The census enumerators' returns contain details for each household. Originals are kept at the Family Records Centre in London & are subject to a confidentiality ruling which precludes public access until 100 years after the census was held.
The details provided varied from census to census, but all censuses asked for basic information on the inhabitants of each household, such as full name, age, occupation and birthplace. In 1841 the birthplace was given as in Lancashire or elsewhere, but the other censuses were more specific about place of birth.
Lancaster University Library has obtained copies of the returns for the census districts of the old county of Lancashire north of the River Ribble for the censuses 1841-1901. 1841-81 are held on microfilm; 1891 and 1901 are on microfiche. These can be obtained from the Information Point on A floor. The 1901 census enumerators' returns are also available from the 1901 Census Online website at http://www.1901censusonline.com/
Lancashire, Cumberland, Westmorland & Yorkshire census enumerators' returns are also available on CD-ROM for use by members of Lancaster University. Please ask at the Information Point on A floor for details of census years available for each county.