Occupational Titles and Retirement in Historical Censuses: Sweden 1880-1910

This article explores the potential of full-count historical census microdata to enhance our understanding of occupational activity and retirement among older men and women in Sweden between 1880 and 1910 – a period preceding the introduction of a universal pension system. Drawing on the SwedPop infrastructure, we examine how occupational information was recorded, coded, and interpreted in the Swedish censuses, with particular attention to the classification of retired individuals. We assess the applicability of the Historical International Classification of Occupations (HISCO) for identifying retirement status and demonstrate that a mechanical application of HISCO in the Swedish case fails to capture a significant group of retired individuals, especially former farmers with retirement contracts. By systematically analysing the original occupational text strings, we propose a revised coding scheme that better reflects retirement patterns. Our findings reveal a hump-shaped trajectory of occupational activity among older men, with a peak around 1900, and consistently low but non-negligible participation among older women. The study highlights the importance of contextual interpretation of historical sources and offers methodological insights for future research on ageing, work, and retirement using historical population data.