Canada Census, 1851 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
Colonial, provincial, and local governments conducted censuses in 1851.

Record Description
Census returns are recorded on large sheets of paper that are divided into rows and columns. The schedules were arranged by province and then further divided into census districts and subdistricts.

Record Content

 * Important genealogical information in the 1851census:
 * Full name
 * Age at next birthday (can be used to calculate approximate birth year)
 * Sex
 * Religion
 * Occupation
 * Whether married or single
 * Whether born during
 * Cause of death during year
 * Town, village, or township of residence

How to Use the Records
Canadian census records are the best source to use for quickly identifying a family group and residence. Use the place of residence and the birthplace for each individual, along with his or her age to search for other record types. The census lists other persons living in the same household and may identify individuals for whom other records do not exist. Returns for many counties are incomplete. Returns are missing for the following counties: Shefford and Stanstead counties (Québec); Russell and Simcoe counties (Ontario); Gloucester, Kent, and Queens Counties (New Brunswick) as well as the City of Saint John (New Brunswick); all counties of Nova Scotia except Halifax and Kings.

Record History
The census for 1851 was conducted in January 1852. The completed forms were sent to the Board of Registration and Statistics and later to the Department of Agriculture. Enumeration was by census district. Census districts were voting districts, not counties, although most have the same names as counties. For the most part, census districts were synonymous with cities and counties, and subdistricts were synonymous with towns, townships, and city wards. Villages, small towns, and parishes were generally enumerated as part of the township in which they were located. Census district and county boundaries were not always the same.

Why This Collection Was Created?
Canadian census records were taken to enumerate the population for representation, taxation, and other purposes.

Record Reliability
Censuses are generally reliable, depending on the knowledge of the informant and the care taken by the census enumerator. Information may have been given to a census taker by any family member or by a neighbor, so some information may be incorrect or may have been deliberately falsified.

Related Web Sites
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Related Wiki Articles
Canada 1871 Census Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections

Please add sample citations to this article following the format guidelines in the wiki article listed above. Examples of citations:


 * United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71
 * Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023

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Style Guide
For guidelines to use in creating wiki articles that describe collections of images and indexes produced by FamilySearch, see: FamilySearch Wiki: Guidelines for FamilySearch Collections pages

Sources of Information for This Collection:
"Canada Census, 1851," database, FamilySearch; from Canada Department of Agriculture. "Census of Canada, 1851," National Archives Of Canada, Ottowa, Ontario. FHL microfilm, 120 reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Create Source Citations for FamilySearch Historical Records Collections