Jersey's Population - A History (original) (raw)

Jersey's population growth has been variable-very rapid growth in the first half of the 19 th century, decline then recovery from 1850 to 1950, and rapid growth subsequently. Immigration has played a significant part in population growth, but large-scale emigration, particularly of young men, has also been an almost permanent feature. The first edition of this paper, published in May 2010, sought to bring together the available statistical and other analytical information on population trends in Jersey, within a sound theoretical framework. This had not been an easy task as even census data are not perfect, and there are changes in definitions between different census reports. Also, the census reports for Jersey prior to 1951 range from being difficult to access to impossible to find. However, the data are sufficient to provide the basis for analysis and debate. The second edition updated the analysis to take account of the results of the 2011 census and other data that had become available. This final edition includes an additional chapter on occupational trends and a limited amount of new data. The approach is broadly chronological, but also seeks to cover specific topics, such as French agricultural workers, so there is some overlap between chapters. Population growth and economic prosperity are inextricably linked, so this paper is also a brief economic history of Jersey, but only to the extent necessary to explain population trends.