Transcription and assessment of the population registers of Aksaray dated 1840-1841

In this study; eight population registration books including the years 1256 and 1257 (Hijri) / 1840 and 1841 (Gregorian) have been transcribed, and assessments on the socioeconomic life in Aksaray have been performed in the light of the records included in the books. In the said books; there exist the records of the censuses performed that were listed starting from the districts in the counties / city center of Aksaray, and followed by the villages and towns subordinated to the city center and then by the other counties subordinated to the Sanjak of Aksaray. Thanks to such records; it is possible both to determine the total population of the Sanjak of Aksaray, distribution of the population by counties, districts and villages, age properties of the population (such as child; young, middle, and old age population); people moved to the Sanjak or County of Aksaray from outside; people who were originally from Aksaray but left it afterwards; number of people per house; occupations and activities of the people; tekkes and zawiyahs (Sufi lodges), and the people who worked and/or sheltered in such places; and details of the family tree of the Ulema (Islamic scholars of almost all disciplines); and to reach many other details on the properties of the social life by considering the nick names used. The records in the population registration books are also of great importance as they shed light on some social and cultural concepts and terminology about Aksaray which are almost extinct today. In this context; it is possible to see the change, for example, the old settlement places and people's names have undergone. Again, by means of the said records; transition process of a settlement place, which was a village before, to a county center now by a gradual development, can be followed. It is no doubt within the bounds of possibility to reach other information that belong to Aksaray thanks to the said population registers.