The hearth tax was imposed from 1662 and amounted to two shillings per year. Not all hearths were liable to pay the tax, as poorer families were often, but not always, exempt. Tax avoidance also occurred, but was difficult as there was a legal right for the collectors of the tax to search homes. A note attached to the Heath Returns, below, stated that the collector found more hearths than had been declared. The tax ended in 1689, and was replaced with a property tax.
There is a project for digitising the Hearth Tax Returns which is still in its early stages, and does not yet include Birmingham, but it can be seen here.
If anything is known about the individuals named it is listed in italic in [square brackets].
1682
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BIRMINGHAM
BEAST MARKET
Wm [William] Butler – 1
Tho [Thomas] Smallwood – 1
Joseph Hughes – 1
John Hawkesford – 1
Tho [Thomas] Jenkins – 1
John Kendrick – 1
Tho [Thomas] Harrison – 2
Tho [Thomas] Best – 1
Timo [Timothy] Harding – 1
Edw [Edward] Mash – 2
John Hunt – 1
Edw [Edward] Hunt – 1
Tho [Thomas] Bates – 1
Wm [William] Madely – 2
Tho [Thomas] Flavell – 1
NEW STREET
Robt [Robert] Hunt – 1
Peter Hussey – 2
Rich [Richard] Williams – 1
John Pitts – 1
John Hare – 1
Joseph Tubbs – 2
BULL STREET
Rich [Richard] Tuckey – 1
Tho [Thomas] Burton – 1
Tho [Thomas] Harding – 2
Wm [William] Sergent – 2
Geo [George] Harding – 1
John West – 1
John Wilkes – 1
Step [Stephen] Graves – 1
CORNE MARKETT
Wm [William] Lench – 1
M Cole – 2
ROUND THE CORNE MARKETT
John Walker – 1
WELL STREET & DIGBETH
Joseph Carless – 4 [ironmonger]
Rich [Richard] Wright – 1
Rich [Richard] Dolphin – 3
John Moss – 1
John Henn – 2
John Green – 2
Wm [William] Wright – 1
Tho [Thomas] Olives – 1
Abra [Abraham] Walton – 2
Widd Smith – 1
Job Palmer – 1
Isaac Welsh – 2
John Shackle – 1
Ralph Mash – 1
Robt [Robert] Clarke – 1
Joseph Ashford – 1
Wm [William] Burne – 3
John Hunt – 2
Abra [Abraham] White – 2
Jacob Young – 2
Tho [Thomas] Braddock – 2
Edw [Edward] Olives – 2
Wm [William] Flavell – 1
Job Palmer – 1
Abra [Abraham] Cottrell – 1
Dan [Daniel] Broughton – 1
John Perry – 2
Tho [Thomas] Elliott – 1
Edw [Edward] Witton – 1
Tho [Thomas] Dallaway – 1
Tho [Thomas] Kimberley – 2
Wm [William] Silke – 2
Jos [Joseph] Lea – 1
Mich [Michael] Barefoot – 1
COURT LANE
Tho [Thomas] Dishford – 1
Tho [Thomas] Cowley – 1
Dan [Daniel] Robinson – 1
Wm [William] Biggs – 1
Wm [William] Babb – 1
EDGBASTON STREET
Josiah Foster – 1
Sam [Samuel] Knight – 1
Wm [William] Safford – 1
Wm [William] Hawkes – 1
Wm [William] Southern – 5
Tho [Thomas] Cartwright – 1
Rich [Richard] Heely – 1
John Mousley – 1
Tho [Thomas] Yeates – 2
Widd Harrison – 1
PARKE STREET
John Peck – 1
Tho [Thomas] Townsend – 1
Rich [Richard] Neway – 1
Benj [Benjamin] Howes – 1
Hum [Humphrey] Dolphin – 1
Sam [Samuel] Wakefield] – 1
Edw [Edward] Wakeman – 1
Anth [Anthony] Poynton – 1
Obad [Obadiah] Orton – 1
CARSE LANE
John Parkes – 1
MOORE STREET
Edw [Edward] Insley – 1
Tho [Thomas] Bingham – 1
Rich [Richard] Colborne – 1
Moses Hartley – 2
John Hadley – 1
Paul Field – 1
Hump [Humphrey] Broughton – 2
Rich [Richard] Hunt – 1
DERRETT END [DERITEND]
Wm [William] King – 1
Walter Flavell – 1
Benj [Benjamin] Hawkes – 3
Edw [Edward] Allen – 1
John Bryner – 1
Hen [Henry] Bryner – 1
Wm [William] Cottrill – 1
M Bryerly – 1
Rich [Richard] Billingsley – 2
Wm [William] Hunt – 1
Sam [Samuel] Hawkes – 2
Wm [William] Ball – 1
Tho [Thomas] Hunt – 1
John Hayboard – 1
John Hunt – 1
Tho [Thomas] Flavell – 1
Joseph Hawkes – 1
Tho [Thomas] Cox – 3
Tho [Thomas] Edwards – 1
John Rotherum – 1
Edm [Edmund] Dolphin – 1
Sr [senior?] Sam [Samuel] Marrow – 1
John Cooper – 1
John Tippler – 2
Rich [Richard] Hebbard – 2
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NEAR BIRMINGHAM
EDGBASTON
Wm [William] Bennet – 1
Fran [Francis] Stoakey – 1
Jam [James] Haynes – 1
Richd [Richard] Wheely – 1
Jo [John] Dale – 1
Law [Lawrence] Hadley – 1
Richd [Richard] Gosling – 1
Widow Stamp – 1
John Hartill – 1
Wm [William] Bunn – 1
Joseph Hadley – 1
Tho [Thomas] Loynes – 1
Richd [Richard] Smith – 1
Richd [Richard] Mould – 1
Roger Persall – 1
ERDINGTON
Wm [William] Nightingale – 1
Rob [Robert] Stanley – 1
Nathn/Mathw Whiteby – 1
Edw [Edward] Whiteby – 1
Jacob Bragg – 1
Raphaell Blakesly – 1
Edw -Edward] Goldingale – 1
Jo [John] James - 1
Tho [Thomas] Wells - 1
John Allen - 1
John Heath – 1
John Sumerland – 1
Isaac Chairman – 1
Tho [Thomas] Horton – 1
Hen [Henry] Leake – 1
BORDESLEY
Richd [Richard] Hodkin – 1
Ann Moore – 1
Edw [Edward] Cross – 2
Sarah Allen – 1
Joseph Watton – 1
Wm [William] Kendall – 1
Joseph Colemore – 1
Tho [Thomas] Hadley jun – 1
Edm [Edmund] Dolphin – 1
Wid Wright - 1
Nath [Nathaniel] Millerd – 1
Hen [Henry] Hunt – 1
Fran [Francis] Edirson – 1
Richd [Richard] Smith – 1
Geo [George] Grandy – 1
Steph [Stephen] Colemore – 1
Tos [Thomas] Hadley senr – 2
Humph [Humphrey] Farmer – 1
CASTLE BROMWICH
Edw [Edward] Sadler – 2
Wm [William] Greasebrooke – 1
Jo. [John] Hoster – 1
Thomas Waldron – 1
Alice Piggot – 1
Tho [Thomas] Lake – 1
Jo [John] Everet – 1
Tho [Thomas] Campson - 1
Richd [Richard] Sadler - 1
Rowland Brasbridge - 1
John Dolphin – 1
DERRITON (DERITEND)
‘Smiths Hearths’
Abra [Abraham] Pinckley – 1
Edw [Edward] Allen – 1
Wm [William] Wells – 1
Dan [Daniel] Blackwell – 1
Walter Flavill – 2
Wm [William] King – 1
Eliz. [Elizabeth] Moore – 2
Edm [Edmund] Dolphin – 1 [bladesmith]
Zach [Zachariah] Taylor – 1
Joseph Rotheram – 1
Tho [Thomas] Cox - 1
Tho [Thomas] Forrest – 1
Tho [Thomas] Hunt - 1
Jo [John] Ball – 1
Jo [John] Heabird – 1
Sam [Samuel] Hawkes – 1
Wm [William] Hunt – 1
Richd [Richard] Billingly – 1
Ben [Benjamin] Hawkes – 2
Hen [Henry] Brenard – 1
John Brenard – 1
The 1683 tax list for Birmingham lists both 'hearths in new houses' and 'smith's hearths'. Some streets contained only smiths. If anything is known about the individuals named it is listed in italic in [square brackets].
1683
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BIRMINGHAM
| MARKET STREET | HEARTHS IN NEW HOUSES | SMITH'S HEARTHS |
| Tho [Thomas] Cowley | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Lea | 0 | 1 |
| Edw [Edward] Giles | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Butler | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Smallwood | 0 | 1 |
| Joseph Hughes | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Bashe | 0 | 1 |
| Geo [George] Worley Tenn: | 0 | 1 |
| John Mordock [? innholder] | 3 | 0 |
| Wm [William] Price [? sadler] | 3 | 0 |
| John Rowney [? mercer] | 3 | 0 |
| Rowland Hall [milliner, 1689] | 4 | 0 |
| Edward Cranck [Swan Inn] | 9 | 0 |
| Phineas Taylor | 0 | 1 |
| Amb [Ambrose] Lea [? draper] | 3 | 0 |
| John Cooper | 0 | 1 |
| Richd [Richard] Meades | 0 | 1 |
| NEW STREET | ||
| Wm [William] Guest [? maltster] | 5 | 0 |
| John Hare | 0 | 1 |
| John Pitts | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Moore | 3 | 2 |
| David Hussey | 1 | 0 |
| Wm [William] Hayes | 3 | 0 |
| Joseph Hartill | 0 | 1 |
| Joseph Tubbs | 0 | 1 |
| John Tubbs | 0 | 1 |
| John Crumpton | 0 | 1 |
| Peter Hussey | 0 | 2 |
| Rob [Robert] Hunt | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Parkes | 0 | 1 |
| MOORE STREET | ||
| Tho [Thomas] Singleton | 0 | 1 |
| John Hadley | 0 | 1 |
| Paul [Field] Feild | 0 | 1 |
| Edw [Edward] Insley | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Smallwood | 0 | 1 |
| Morris Piddock | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Piddock | 0 | 1 |
| John Riddle | 0 | 1 |
| Hen [Henry] Riddle | 0 | 1 |
| Richd [Richard] Burbidge | 0 | 1 |
| John Allwood | 0 | 1 |
| John Allen | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Turner | 0 | 2 |
| Math [Matthew/Mathias] Muckley | 0 | 1 |
| Richd [Richard] Scattergood | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Scattergood | 1 | 0 |
| Richd [Richard] Hunt | 0 | 1 |
| Humph [Humphrey] Broughton | 0 | 1 |
| DALE END | ||
| Tho [Thomas] Jenkins | 0 | 1 |
| John Hawkesford | 0 | 1 |
| John Kenrick | 0 | 2 |
| Tho [Thomas] Best | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Harrison | 0 | 2 |
| John Titly | 2 | 1 |
| ( |
0 | |
| Edward Hunt | 0 | 1 |
| John Hunt | 0 | 1 |
| Richd [Richard] Vinsum | 0 | 1 |
| Edward Marsh | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Briggens | 0 | 1 |
| BULL STREET | ||
| Tho [Thomas] Burton | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Marson | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Harding | 0 | 2 |
| John Howey | 0 | 1 |
| John Flaxman | 0 | 1 |
| Richd [Richard] Day | 0 | 1 |
| John West | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Carter | 0 | 2 |
| Tho [Thomas] Holloway | 0 | 1 |
| Richd Wakelin | 0 | 1 |
| Joseph Penn | 0 | 1 |
| Math [Matthew/Mathias] Muckle | 0 | 1 |
| Richd [Richard] Tuckley | 0 | 1 |
| Timothy Harding | 0 | 1 |
| John Parkes in Cars Lane | 0 | 1 |
| EDGBASTON STREET | ||
| Josiah Foster | 0 | 1 |
| John Ashford | 0 | 1 |
| John Webster | 0 | 1 |
| Sam [Samuel] Knight | 0 | 1 |
| John Newin | 0 | 1 |
| Fran [Francis] Salford or Safford | 0 | 1 |
| Hezekiah Powell | 1 | 0 |
| Wm [William] Southerne | 0 | 2 |
| John Graves | 1 | 0 |
| Wm [William] Lench | 1 | 2 |
| Wm [William] Babb | 2 | 1 |
| John Hunt | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Southerne | 0 | 1 |
| John Cotterill | 1 | 0 |
| Wm [William] Wilkinson | 1 | 1 |
| Wm Lea | 0 | 1 |
| Mordecai Shakspear | 1 | 0 |
| Tho [Thomas] Girdler | 0 | 2 |
| Tho [Thomas] Cartwright | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Hawkes | 0 | 1 |
| John Mousley | 0 | 2 |
| Abra [Abraham] Goston | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Elliot | 0 | 1 |
| COURT LANE | ||
| Dan [Daniel] Robinson | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Biggs | 0 | 1 |
| DIGBETH STREET | ||
| Edmond Olives | 0 | 2 |
| Jacob young | 0 | 1 |
| Rob [Robert] Eaves | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Braddock | 0 | 3 |
| Abra [Abraham] White Junr | 0 | 1 |
| Edw [Edward] Mitchell | 0 | 1 |
| Wm [William] Bourne | 0 | 3 |
| John Henn | 0 | 2 |
| Ralph Marsh | 0 | 1 |
| Rob [Robert] Clarke | 0 | 1 |
| John Moss | 0 | 1 |
| Richard Dolphin [? whitesmith] | 0 | 3 |
| Tho [[Thomas] Robbins | 2 | 0 |
| Wm [William] Hancock | 2 | 0 |
| Richd [Richard] Wright | 0 | 2 |
| Joseph Carless [ironmonger] | 0 | 5 |
| PARKE STREET | ||
| John Perk | 0 | 1 |
| Nath [Nathaniel] Moore | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Townsend | 0 | 2 |
| Ben [Benjamin] Hawkes | 0 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Parkes | 2 | 1 |
| John Richardson | 2 | 1 |
| Abra [Abraham] Hartly | 1 | 1 |
| Tho [Thomas] Ditchford | 2 | 1 |
| Anth [Anthony] Poynton | 0 | 1 |
| Sam [Samuel] Wakeman | 0 | 1 |
| Richd [Richard] Heath | 1 | 0 |
| Obadiah Orton | 1 | 1 |
| Ben [Benjamin] Howes | 0 | 1 |
| Edward Wakeman | 0 | 1 |
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