Revised Jun 21 2021
By a census which appears to have been taken on the occasion of the visit of the Juno, Captain Fremantle, to the island, in the latter part of September, 1855, the number of persons inhabiting Pitcairn's Island was stated to have been 187. All were natives of the place except three: the Rev. Geo. H. Nobbs, John Buffett, and John Evans. The only surnames on the island were eight: namely, Adams, Christian, M'Coy, Quintal, Young, Buffett, Evans, and Nobbs. Brown, Martin, and Williams had no children. John Mills left no son. The Otaheitan men met with early and violent deaths, and left no children.
The original division of the island was into nine parts, between the nine mutineers; it was afterwards subdivided into twenty-two; this being the number of families on the island.
The following table, corrected to September 19, 1855, will present some useful statistics to the reader with reference to the population:—
| Pitcairn Islanders, bearing the names of | Number in family. | Males. | Females. | Married. | Unmarried |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nobbs . . . | 14 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 10 |
| Christian . | 49 | 27 | 22 | 12 | 37 |
| Quintal. . . | 44 | 20 | 24 | 12 | 32 |
| Young . . . | 24 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 14 |
| Adams . . . | 17 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 12 |
| M'Coy . . . | 11 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 8 |
| Buffett . . . | 19 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Evans . . . . | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Total . . | 187 | 92 | 95 | 59 | 128 |
In preparing the sheets for a new edition of this work, after so great a change had been made in the position and circumstances of the community, the author felt some doubt as to the best manner of relating the history. At length he determined to describe Pitcairn and the Pitcairners not in the past tense, but in the present, as in former editions. There seems to be greater propriety in adopting this course, as the islanders in their habits and customs will probably continue to be at Norfolk Island such as they were at Pitcairn.
Some little misunderstandings occasionally arise as to boundaries- but these as well as such other matters of dispute as now and then occur, are generally soon settled by the chief magistrate and the two councillors.