Most of the world numbers weeks according to the ISO 8601 standard. A week starts on Monday, and week 1 is the week that contains the first Thursday of the year, which is always the week that contains 4 January.
Week 1 of 1609 starts on December 29, 1608 and ends on January 4, 1609 (ISO 8601, Monday to Sunday). 1609 has 53 ISO weeks, because 1 January 1609 falls on a Thursday.
Because of this rule, the first days of January can belong to the last week of the previous year, and the last days of December can belong to week 1 of the next year.
In the United States, weeks usually start on Sunday and week 1 is the week that contains 1 January, so the US week number can differ from the ISO week number.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many weeks does 1609 have?
1609 has 53 ISO weeks, because 1 January 1609 falls on a Thursday.
When does week 1 of 1609 start?
Week 1 of 1609 starts on December 29, 1608 and ends on January 4, 1609 (ISO 8601, Monday to Sunday).
When does the last week of 1609 end?
Week 53 of 1609 starts on December 28, 1609 and ends on January 3, 1610 (ISO 8601, Monday to Sunday).
Which years have 53 weeks?
The next years with 53 ISO weeks are 1609, 1615, 1620, 1626, 1632.
Why do the US and Europe show different week numbers?
Europe follows ISO 8601: weeks start on Monday and week 1 is the week with the first Thursday of the year. In the US, weeks usually start on Sunday and week 1 is the week that contains 1 January, so the two numbers can differ by one.