Transcription of the Cyprus Population Book dated 1246 Hijri and evaluation of the information given according to the population census

The Ottoman Empire was a long-established state that reigned over a vast geography for centuries. Protecting and maintaining this sovereignty brought several political, military and financial challenges to overcome. With a view to fulfilling its military and financial obligations in the territories under its rule, and to prevent possible tax loss and recruit soldiers for the army, the empire conducted population and land censuses and recorded the collected data in tahrir books. From the XIX century onwards, population censuses began to be conducted separately from land censuses, and thus, population registers emerged. The first population censuses started in 1828-29 but came to a quick halt with the outbreak of the Ottoman-Russian war. After the war, population censuses were resumed in 1830-31. This paper examines the Cypriot population register of 1246 AH (1830-31). The register, which only recorded the Muslim male population, provides valuable insight into the people who were liable for military service and the settlements where Muslims lived at the time. The register also contains information on age groups, occupational groups, names and nicknames, physical and mental health disorders, births, deaths, and migration groups.