1926 Soviet census

Prior to the 1926 all-Union census, the Bolsheviks had conducted two partial censuses after their rise to power in Russia. The first, the general census of 1920, occurred amidst the Civil War and the Soviet-Polish War. Consequently, it could not cover the Crimea, substantial parts of Transcaucasia, the Ukraine, the Byelorussia, as well as Far Eastern, Siberian, Central Asian, and Far Northern territories. Notably, there was a population increase of only 15,000,000 between 1920 and 1926, reaching approximately 131,304,931 people according to TIME magazine, a figure still not widely disclosed in Russian historical accounts.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110604110615/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,786194-4,00.html Russia:Decennial. Overview of Russian life 10 years after the revolution by the TIME magazine] {{in lang|en}} The 1923 Census was limited to urban areas. Before the Russian Revolution, the sole Russian Empire Census was conducted in 1897.

The census classified the population by narodnosti (nationalities), a departure from categories like tribe or clan. This classification, combined with policies that allocated land, resources, and rights to these defined nations, led to interference in data collection by experts and local elites.Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union by Francine Hirsch, Cornell University Press, 2005, pp. 111

Delegations from the Georgian SSR and Ukrainian SSR raised concerns about the census's formulation of narodnosti. The Georgian delegation advocated for classifying the population by natsionalʹnosti, believing it more appropriate for developed nations like Georgians. Ukrainian representatives favored using native language as the basis for classification instead of nationality. However, these objections did not result in changes to the methodology.Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union by Francine Hirsch, Cornell University Press, 2005, pp. 116–117

Responses regarding nationality were sometimes altered by census takers or later by state analysts to ensure "correctness." It was believed that individuals might "confuse" nationality with other categories such as place of residence, native language, or clan.Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union by Francine Hirsch, Cornell University Press, 2005, pp. 111

The following table provides an overview of the population and territory of the Soviet Republics in 1926:

For the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, Georgians were considered the Titular Nationality.

• {{flagcountry|Russian SFSR|1918}} – 100,891,244 (urban 17,442,655)
• Kazakh ASSR – 6,503,006 (urban 539,249)
• Kirghiz ASSR – 993,004 (urban 121,080)
• {{flagcountry|Ukrainian SSR|1927|name=Ukrainian SSR}} – 29,018,187 (urban 5,373,553)
• Moldavian ASSR – 572,114
• {{flagcountry|Uzbek SSR|1937|name=Uzbek SSR}} – 5,272,801 (urban 1,102,218)
• Tajik ASSR – 827,200
• {{flagcountry|Byelorussian SSR|1919|name=Byelorussian SSR}} – 4,983,240 (urban 847,830)
• {{flagcountry|Transcaucasian SFSR}}
• {{flagcountry|Georgian SSR|1921|name=Georgian SSR}} – 2,666,494 (urban 594,221)
• {{flagcountry|Azerbaijan SSR|1937|name=Azerbaijan SSR}} – 2,314,571 (urban 649,557)
• {{flagcountry|Armenian SSR|1922|name=Armenian SSR}} – 880,464 (urban 167,098)
• {{flagcountry|Turkmen SSR|1925|name=Turkmen SSR}} – 1,000,914 (urban 136,982)
• Total in the Soviet Union – 147,027,915 (urban 26,314,114)

This list, officially titled {{transliteration|ru|Programmy i posobiya po razrabotke Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naseleniya 1926 goda}}, vol. 7, {{transliteration|ru|Perechen i slovar narodnostey}}, Moscow 1927, was compiled by the Central Statistical Administration of the USSR in preparation for the census.Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union by Francine Hirsch, Cornell University Press, 2005, pp. 329–333

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

1. Russian – 77 791 124
2. Ukrainian – 31 194 976
3. Belarusian – 4 738 923
4. Polish – 782 334
5. Czech
6. Slovak
7. Serb
8. Bulgarian – 111 296
9. Latvian – 151 410
10. Lithuanian – 41 463
11. Latgalian
12. Samogitian (Zhmud)
13. German – 1 238 549
14. British
15. Swedish
16. Dutch
17. Italian
18. French
19. Romanian – 278 903
20. Moldavians – 278 903
21. Greek – 213 765
22. Albanian (Arnaut)
23. Jewish (Ashkenazi) – 2,599,973The total population of the six different Jewish recognized groups was 2,680,823; Ashkenazim were listed simply as "Jewish", being seen as default. James Stuart Olson, An Ethnohistorical Dictionary of the Russian and Soviet Empires, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1994. pp. 317-321 etc.
24. Crimean Jewish – 6,383
25. Mountain Jewish (Dag Chufut) – 25,974
26. Georgian Jewish – 21,471
27. Bukharan Jewish (Dzhugur) – 18,698
28. Karaim – 8,324
29. Finnish
30. Leningrad Finnish (Chukhontsy)
31. Karelian
32. Tavastian
33. Estonian – 154 666
34. Vepsian (Chud)
35. Vod (Vote)
36. Izhorian (Ingrian)
37. Kven
38. Lopars (Sami people)
39. Zyrian
40. Permyak
41. Udmurt (Votiak)
42. Besermyan
43. Mari (Cheremis)
44. Mordva (Moksha, Erzya, Teryukhan, Karatai)
45. Magyar (Hungarian)
46. Gagauz
47. Chuvash – 1 117 419
48. Tatar – 2 916 536
49. Mishar (Meshcheriak)
50. Bashkir – 713 693
51. Nagaybak
52. Nogai
53. Gypsy
54. Kalmyk
55. Mongol
56. Buryat
57. Sart-Kalmyk
58. Mansi (Vogul)
59. Khanty (Ostyak)
60. Selkup (Ostyak-Samoyed)
61. Nenets (Samoyed)
62. Yurak
63. Soyot (Uriankhai)
64. Barabin (Barbara Tartar)
65. Bukharan (Bukharlyk)
66. Chernevyy Tatar (Tubalar, Tuba-Kizhi)
67. Altai (Altai-Kizhi, Mountain or White Kalmyk)
68. Teleut
69. Telengit (Telengut)
70. Kumandin (Lebedin, Ku-Kohzi)
71. Shors
72. Kharagas (Tuba, Kharagaz)
73. Kızıl (Kyzyl)
74. Kachin
75. Sagai
76. Koybal
77. Beltir
78. Dolgan (Dolgan-Iakut)
79. Yakut (Sakha, Urangkhai-Sakha) – 240 709
80. Tungus (Ovenk, Murchen)
81. Lamut
82. Orochon
83. Golds (Nanai people)
84. Olchi (Mangun, Ulchi)
85. Negidal (Negda, Eleke Beye)
86. Orochi
87. Udegei (Ude)
88. Orok
89. Manegir - 59 persons. A former division of Evenks. They lived along the Kumara River, hence an alternative designation, "Kumarchen" [https://books.google.com/books?id=WKrN10g4whAC&dq=Manegir&pg=PA131 p. 131]
90. Samogir (Самогиры), Nanai people Tungusic peopleСибирская Советская энциклопедия, Том первый. А - Ж, [https://books.google.com/books?id=izlsBgAAQBAJ&dq=%D0%A1%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%80%D1%8B&pg=PT414 p.775]
91. Manchurian
92. Chukchi
93. Koryaks
94. Kamchadal (Itel'men)
95. Gilyak (Nivkhi)
96. Yukagir
97. Chuvan
98. Aleut
99. Eskimo
100. Enisei (Ket, Enisei Ostiak)
101. Aino (Ainu, Kuchi)
102. Chinese
103. Korean
104. Japanese
105. Georgian (Kartvelian) – 1 821 184
106. Ajar
107. Megeli (Mingrelian)
108. Laz (Chan)
109. Svan (Svanetian)
110. Abkhaz (Abkhazian) – 56 957
111. Cherkess (Adyghe)
112. Beskesek-Abaza (Abazin)
113. Kabard
114. Ubykh
115. Chechen (Nakh, Nakhchuo)
116. Ingush (Galgai, Kist)
117. Batsbi (Tsova-Tish, Batswa)
118. Maistvei (Майствеи), combined into Chechen peopleFrancine Hirsch, The Soviet Union as a Work-in-Progress: Ethnographers and the Category Nationality in the 1926, 1937, and 1939 Censuses
119. Lezgin
120. Tabasaran
121. Agul
122. Archi
123. Rutul (Mykhad)
124. Tsakhur
125. Khinalug
126. Dzhek (Dzhektsy)
127. Khaput (Gaputlin, Khaputlin)
128. Kryz
129. Budukh (Budug)
130. Udin
131. Dargin
132. Kubachin (Ughbug)
133. Lak (Kazi-Kumukh)
134. Avar (Avartsy, Khunzal)
135. Andi (Andiitsy, Kwanally)
136. Botlog (Buikhatli)
137. Godoberi
138. Karatai
139. Akhvakh
140. Bagulal (Kvanandin)
141. Chamalal
142. Tindi (Tindal, Idera)
143. Didoi (Tsez)
144. Kvarshi
145. Kapuchin (Bezheta)
146. Khunzal (Enzebi, Nakhad)
147. Armenian – 1 567 568
148. Hemshin
149. Arab
150. Aisor (Assyrian)
151. Kaytak (Karakaitak)
152. Bosha (Karachi, Armenian Gypsy)
153. Ossetian – 272 272
154. Kurd
155. Yazid
156. Talysh
157. Tat
158. Persian
159. Karachai
160. Kumyk
161. Balkar (Mountain Tartar, Malkar)
162. Karakalpak
163. Turk
164. Ottoman Turk (Osmanli)
165. Samarkand and Fergana Turk
166. Turkmen – 763 940
167. Kirgiz (Kyrgyz, Kara-Kirgiz)
168. Karakalpak – 146 317
169. Kypchak
170. Kashgar
171. Taranchi
172. Kazakh (Kirgiz-Kazakh, Kirgiz-Kaisak) – 3 968 289
173. Kurama
174. Uzbek – 3 904 622
175. Dungan
176. Afghan
177. Tajik – 978 680
178. Vakhan
179. {{ill|Ishkashimi people|ru|Ишкашимцы}}
180. Shugnan
181. Yagnob
182. Yazgul
183. Iranian
184. Jemshid
185. Beludji
186. Berber
187. Khazara (Hazaras)
188. Hindu (Indian)
189. Other Ethnicities
190. Ethnicities not noted or noted inexactly

::a) Tavlin

::b) Kryashen

::c) Teptyar

::d) Uigar

::e) Oirot

::f) Khakass

::g) Others

191. Foreign subjects

{{div col end}}

The census data for Soviet Ukraine was aggregated for several okruhas into larger subdivisions known as pidraion or podraion ({{langx|ru|подрайон|translit=podraion}}; {{Langx|uk|підрайон|translit=pidraion}}). There were six such subdivisions.

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}

• Polissia Subdistrict[http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/ussr_26_b.php?reg=14 Woodland Subdistrict]. www.demoscope.ru (Poliskyi pidraion)
• Chernihiv Okruha
• Hlukhiv Okruha
• Konotop Okruha
• Korosten Okruha
• Volyn Okruha
• Right-bank Subdistrict[http://history.org.ua/LiberUA/VsesPerNas_1928/VsesPerNas_1928.pdf Всесоюзная перепись населения 1926 год]. / Центральное статистическое управление СССР, Отдел переписи. – М.: Издание ЦСУ Союза ССР, 1928. – 472 с. (Pravoberezhnyi pidraion)
• Bila Tserkva Okruha
• Berdychiv Okruha
• Kamianets Okruha
• Kyiv Okruha
• Mohyliv Okruha
• Proskuriv Okruha
• Tulchyn Okruha
• Uman Okruha
• Shevchenko Okruha
• Shepetivka Okruha
• Vinnytsia Okruha
• Left-bank Subdistrict (Livoberezhnyi pidraion)
• Izyum Okruha
• Kharkiv Okruha
• Kremenchuk Okruha
• Kupiansk Okruha
• Lubny Okruha
• Nizhyn Okruha
• Poltava Okruha
• Pryluky Okruha
• Romny Okruha
• Sumy Okruha
• Steppe Subdistrict[http://history.org.ua/LiberUA/VsesPerNas_1929/VsesPerNas_1929.pdf Всесоюзная перепись населения 1926 год]. / Центральное статистическое управление СССР, Отдел переписи. – М.: Издание ЦСУ Союза ССР, 1929. – 472 с. (Stepovyi pidraion)
• Zinovievsk Okruha
• Mariupol Okruha
• Melitopol Okruha
• Mykolaiv Okruha
• Odesa Okruha
• Pervomaisk Okruha
• Starobilsk Okruha (oscillated)
• Kherson Okruha
• Moldavian ASSR
• Dnipropetrovsk Subdistrict (Dnipropetrovskyi pidraion)
• Dnipropetrovsk Okruha
• Zaporizhzhia Okruha
• Kryvyi Rih Okruha
• Mining Industrial Subdistrict (Hirnychopromyslovyi pidraion)
• Artemivsk Okruha
• Luhansk Okruha
• Stalino Okruha

{{div col end}}

• Administrative division of Ukraine (1918)
• Administrative divisions of Ukraine (1918–1925)
• Administrative divisions of the Ukrainian SSR
• Development of the administrative divisions of Ukraine
• Okruhas of the Ukrainian SSR

{{Reflist}}

• [http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/census.php?cy=1 All-Union census 1926 (Demoskop Weekly) (in Russian)]
• [https://archive.org/stream/perepis_naseleniia_1926/vyp.%204%20%28RAW%29_djvu.txt Full text of "Всесоюзная перепись населения 17 декабря 1926 г"], КРАТКИЕ СВОДКИ. ВЫПУСК IV. НАРОДНОСТЬ И РОДНОЙ ЯЗЫК НАСЕЛЕНИЯ СССР
• [https://archive.org/details/perepis_naseleniia_1926/vyp.%203%20%28RAW%29/ Raw texts] of Summaries ("Краткие Сводки") III-X
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=U-QMTSQuV5oC&dq=L%27Oukraine&pg=PA201 L'Oukraine]. National Censuses and Vital Statistics in Europe, 1918-1939 (books.google.com).

• {{cite book|author=Henry Joachim Dubester|title=National Censuses and Vital Statistics in Europe, 1918–1939: An Annotated Bibliography, with 1940–1948 Supplement|year=1948 |publisher=Gale Research Company |location=USA |chapter=USSR: Census of 1926 |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zoiZAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA197 }}
• Francine Hirsch (2005) Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union, Cornell University Press
• Contains detailed information on the preparation of the census, on the definition of ethnicity (narodnost), etc.

{{Russian censuse}}

{{USSRCensus}}

Category:Ethnic groups in Russia

Category:Censuses in the Soviet Union

Category:1926 in the Soviet Union

Category:1926 censuses