National and County Trends:
According to official census figures, the population of the United Kingdom increased during the 1800s from 16.3 to 41.2 million. Most of this increase was in England and Wales (8.9 to 32.5 million). Scotland showed a small and steady rise, while Ireland suffered a dramatic decrease in population in mid-century [Figure 1]. 
Figure 1. Population of various regions of the United Kingdom during each of the decades of the 1800s. The data in this and subsequent figures are based on the official census figures issued by the Office of National Statistics(V.C.H. Dorset). Dorset's population in 1801 was 114,000. Its contribution to the overall population changes of England and Wales was therefore very small. Any comparisons are therefore given in percentage changes [Figure 2]. The population changes in Dorset did not follow what was happening in the rest of the country. Apart from a small rise in the first few decades of the century, Dorset's population showed little increase during the rest of the 1800s. 
Figure 2. Percentage changes in the population of Dorset during the 1800s compared with those of England and Wales. In this and following figures the changes are calculated from those of 1801. | 
