Which groups of people were commonly counted in early population inventories?

In early population inventories, authorities did not typically attempt to count the entire population or a representative sample. Instead, these premodern enumerations focused on identifying specific categories of individuals to facilitate state control, such as taxation, military service, or forced labor.1

Commonly targeted groups included:

• Family heads: Often counted to establish household responsibility for taxes or duties.1
• Males of military age: Frequently enumerated to ensure a sufficient supply of soldiers for the state.1
• Landholders: As seen in the Domesday Book, inventories were sometimes used to track property ownership and holdings within a domain.1
• Citizens: In ancient Rome, periodic enumerations were conducted to determine the liabilities of citizens and their property.1

Because these early counts were designed to identify individuals for state-imposed burdens, they were often inaccurate, as it was rarely in an individual's interest to be counted or to provide truthful information.1