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.Empire of Nations: Ethnographic Knowledge and the Making of the Soviet Union by Francine Hirsch, Cornell University Press, 2005 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"."" (Natsionalny vopros i natsionalnaya kultura v Severo-Kavkazskom kraye (Itogi i perspektivy): K predstoyashchemu syezdu gorskikh narodov), Rostov-on-Don, 1926.
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.Russia:Decennial. Overview of Russian life 10 years after the revolution by the TIME magazine 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.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.
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 Republic Territory (km2) Population Urban Population Male Population Ethnic Russians Ethnic Ukrainians Titular Ethnicity 1 RSFSR 19 651 446 100 891 244 17 442 655 48 170 635 74 072 096 7 873 331 2 UkSSR 451 584 29 018 187 5 373 553 14 094 592 2 677 166 23 218 860 3 BSSR 126 792 4 983 240 847 830 2 439 801 383 806 34 681 4 017 301 4 Transcaucasian SFSR 185 191 5 861 529 1 410 876 3 009 046 336 178 35 423 1 797 960 5 Uzbek SSR 311 476 5 272 801 1 102 218 2 797 420 246 521 25 804 3 475 340 6 Turkmen SSR 449 698 1 000 914 136 982 531 858 75 357 6877 719 792 Total 21 176 187 147 027 915 26 314 114 71 043 352 77 791 124 31 194 976 For the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, Georgians were considered the Titular Nationality.
Population of the USSR by Republics – 100,891,244 (urban 17,442,655) Kazakh ASSR – 6,503,006 (urban 539,249) Kirghiz ASSR – 993,004 (urban 121,080) – 29,018,187 (urban 5,373,553) Moldavian ASSR – 572,114 – 5,272,801 (urban 1,102,218) Tajik ASSR – 827,200 – 4,983,240 (urban 847,830)
– 2,666,494 (urban 594,221) – 2,314,571 (urban 649,557) – 880,464 (urban 167,098) – 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 USSR RSFSR Ukrainian SSRByelorussian SSR TSFSR Uzbek SSRTurkmen SSRTotal 147,027,915100,623,00029,018,1874,983,240 5,861,5295,272,801 1,000,914Russians 77,791,124 74,072,000 2,677,166 383,806336,178 246,521 75,357Ukrainians 31,194,976 7,873,000 23,218,86034,681 35,423 25,804 6,877Belorussians 4,738,923 638,000 75,842 4,017,031 3,7673,515 864Georgians 1,821,184 21,000 1,265 52 1,797,960697 258Armenians 1,567,568 195,000 10,631 99 1,332,59314,976 13,859Turks 1,706,605 28,000 56 0 1,652,76821,565 4,229Uzbeks 3,904,622 325,000 23 0 72 3,475,340 104,971Turkmen 763,940 18,000 21 1 102 25,954 719,792Kazakhs 3,968,289 3,852,000 98 18 61 106,980 9,471Kirghiz 762,736 672,000 36 1 10 90,743 0Tatars 2,916,536 2,846,734 22,281 3,777 10,574 28,401 4,769Chuvash 1,117,419 1,114,813 905 739 92 315 555Bashkirs 713,693 712,000 114 8 14 765 426Yakuts 240,709 240,687 14 1 0 3 4Karakalpaks 146,317 118,2170 0 0 26,563 1,537Tajiks 978,680 10,385 0 0 1 967,728 566Ossetians 272,272 157,000 184 18 114,450234 38Talysh 77,3230 0 0 77,323 0 0Tats 28,705223 35 0 28,4430 4Kurds 69,18414,701 1 0 52,173 1 2,308Mordva 1,340,415 1,334,700 1,171 1,051 1,2381,805491Mari 428,192 428,000 122 18 14 19 18Karelians 248,120 248,030 60 19 7 1 3Udmurts 514,187 514,000 91 45 6 19 8Komi 226,383 226,300 42 21 18 5 5Permyaks 149,488 149,400 36 3 1 0 0Buryats 237,501 237,000 3 1 2 0 1Kalmyks 132,114131,75792 1 8 18 2Germans 1,238,549 806,301 393,924 7,075 25,327 4,646 1,276Jews 2,599,973 566,917 1,574,391 407,059 31,175 19,611 1,820Poles 782,334 197,827 476,435 97,498 6,324 3,411 839Greeks 213,765 50,649 104,666 55 57,935 347113Vainakhs 392,600 390,000 51 7 84 5 2Moldavians 278,903 20,525 257,794 63 316173 24Bulgarians 111,29618,64492,078 22 203 32128Latvians 151,410126,2779,13114,061 951737232Lithuanians 41,46326,8566,7956,853 57231165Abkhazians 56,957 988 0 56,8510 0
List of Ethnicities This list, officially titled , vol. 7, , 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
Russian – 77 791 124 Ukrainian – 31 194 976 Belarusian – 4 738 923 Polish – 782 334 Czech Slovak Serb Bulgarian – 111 296 Latvian – 151 410 Lithuanian – 41 463 Latgalian Samogitian (Zhmud) German – 1 238 549 British Swedish Dutch Italian French Romanian – 278 903 Moldavians – 278 903 Greek – 213 765 Albanian (Arnaut) 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. Crimean Jewish – 6,383 Mountain Jewish (Dag Chufut) – 25,974 Georgian Jewish – 21,471 Bukharan Jewish (Dzhugur) – 18,698 Karaim – 8,324 Finnish Leningrad Finnish (Chukhontsy) Karelian Tavastian Estonian – 154 666 Vepsian (Chud) Vod (Vote) Izhorian (Ingrian) Kven Lopars (Sami people) Zyrian Permyak Udmurt (Votiak) Besermyan Mari (Cheremis) Mordva (Moksha, Erzya, Teryukhan, Karatai) Magyar (Hungarian) Gagauz Chuvash – 1 117 419 Tatar – 2 916 536 Mishar (Meshcheriak) Bashkir – 713 693 Nagaybak Nogai Gypsy Kalmyk Mongol Buryat Sart-Kalmyk Mansi (Vogul) Khanty (Ostyak) Selkup (Ostyak-Samoyed) Nenets (Samoyed) Yurak Soyot (Uriankhai) Barabin (Barbara Tartar) Bukharan (Bukharlyk) Chernevyy Tatar (Tubalar, Tuba-Kizhi) Altai (Altai-Kizhi, Mountain or White Kalmyk) Teleut Telengit (Telengut) Kumandin (Lebedin, Ku-Kohzi) Shors Kharagas (Tuba, Kharagaz) Kızıl (Kyzyl) Kachin Sagai Koybal Beltir Dolgan (Dolgan-Iakut) Yakut (Sakha, Urangkhai-Sakha) – 240 709 Tungus (Ovenk, Murchen) Lamut Orochon Golds (Nanai people) Olchi (Mangun, Ulchi) Negidal (Negda, Eleke Beye) Orochi Udegei (Ude) Orok Manegir - 59 persons. A former division of Evenks. They lived along the Kumara River, hence an alternative designation, "Kumarchen" p. 131 Samogir (Самогиры), Nanai people Tungusic peopleСибирская Советская энциклопедия, Том первый. А - Ж, p.775 Manchurian Chukchi Koryaks Kamchadal (Itel'men) Gilyak (Nivkhi) Yukagir Chuvan Aleut Eskimo Enisei (Ket, Enisei Ostiak) Aino (Ainu, Kuchi) Chinese Korean Japanese Georgian (Kartvelian) – 1 821 184 Ajar Megeli (Mingrelian) Laz (Chan) Svan (Svanetian) Abkhaz (Abkhazian) – 56 957 Cherkess (Adyghe) Beskesek-Abaza (Abazin) Kabard Ubykh Chechen (Nakh, Nakhchuo) Ingush (Galgai, Kist) Batsbi (Tsova-Tish, Batswa) 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 Lezgin Tabasaran Agul Archi Rutul (Mykhad) Tsakhur Khinalug Dzhek (Dzhektsy) Khaput (Gaputlin, Khaputlin) Kryz Budukh (Budug) Udin Dargin Kubachin (Ughbug) Lak (Kazi-Kumukh) Avar (Avartsy, Khunzal) Andi (Andiitsy, Kwanally) Botlog (Buikhatli) Godoberi Karatai Akhvakh Bagulal (Kvanandin) Chamalal Tindi (Tindal, Idera) Didoi (Tsez) Kvarshi Kapuchin (Bezheta) Khunzal (Enzebi, Nakhad) Armenian – 1 567 568 Hemshin Arab Aisor (Assyrian) Kaytak (Karakaitak) Bosha (Karachi, Armenian Gypsy) Ossetian – 272 272 Kurd Yazid Talysh Tat Persian Karachai Kumyk Balkar (Mountain Tartar, Malkar) Karakalpak Turk Ottoman Turk (Osmanli) Samarkand and Fergana Turk Turkmen – 763 940 Kirgiz (Kyrgyz, Kara-Kirgiz) Karakalpak – 146 317 Kypchak Kashgar Taranchi Kazakh (Kirgiz-Kazakh, Kirgiz-Kaisak) – 3 968 289 Kurama Uzbek – 3 904 622 Dungan Afghan Tajik – 978 680 Vakhan
Shugnan Yagnob Yazgul Iranian Jemshid Beludji Berber Khazara (Hazaras) Hindu (Indian) Other ethnicities Ethnicities not noted or noted inexactly a) Tavlin b) Kryashens c) d) Uigar e) Oirot f) Khakass g) Others 191. Foreign subjects
Ukrainian SSR
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 SubdistrictWoodland Subdistrict. www.demoscope.ru (Poliskyi pidraion) Chernihiv Okruha Hlukhiv Okruha Konotop Okruha Korosten Okruha Volyn Okruha Right-bank SubdistrictВсесоюзная 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 SubdistrictВсесоюзная 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)