The census was taken on 5 April. There were 315 residents in Preston - 153 males and 162 females. They included 53 couples and 16 widows or widowers.

They occupied 62 cottages, an average of 4.7 inhabitants in each home.  Also inhabited were six farms and ‘The Cottage’. Fifteen houses were empty.

The following ‘core’ families were in Preston. They made up 37 % of the village’s population:

Peters

Jenkins

Thrussell

Brown

Jeeves

34 members

26

20

18

18

These were the most popular Christian names:

Male

George

William

Henry

Thomas

Frederick

Arthur

Frank

16

16

11

10

  8

  6

  6

Female

Mary

Sarah

Emma

Mary Ann

Elizabeth

Rosa

Emily

11

10

10

  8

  8

  7

  6

One hundred and sixty-one villagers were aged under 21 years - 51%. The oldest and youngest residents lived at Chequers Lane -  Sarah Peters  who died in May 1881 aged 79 and two-week-old Eva Ewington.

Of the surviving villagers from 1881, 163 were still living in Preston 10 years later - 50%. Of the remainder, 34 were living within a radius of 5 miles from the village and another 32 had relocated within Hertfordshire. Thirty-seven had left the county. Twenty villagers were living in Hitchin and six had moved to London.

On the land

Farmers

Farm labourers inc.

    hay-binders

Woodmen

Gamekeeper

Hurdle-maker

Ploughman

Shepherds

Gardener

  6

61

  4

  1

  1

  1

  2

  1

Women

Straw plaiters

Dressmaker

School mistresses

Postmistress/grocer

Housekeepers

Tailoress

Servants

12

  1

  3

  1

  1

  1

  3

Tradesmen

Grocer

Victuallers

Painter

Tailor

Wheelwright

Apprentice

Butler

Auctioneer

Baker

Curate

Estate agent

Hay dealer

Painter

1

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

The straw-plaiters ranged in age from 15 - 71.

Four villagers were ‘on own means’ and two had retired. George Jeeves (55) was noted as a cripple.

Ages of villagers in 1891

93

68

30

39

30

28

20

7

Chart of movement of villagers 1881-91

163 in Preston

37 outside Herts

34 within 5 miles

32 in Herts

Top

Link to transcription of 1891 Preston census.

Link to alphabetical list of names in 1891 Preston census.

Census references:

                        RG12 / 1108 Folio 29r-33v pages 5-14

                                              Folio 59v-60v pages 2-4

                                              Folio 107 page 1

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