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1926 Soviet census

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1926 Soviet census

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Promotional poster to the 1926 Census

The 1926 Soviet census (, All-Union census), conducted in December 1926, was the first comprehensive all-Union census in the Soviet Union. It served as a critical instrument in the nation-building efforts of the USSR, furnishing the government with vital ethnographic data. This census played a significant role in the societal shift from the Imperial Russian era to the Soviet period. The methodologies employed by ethnographers in defining individual ethnicity (narodnost), particularly in creating the "List of Ethnicities of the USSR" and delineating borders in ethnically mixed regions, profoundly shaped Soviet policies. Ethnographers, statisticians, and linguists not only designed questionnaires and ethnicity lists but also aimed to actively reshape identities according to Marxism–Leninism. As Anastas Mikoyan stated, the Soviet Union was engaged in "creating and organising new nations".

Previous Censuses

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. The 1923 Census was limited to urban areas. Before the Russian Revolution, the sole Russian Empire Census was conducted in 1897.

Methodology

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.

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.

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.

Census Results

Composition of the USSR

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

No.Soviet
RepublicTerritory (km2)PopulationUrban PopulationMale PopulationEthnic RussiansEthnic UkrainiansTitular EthnicityTotal21 176 187147 027 91526 314 11471 043 35277 791 12431 194 976
1RSFSR19 651 446100 891 24417 442 65548 170 63574 072 0967 873 331
2UkSSR451 58429 018 1875 373 55314 094 5922 677 16623 218 860
3BSSR126 7924 983 240847 8302 439 801383 80634 6814 017 301
4Transcaucasian SFSR185 1915 861 5291 410 8763 009 046336 17835 4231 797 960
5Uzbek SSR311 4765 272 8011 102 2182 797 420246 52125 8043 475 340
6Turkmen SSR449 6981 000 914136 982531 85875 3576877719 792

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

Population of the USSR by Republics

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

Population of the USSR Sorted by Most Common Nationalities in 1926

USSRRSFSRUkrainian SSRByelorussian SSRTSFSRUzbek SSRTurkmen SSR
Total
Russians
Ukrainians
Belorussians
Georgians
Armenians
Turks
Uzbeks
Turkmen
Kazakhs
Kirghiz
Tatars
Chuvash
Bashkirs
Yakuts
Karakalpaks
Tajiks
Ossetians
Talysh
Tats
Kurds
Mordva
Mari
Karelians
Udmurts
Komi
Permyaks
Buryats
Kalmyks
Germans
Jews
Poles
Greeks
Vainakhs
Moldavians
Bulgarians
Latvians
Lithuanians
Abkhazians

List of Ethnicities

This list, officially titled ru, vol. 7, ru, Moscow 1927, was compiled by the Central Statistical Administration of the USSR in preparation for the census.

  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) – 2,599,973
  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"
  90. Samogir (Самогиры), Nanai people Tungusic people
  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 people
  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
  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
::b) Kryashens ::c) ::d) Uigar ::e) Oirot ::f) Khakass ::g) Others 191. Foreign subjects ## Administrative Divisions of Ukraine (1925–1932) The census data for Soviet Ukraine was aggregated for several okruhas into larger subdivisions known as *pidraion* or *podraion* (; ). There were six such subdivisions. ### Subdistricts (Pidraions) - Polissia Subdistrict (Poliskyi pidraion) - Chernihiv Okruha - Hlukhiv Okruha - Konotop Okruha - Korosten Okruha - Volyn Okruha - Right-bank Subdistrict (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 (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 ## References ## References 1. ''Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union'' by Francine Hirsch, Cornell University Press, 2005 2. "{{lang. ru. Национальный вопрос и национальная култура в Северо-Кавказском крае (Итоги и перспективы): К предстоящему съезду горских народов" (''Natsionalny vopros i natsionalnaya kultura v Severo-Kavkazskom kraye (Itogi i perspektivy): K predstoyashchemu syezdu gorskikh narodov''), [[Rostov-on-Don]], 1926. 3. [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 4. ''Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union'' by Francine Hirsch, Cornell University Press, 2005, pp. 111 5. ''Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union'' by Francine Hirsch, Cornell University Press, 2005, pp. 116–117 6. ''Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union'' by Francine Hirsch, Cornell University Press, 2005, pp. 329–333 7. The 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. 8. [https://books.google.com/books?id=WKrN10g4whAC&dq=Manegir&pg=PA131 p. 131] 9. ''Сибирская 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] 10. [[Francine Hirsch]], ''The Soviet Union as a Work-in-Progress: Ethnographers and the Category Nationality in the 1926, 1937, and 1939 Censuses'' 11. [http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/ussr_26_b.php?reg=14 Woodland Subdistrict]. www.demoscope.ru 12. [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. 13. [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. ::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1926_Soviet_census) and is available under the [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the [article history page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1926_Soviet_census?action=history). ::
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