* Location: Rural families were often larger than urban families.
* Occupation: Families engaged in agricultural work, for example, may have needed more children for labor.
* Social Class: Though we're focusing on working class, even within that class, there were variations based on income and stability.
* Time Period: Family sizes fluctuated throughout the 1800s.
However, here's what we can say with some certainty:
* Large families were common: High birth rates and relatively low survival rates of children meant families often had many children.
* Children were economic assets: Children were expected to contribute to the family income from a young age, whether through work in factories, mines, or on farms.
* Poverty impacted family size: Poverty and malnutrition could lead to higher mortality rates among children, limiting family size.
Rather than focusing on a specific number, it's more helpful to think about the factors that influenced family size in the 1800s. This will give you a more nuanced understanding of the realities of working-class life during that time.
To get a more in-depth understanding, I recommend looking at specific studies or historical accounts that focus on family size in particular regions or occupations during the 1800s.