Genealogy

OVERVIEW OF CENSUSES AND VITAL RECORDS

Canadian Census

• The national government of Canada has taken a census every ten years since 1871; and every five years since 1971.
• The 1871 census covers the four original provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario.
• The first coast-to-coast census was taken in 1881. Newfoundland was not part of Canada until 1949. For Newfoundland, a few 19th-century censuses that list names have been found. They mostly contain statistical summaries.
• The Canadian national censuses, taken for the following dates, are available to the public. Unfortunately, some are incomplete.
  • 1871 (April 2)
  • 1881 (April 4)
  • 1891 (April 6)
  • 1901 (March 31)
• The 1871 and later censuses list the following information for each member of the household:
  • Name
  • Age
  • Occupation
  • Religious affiliation
  • Birthplace (country or province)
• The 1871 and 1881 censuses also include:
  • Father’s origin or ethnic background
• The 1891 census, also includes:
  • French Canadian heritage
  • Parents’ birthplaces
• The 1891 and later censuses include each person's:
  • Relationship to head of household
• The 1901 census requests:
  • A complete birth date, not just the year
  • The year the person immigrated to Canada
  • The year of naturalization
  • The father’s racial or tribal origin, not whether the person was of French Canadian descent
  • The 1901 census also contains a buildings and lands schedule for each locality. This schedule gives a city street address or a farmland description—such as township and range, or township, concession, and lot number—for most families.

Author: Darylyne Provost | Revised: 01/25/2008
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