My understanding, is it wasn't a census, but just info at local town halls. The purpose was only so you could be buried where you wanted, in a preferred cemete

My understanding, is it wasn't a census, but just info at local town halls. The purpose was only so you could be buried where you wanted, in a preferred cemetery, Catholics in a Catholic cemetery for example, people wanted, and cared about that, back then. But if you died without relatives... the town had to know.