Demographic history of Serbia
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This article presents the demographic history of Serbia through census results. See Demographics of Serbia for a more detailed overview of the current demographics.
Overview
Serbia has a well-established tradition of conducting censuses.
The first census was conducted in 1834 in the Principality of Serbia. The subsequent censuses were conducted in 1841, 1843, 1846, 1850, 1854, 1859, 1863, 1866, and 1874. The 1866 Census is considered the first modern census, the one that covered the entire population of the country. The 1874 Census was more extensive and the collected data were presented in lower territorial units (municipalities and districts). In 1878, at the Berlin Congress, Serbia received international recognition of independence, with the territory extended to the Niš, Pirot, Vranje, and Toplica districts. In order to determine the number of people and taxpayers in the new regions, a partial census was carried out in 1879. During the period of the Kingdom of Serbia, six censuses were conducted: in 1884, 1890, 1895, 1900, 1905, and 1910.
In the period between the two world wars, only two censuses were carried out, in 1921 and 1931. The next census was planned for 1941, but due to the World War II it was not conducted. Due to the need to collect data on the damage caused by the destruction of the war in the shortest possible time, in 1948 the so-called "shortened" and in 1953 the first complete post-war census was conducted. Starting from the 1961 census, in accordance with the recommendations from the United Nations, the ten-year periodicals were established, so the following censuses were conducted in 1961, 1971, 1981, and 1991, respectively.
The first census in the 21st century, planned for 2001, was postponed to 2002, due to budget crisis. Due to the COVID pandemic the last census, planned for 2021, was postponed and conducted in 2022.
19th century
1834 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Total population: 678,192
Source: [1]
1841 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Total population: 828,895
Source: [2]
1843 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Total population: 859,545
Source: [3]
1846 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Total population: 915,080
Source: [4]
1850 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Total population: 956,893
Source: [5]
1854 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Total population: 998,919
Source: [6]
1859 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Total population: 1,078,281
Source: [7]
1863 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Total population: 1,108,568
Source: [8]
1866 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Source: [9]
1875 Census (Principality of Serbia)
Total population: 1,352,522
Source: [10]
1884 Census (Kingdom of Serbia)
Source: [11]
1890 Census (Kingdom of Serbia)
1895 Census (Kingdom of Serbia)
Total population: 2,341,675
Source: [12]
20th century
1900 Census (Kingdom of Serbia)
Source: [13]
1895 Census (Kingdom of Serbia)
Total population: 2,754,859
1910 Census (Kingdom of Serbia)
| Language | Speakers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbian | 2,778,706 | 95.1% |
| Other | 143,552 | 4.9% |
| Total | 2,922,058 |
Source: [14]
1921 Census
1931 Census
1948 census (People's Republic of Serbia)
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 4,823,730 | 73.9% |
| Albanians | 532,011 | 8.1% |
| Hungarians | 433,701 | 6.6% |
| Croats | 169,864 | 2.6% |
| Vlachs | 93,440 | 1.4% |
| Montenegrins | 74,860 | 1.1% |
| Slovaks | 72,032 | 1.1% |
| Romanians | 63,130 | 0.9% |
| Bulgarians | 59,395 | 0.9% |
| Roma | 52,181 | 0.8% |
| Germans | 41,460 | 0.6% |
| Rusyns-Ukrainians | 22,667 | 0.3% |
| Slovenes | 20,998 | 0.3% |
| Macedonians | 17,917 | 0.2% |
| Muslims-undeclared | 17,315 | 0.2% |
| Russians | 13,329 | 0.2% |
| Others | 19,567 | 0.3% |
| Unknown | 369 | 0.005% |
| Total | 6,527,966 |
Note: in 1948 Census, Muslims of South Slavic ethnic origin were not recognized as a distinct ethnicity and had no separate census category for themselves to declare; they were provided with the following possible categories to declare: "Serb-Muslim", "Croat-Muslim" or "Muslim-undeclared", with Serb-Muslims being categorized in the census results as Serbs, Croats-Muslims as Croats, while Muslims-undeclared were counted separately.
Ethnic map of Serbia by municipalities, 1948
Ethnic map of Serbia by settlements, 1948
1953 Census (People's Republic of Serbia)
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 5,152,939 | 73.8% |
| Albanians | 565,513 | 8.1% |
| Hungarians | 441,907 | 6.3% |
| Croats | 173,246 | 2.5% |
| Montenegrins | 86,061 | 1.2% |
| Yugoslavs-undeclared | 81,081 | 1.1% |
| Slovaks | 75,027 | 1.0% |
| Bulgarians | 60,146 | 0.8% |
| Romanians | 59,705 | 0.8% |
| Roma | 58,800 | 0.8% |
| Germans | 46,228 | 0.6% |
| Vlachs | 28,047 | 0.4% |
| Macedonians | 27,277 | 0.4% |
| Rusyns-Ukrainians | 23,720 | 0.3% |
| Slovenes | 20,717 | 0.3% |
| Others | 22,220 | 0.3% |
| Unknown | 1,994 | 0.03% |
| Total | 6,979,154 |
Note: in 1953 Census, Muslims of South Slavic ethnic origin were not recognized as a distinct ethnicity and had no separate census category for themselves to declare; they were categorized as "Yugoslavs-undeclared".
Ethnic map of Serbia by settlements, 1953
1961 Census (People's Republic of Serbia)
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 5,704,686 | 74.6% |
| Albanians | 699,772 | 9.1% |
| Hungarians | 449,587 | 5.9% |
| Croats | 196,409 | 2.5% |
| Montenegrins | 104,753 | 1.3% |
| ethnic Muslims | 93,467 | 1.2% |
| Slovaks | 77,837 | 1.0% |
| Romanians | 59,505 | 0.8% |
| Bulgarians | 58,494 | 0.7% |
| Turks | 44,434 | 0.6% |
| Macedonians | 36,288 | 0.4% |
| Rusyns-Ukrainians | 25,658 | 0.3% |
| Yugoslavs | 20,079 | 0.2% |
| Slovenes | 19,957 | 0.2% |
| Germans | 14,533 | 0.2% |
| Roma | 9,826 | 0.1% |
| Others | 21,347 | 0.2% |
| Unknown | 5,604 | 0.07% |
| Total | 7,642,227 |
Note: in 1961 Census, Muslims of South Slavic ethnic origin were not recognized as a distinct ethnicity and had no separate census category for themselves to declare; they were categorized as "ethnic Muslims".
Ethnic map of Serbia by municipalities, 1961
Ethnic map of Serbia by settlements, 1961
1971 Census (Socialist Republic of Serbia)
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 6,016,811 | 71.2% |
| Albanians | 984,761 | 11.6% |
| Hungarians | 430,314 | 5.1% |
| Croats | 184,913 | 2.2% |
| ethnic Muslims | 154,330 | 1.8% |
| Montenegrins | 125,260 | 1.5% |
| Yugoslavs | 123,824 | 1.4% |
| Slovaks | 76,733 | 0.9% |
| Romanians | 57,419 | 0.7% |
| Bulgarians | 53,800 | 0.6% |
| Roma | 49,894 | 0.6% |
| Macedonians | 42,675 | 0.5% |
| Rusyns | 20,608 | 0.2% |
| Turks | 18,220 | 0.2% |
| Slovenes | 15,957 | 0.2% |
| Vlachs | 14,724 | 0.1% |
| Germans | 9,086 | 0.1% |
| Others | 22,093 | 0.2% |
| Regional identity | 10,409 | 0.1% |
| Undeclared | 4,486 | 0.05% |
| Unknown | 30,274 | 0.3% |
| Total | 8,446,591 |
Ethnic map of Serbia by municipalities, 1971
Ethnic map of Serbia by settlements, 1971
1981 Census (Socialist Republic of Serbia)
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 6,182,155 | 66.4% |
| Albanians | 1,303,034 | 14.0% |
| Yugoslavs | 441,941 | 4.7% |
| Hungarians | 390,468 | 4.2% |
| ethnic Muslims | 215,166 | 2.3% |
| Croats | 149,368 | 1.6% |
| Montenegrins | 147,466 | 1.6% |
| Roma | 110,956 | 1.2% |
| Slovaks | 73,207 | 0.8% |
| Romanians | 53,693 | 0.6% |
| Macedonians | 48,986 | 0.5% |
| Bulgarians | 33,455 | 0.3% |
| Vlachs | 25,596 | 0.2% |
| Rusyns | 19,757 | 0.2% |
| Turks | 13,890 | 0.1% |
| Slovenes | 12,006 | 0.1% |
| Others | 34,624 | 0.3% |
| Regional identity | 6,848 | 0.07% |
| Undeclared | 7,834 | 0.08% |
| Unknown | 43,223 | 0.4% |
| Total | 9,313,676 |
Ethnic map of Serbia by municipalities, 1981
1991 Census (Republic of Serbia)
Data including Kosovo
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 6,446,595 | 65.9% |
| Albanians | 1,674,353 | 17.1% |
| Hungarians | 343,942 | 3.5% |
| Yugoslavs | 323,625 | 3.3% |
| ethnic Muslims | 246,411 | 2.5% |
| Roma | 140,237 | 1.4% |
| Montenegrins | 139,299 | 1.4% |
| Croats | 105,406 | 1.1% |
| Slovaks | 66,798 | 0.7% |
| Macedonians | 46,046 | 0.4% |
| Romanians | 42,331 | 0.4% |
| Bulgarians | 26,876 | 0.2% |
| Bunjevci | 21,434 | 0.2% |
| Rusyns | 18,073 | 0.2% |
| Vlachs | 17,807 | 0.2% |
| Turks | 11,236 | 0.1% |
| Others | 42,337 | 0.4% |
| Regional identity | 4,912 | 0.05% |
| Undeclared | 10,906 | 0.1% |
| Unknown | 50,367 | 0.5% |
| Total | 9,778,991 |
Note: ethnic Albanians largely boycotted 1991 Census; their figure is an official estimation by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia.
Ethnic map of Serbia by municipalities, 1991
Ethnic map of Serbia by settlements, 1991
Data excluding Kosovo
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 6,252,405 | 79.9% |
| Hungarians | 343,800 | 4.4% |
| Yugoslavs | 320,186 | 4.1% |
| ethnic Muslims | 180,222 | 2.3% |
| Montenegrins | 118,934 | 1.5% |
| Croats | 97,344 | 1.2% |
| Roma | 94,491 | 1.2% |
| Albanians | 78,281 | 1.0% |
| Slovaks | 66,772 | 0.8% |
| Macedonians | 45,068 | 0.6% |
| Romanians | 42,316 | 0.5% |
| Bulgarians | 26,698 | 0.3% |
| Bunjevci | 21,434 | 0.3% |
| Rusyns | 18,073 | 0.2% |
| Vlachs | 17,804 | 0.2% |
| Turks | 11,236 | 0.1% |
| Others | 39,740 | 0.5% |
| Regional identity | 4,841 | 0.06% |
| Undeclared | 10,538 | 0.1% |
| Unknown | 47,949 | 0.6% |
| Total | 7,822,795 |
Note: ethnic Albanians largely boycotted 1991 Census; their figure is an official estimation by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia.
21st century
2002 Census (Republic of Serbia; excluding Kosovo)
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 6,212,838 | 82.8% |
| Hungarians | 293,299 | 4.4% |
| Bosniaks | 136,087 | 1.8% |
| Roma | 108,193 | 1.4% |
| Yugoslavs | 80,721 | 1.1% |
| Croats | 70,602 | 0.9% |
| Montenegrins | 69,049 | 0.5% |
| Albanians | 61,647 | 0.8% |
| Slovaks | 59,021 | 0.8% |
| Vlachs | 40,054 | 0.5% |
| Romanians | 34,576 | 0.4% |
| Macedonians | 25,847 | 0.3% |
| Bulgarians | 20,497 | 0.2% |
| Bunjevci | 20,012 | 0.2% |
| ethnic Muslims | 19,503 | 0.2% |
| Rusyns | 15,905 | 0.2% |
| Others | 32,862 | 0.4% |
| Regional identity | 11,485 | 0.1% |
| Undeclared | 107,732 | 1.4% |
| Unknown | 75,483 | 1.0% |
| Total | 7,498,001 |
Ethnic map of Serbia by municipalities, 2002
Ethnic map of Serbia by settlements, 2002
2011 Census (Republic of Serbia; excluding Kosovo)
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 5,988,150 | 82.8% |
| Hungarians | 253,899 | 3.5% |
| Roma | 147,604 | 2.0% |
| Bosniaks | 145,278 | 2.0% |
| Croats | 57,900 | 0.8% |
| Slovaks | 52,750 | 0.7% |
| Albanians | 52,566 | 0.7% |
| Montenegrins | 38,527 | 0.5% |
| Vlachs | 35,330 | 0.5% |
| Romanians | 29,332 | 0.4% |
| Yugoslavs | 23,303 | 0.3% |
| Macedonians | 22,755 | 0.3% |
| ethnic Muslims | 22,301 | 0.3% |
| Bulgarians | 18,543 | 0.2% |
| Bunjevci | 16,706 | 0.2% |
| Rusyns | 14,246 | 0.2% |
| Others | 38,325 | 0.5% |
| Regional identity | 30,771 | 0.4% |
| Undeclared | 160,346 | 2.2% |
| Unknown | 81,740 | 1.1% |
| Total | 7,233,619 |
Note: ethnic Albanians largely boycotted 2011 Census; their figure is an official estimation by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia.
Ethnic map of Serbia by municipalities, 2011
Ethnic map of Serbia by settlements, 2011
2022 Census (Republic of Serbia; excluding Kosovo)
| Ethnicity | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 5,360,239 | 80.6% |
| Hungarians | 184,442 | 2.7% |
| Bosniaks | 153,801 | 2.3% |
| Roma | 131,936 | 2.0% |
| Albanians | 61,687 | 0.9% |
| Slovaks | 41,730 | 0.6% |
| Croats | 39,107 | 0.6% |
| Yugoslavs | 27,143 | 0.4% |
| Romanians | 23,044 | 0.3% |
| Vlachs | 21,013 | 0.3% |
| Montenegrins | 20,238 | 0.3% |
| Macedonians | 14,767 | 0.2% |
| ethnic Muslims | 13,011 | 0.2% |
| Bulgarians | 12,918 | 0.2% |
| Rusyns | 11,483 | 0.1% |
| Bunjevci | 11,104 | 0.1% |
| Russians | 10,486 | 0.1% |
| Others | 21,197 | 0.3% |
| Regional identity | 11,929 | 0.1% |
| Undeclared | 136,198 | 2.0% |
| Unknown | 322,013 | 4.8% |
| Total | 6,647,003 |
Ethnic map of Serbia by municipalities, 2022
See also
Notes
- According to Milan Milićević, based on statistical studies conducted that year by the statistician Vladimir Jakšić (1824–1899) and published in Glasnik, as well as on data presented in the Almanach de Gotha, the Principality of Serbia had a population of 1,216,346.