Sylvanus Percival Vivian

Sir Sylvanus Percival Vivian CB (October 1, 1880 in London – 1958) was the 7th Registrar General of England and Wales (1921–1945). He was the longest serving Registrar General after George Graham.^[1]

Career

Vivian was responsible for organising the censuses in England and Wales in 1921 and 1931.^[2] He oversaw National Registration which was introduced in 1939 and ended up replacing the normally decennial census due in 1941. He retired in 1945.

Vivian was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in June 1925,^[3] and received a knighthood in May 1937.^[4] Vivian also is the author of the first dictionary of literary terms written in English^[5] and other works on literature and literary history.^[6]

Vivian was brother to Valentine Vivian.