The list has mentioned censuses pre 1841. There was a list of men able to fight for King James I taken in 1608 by John Smyth who was the Steward to the Gloucestershire lands of Lord Berkeley of Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire. John Smyth went from parish to parish and listed those men able to fight and described their rough age and stature as to which weapon they could bear for the King or what weapons they already possessed. Whilst this is by no means a census it is a useful guide as to where your Gloucestershire ancestors lived in 1608. I used to look at the actual volumes at the library but note that the details are now online if you google "Men and Armour for Gloucestershire in 1608" and a searchable database is on Coaley.net I don't think it is a list of all males in Gloucestershire parishes but it may list the person you've been looking for for years. There was also a list of inhabitants of Bristol in 1696, parish by parish. This is also now online and may be a useful finding aid for you. Bernice in Bristol