 260,801
Guria 141,628
Others 137,277
Betel Leaf Sellers Total 236,507
Tamboli 222,048
Others 14,459
Toddy Drawers Total 4,795,210
Kalal 1,195,097
Shaha / Sunri 525,698
Nadar 690,434
Bhandari 170,014
Idiga 196,901
Ezhava 1,241,290
Gamalla 122,322
Gaundla 235,902
Others 417,552
Butchers Total 605,890
Kasai 302,612
Khateek 293,771
Others 9,507
Untouchables Total 30,795,703
Leather Workers Total 14,003,100
Chamar 11,258,105
Mochi 961,133
Madiga 927,339
Sakilia 445,366
Bambhi 220,596
Others 190,561
Watchmen Total 12,808,300
Dusadh 1,284,126
Ghawal 167,089
Pasi 1,378,314
Arakh 85,522
Dhanuk 883,278
Mehra 226,216
Mahar 2,960,568
Dhed 508,310
Holar 880,441
Mang 690,458
Berad 659,863
Ramosi 63,991
Mutrasa 296,743
Paraiya (Pariah) 2,210,988
Others 512,393
Scavengers Total 3,984,303
Mehtar 727,985
Chuhra 1,243,370
Megh 148,210
Bhuinmali 231,429
Bhuinhari 316,787
Dom (Dumna) 1,257,826
Others 58,696
Traders Total 12,270,973
Vaishya Total 12,148,597
Mahajan and Bania 3,186,660
Agarwal 354,177
Khatri 686,511
Arora 673,695
Komti 545,206
Balija 804,307
Chetti 702,141
Mappila 916,436
Labbe 364,293
Lohana 530,168
Others 3,385,003
Pedlars Total 122,376
Manihar 90,131
Thoria 9,097
Others 23,148
Professional Total 21,652,422
Priests Total 15,467,752
Brahmin 14,821,732
Jangam 396,598
Ulama 50,165
Garodi 41,412
Others 157,845
Devotees and Ascetics Total 2,717,861
Gosain 231,612
Bairagi 275,604
Sadhu (unspecified) 376,130
Bawa 66,115
Vaishnav 469,052
Fakir 830,131
Others 469,217
Temple Service Total 320,530
Gurao 110,529
Satani 88,354
Sewak 121,647
Genealogists Total 590,412
Bhat 481,119
Charan 99,090
Others 10,203
Writers Total 2,555,867
Kayastha 2,239,810
Karan 146,053
Karnam 54,177
Kannakan 41,013
Prabhu 29,559
Vidhur 33,437
Others 11,818
Arts Total 4,153,275
Astrologers Total 299,776
Joshi 85,306
Vaidya 87,193
Dakaut 16,062
Kanisan 27,198
Others 84,017
Drummers and Ballad Singers Total 645,214
Mirasi 316,422
Dafali 147,364
Gondhali 18,031
Others 163,397
Singers and Dancers Total 145,778
Mimes Total 62,507
Bahurupia 4,940
Bhand 9,783
Bharia 24,539
Others 23,245
Carriers Total 973,626
Banjara 561,644
Labana 327,748
Pindari 6,751
Others 77,483
Vagrants Total 3,457,666
Grindstone Makers Total 18,996
Takankar 9,508
Khumra 6,554
Others 2,934
Earth and Stone Workers Total 1,124,357
Odh / Waddar 793,516
Beldar 152,515
Others 178,326
Knife Grinders Total 18,980
Shikligar 16,781
Others 2,199
Mat and Cane Workers Total 639,150
Korvi 207,045
Burud 53,413
Bansphor 89,955
Basor 73,345
Changar 36,569
Ghasia 46,077
Others 132,746
Hunters and Fowlers Total 948,870
Wagri 179,070
Baheliya 39,203
Mahtam 56,984
Moghia 146,667
Valaiya 289,411
Aheria 36,320
Others 201,215
Vagrants Total 400,969
Jogi 214,546
Sansia 30,704
Kanjar 29,186
Barwala 63,856
Others 62,677
Jugglers and Acrobats Total 306,344
Bedia 65,194
Nat 139,068
Others 102,082
Indefinite Indian Total 3,079,204
Foreign Musalmans Total 34,348,085
Shaikh 27,644,993
Pathan 3,255,521
Mughal 333,114
Sayyid 1,430,329
Baloch 971,835
Turk 50,503
Arab 39,338
Others 622,452
Himalayan Mongoloids Total 244,722
Ladakhi 30,672
Bhoti 25,670
Lepcha 9,745
Khamba 33,490
Tharu 53,875
Newar 4,979
Limbu 15,079
Gurung 10,894
Mangar 19,383
Sunuwar 5,210
Murmi 21,889
Others 13,836
Indian Christians Total 1,835,848
Native 1,807,092
Goan 28,756
Assamese and Burmese Total 7,297,618
Burmese 5,408,984
Karen 540,876
Shan 182,745
Chinese 41,832
Arakanese 452,164
Yau 12,931
Mon 467,885
Ahom 153,518
Cross-breeds 19,821
Western Asiatics Total 107,864
Jews 16,951
Armenians 1,295
Parsis 89,618
Eurasians Total 81,044
Europeans Total 166,428
Africans Total 18,775

See also

References

  1. Database: General report on the Census of India, 1891, Page 199
  2. R.H.R.; S. de J. (January 1926). "Obituary: Sir Athelstane Baines, C.S.I.". Journal of the Royal Statistical Society (London: Royal Statistical Society) 89 (1): 182–184.(subscription required)