Population statistics in Sweden

In 1749, Sweden established a system for population statistics (Tabellverket) that annually presented data for important demographic events in the 2500 parishes of the country. Taxation records and church book registration were important antecedents, as were the temporal events of wars, famines, and raging epidemics. During a period of recovery, Sweden went through political changes. Influenced by international political arithmetic and mercantilism, the establishment of "Tabellverket" was part of a plan to increase and rationalize the population. The existence of a medical organization and a central administrative system helped, but even more important were the networks that included most of the influential people. Thus, clergy who were responsible for the compilation of data played a key role.

Eli Heckscher stressed two aspects of population statistics in Sweden as important in the European context: time and quality. The establishment of "Tabellverket" in 1749 gave Sweden a head start with population statistics. Except for occasional national censuses, such as Iceland’s in 1703, no national population statistics existed for any European country at the beginning of the 18th century. England, France, and most other countries were not comparably organized until the 19th century. Moreover, the population statistics in Sweden contained detailed information. Not only births, deaths, and marriages were included in the tables submitted from the parishes, but also specifications about occupations, civil status, and causes of death and migration.

Swedish clergy and bishops failed to comply with initiatives for the keeping of church records during the 16th century, when most European countries were establishing such practices. The Swedish Church Law of 1571 gives no signs that the church was considering the establishment of annual records. Instead, the king and state administration started to keep records about the homesteads and other units from which taxes were collected. By the mid-16th century, these records were kept in administrative books (jordeböcker) and account books.

Since nearly all inhabitants of Sweden belonged to the Lutheran church, it was a clever strategy to use the already existing ecclesiastical organization to collect population data. The importance of the clergy must be stressed. It was their continuous work that supported the system of population statistics in Sweden. Without them, the plan could not have been implemented. Most clergy considered their contribution to "Tabellverket" a duty and a responsibility, which they tried to fulfill conscientiously. Of course, there were certain problems involved in obtaining correct information. Parish borders changed, fires destroyed church records and forms, people sometimes migrated frequently, and it could be difficult for the clergyman to make correct diagnoses for many deaths. Nevertheless, the overall impression is that 18th century population data were characterized by their reliability and high quality.

References

*Peter Sköld, "Population statistics in Sweden", 2004.

*Altvall, H. E. (1974). "Folkbokföringen och befolkningsstatistiken". "Statistisk Tidskrift", 12(6), 498–504.

*Arosenius, E. (1928). "Bidrag till det svenska tabellverkets historia". Stockholm: Norstedt & Söner.

*Bang, G. (1976). Kirkebogsstudier. Bidrag til dansk befolkningsstatistik og kulturhistorie i det 17. Aarhundrede. Köpenhamn:Selskabet for udgivelse af kilder til dansk historie (original 1906).

*Berch, A. (1746a). "Sätt At Igenom Politisk Arithmetica Utröna Länders och Rikens Hushaldning". Stockholm: Lars Salvius(published anonymously).

*Berch, A. (1746b). Inledning Til Almanna Hushallningen, Innefattande Grunden Til Politie, Oeconomie Och Cameral Wetenskaperne.Til Deras Tianst, Som Biwista De Almanne Förelasningar. Stockholm: Lars Salvius.

*Bergström, C. (1991). Lantprasten. Pra¨stens funktion i det agrara samhället 1720–1800. Olad-Frösakers kontrakt av arkestiftet.Stockholm University, Stockholm: Historiska institutionen.

*-----, J. (1750). Beskrifning ö fver Perna Socken, belagen i Skargarden vid Finska viken, uti Nyland och Degerby Höfdingedome. Kongl. Svenska Vetenskapsacademiens Handlingar, 11(4), 257–268.