3.4 Population registers

A population register is often understood to be a computer register containing the key demographic information on all persons permanently resident in the country. This register is updated regularly by amending the information (marriages contracted) or by adding (births) and removing (deaths) the information. The domicile of the person changes in the population register upon moving. We in Finland and the other Nordic countries have such population registers.

In Finland the Population Register Centre maintains the population register, the population information system used widely in different administrative sectors. The population information system is nowadays the major source of population statistics. You can find out more about the Population Register Centre at: www.vaestorekisterikeskus.fi

The population register can also be conceived as a more limited list kept regionally. Such registers are usually maintained by local government authorities or the church.

Finland is a typical example of a country where population registration was started by the church. At first lists were maintained on baptisms and burials. These lists were extended into lists of literate parishioners and later they became lists of all parishioners - parish registers.

Next lesson: History of Finland's population statistics