Tower Hamlets District : Total Population

Total Population

Data cube chart.

Year Population 10 years earlier Current Total Population
1801 148,754 Show data context
1811 148,754 Show data context 183,158 Show data context
1821 183,158 Show data context 222,885 Show data context
1831 222,885 Show data context 266,686 Show data context
1841 266,686 Show data context 313,441 Show data context
1851 313,441 Show data context 381,107 Show data context
1861 381,107 Show data context 446,190 Show data context
1871 446,190 Show data context
1881 579,231 Show data context
1891 579,231 Show data context 595,352 Show data context
1901 595,352 Show data context
1911 579,648 Show data context
1921 579,648 Show data context 536,916 Show data context
1931 536,916 Show data context 493,724 Show data context
1941 493,724 Show data context
1951 236,543 Show data context
1961 236,543 Show data context 208,237 Show data context
1971 208,237 Show data context 158,971 Show data context
1981 158,971 Show data context 140,014 Show data context
1991 140,014 Show data context 159,870 Show data context
2001 159,870 Show data context 196,106 Show data context
2011 254,096 Show data context
2021 310,100 Show data context
Date Source
1801 - 1851 1851 Census of Great Britain, Population tables 2, Table [1] , 'Population Abstract'
1811 - 2001 Census of Population
1861 1861 Census of England and Wales, Ages, Table 2 , 'Ages of Males and Females in Superintendent Registrars' Districts'
1881 1881 Census of England and Wales, Ages, Table 2 , 'Ages of Males and Females in Registration Districts'
1891 1891 Census of England and Wales, Ages, Table 2 , 'Ages of Males and Females in Registration Districts'
1911 1911 Census of England and Wales, Ages, Table 8 , 'Administrative Counties, Urban Districts and Rural Districts - Persons, Males and Females at each year of age under 21 and in quinquennial age-groups in each Administrative County (inclusive and exclusive of associated County Boroughs) and in the aggregates of Urban Districts, of County Boroughs and of Rural districts. Also Males and Females at these ages in each County Borough, Municipal Borough, other Urban District and Rural District, 1911'
1921 1921 Census of England and Wales, County Report, Table 14 , 'Ages (quinquennial groups) and Marital Conditions in combination'
1931 1931 Census of England and Wales, County Report Part I, Table 15 , 'Ages and Marital Conditions - Abridged Analysis'
1951 1951 Census of England and Wales, County Report, Table 22 , 'Ages (quinary) by Marital Condition - Abridged Analysis', for 'Urban Areas with population of less than 50,000, RD'
1961 1961 Census of England and Wales, County Report, Table 6 , 'Age and Marital Condition', for 'LAA, Con, NT'
1971 UK Data Service, Census 1971 data (Tables SAS06 and SAS07)
1981 UK Data Service, Census 1981 data (Table SAS02: "Age and Marital Status: All Residents)
1991 Office for National Statistics, NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (Table S02 Age and marital status: Residents [100%])
2001 Office for National Statistics, NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (Table CS001 - Age by sex and resident type)
2011 Office for National Statistics, NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (Table LC1117EW - "Sex by age")
2021 Office for National Statistics, ONS "Create a Custom Dataset" ("Age" (23 way) by "Sex")

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nCube definition


This very simplified view of the changing industrial base of communities does identify the traditional sectors of Agriculture, Mining and Manufacturing which dominated many areas in the nineteenth century, but provides no breakdown of the service sector, in which the large majority of us now work.


How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Tower Hamlets District through time | Historical Statistics on Population | Total Population, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10057346/cube/TOT_POP

Date accessed: 01st June 2026