The report which was published giving the figures for the 1871 census said that the population of Berriew had fallen because of emigration. This was when local poorer people left the country in search of work.
The large parish of Berriew was a rural area in Victorian times as it is now (see maps pages). There were mainly upland farms with some larger farms in the Severn valley.
The branch of the canal gave locals a chance to export their produce to markets further away. Most people earned a living on the land but there would have been others who earned a living providing services to the community. (blacksmiths, millers, carters, etc.)

Compare this graph with those of other parishes in the area.
Is the overall trend the same?
If the trend differs, in what way does it differ?

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