The 1881 British Census Indexes are alphabetical transcripts on microfiche and on CD-ROM of the 1881 census for England, Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, and Scotland. There are separate indexes for each county, the Royal Navy, and miscellaneous. A nationwide index also exists which shows each person, with his or her name, age, sex, birth place, residence, and the name of the head of the family. With this information, you can then search the actual census, or quickly review the transcript for that locality. More than 30 million names list almost everyone then living in those countries. The index is available through the Family History Library, as well as most British family history societies. The great value in these records is the fact that the individual’s parish of birth is recorded. This is a wonderful clue to further research. Another indexed census pertains to the German Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin for 1819. This semi-independent German state was located in the northern section of the former East Germany, generally between Berlin and the North Sea. In 1819 the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin ordered the taking of a census of every inhabitant in the Duchy. Lists made by the mayor of cities and the councilmen of villages were to be given next to the pastors to check against their records for accuracy. The census identified about 393,000 inhabitants and is available from the Family History Library on 60 rolls of microfilm.