Canada, New Brunswick Census, 1861 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This census was taken in 1861 for the census year 1860

Census schedules were taken on large sheets of paper with preprinted rows and columns. They are bound into volumes, arranged by county, then by district.

This collection contains the 1861 census for the province of New Brunswick. At this time New Brunswick was considered a separate colony from the rest of the old Province of Canada. This census was created separately and differs from the form used in the other areas of the Province of Canada. Census takers were asked to record information about all those who were in each household on the census day. A census taker might have visited a house on a later date, but the information he collected was supposed to be about the people who were in the house on the census day.

The recording of names for the 1861 New Brunswick census was by census district. For the most part, census districts were identical with cities and counties, and sub districts were identical 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 and there were many variations from location to location.

Canadian census records were taken to enumerate the population for representation, taxation, and other purposes.

Record Content
Records usually contain the following information:


 * Full name of family members
 * Gender
 * Relationships of all individuals in household to head of household
 * Age
 * Place of birth
 * Residence
 * Occupation
 * Religion

How to Use the Records
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Name of ancestor
 * Approximate year and place of residence

Search the Collection
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

Using the Information
Use the age to calculate the year of birth. When calculated, you can search within the New Brunswick, Provincial Returns of Births and Late Registrations (FamilySearch Historical Records), or the New Brunswick Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records). You can also use the year of birth, to help you find the names of the parents in the birth record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for spelling errors in your search.
 * Search for the name of the spouse (if your ancestor was married) instead of your ancestor's name.

General Information About These Records
This census records the birthplace or ethnic origin for each person, along with his or her age, and other personal information. Since the census attempted to record all the people living in a household, it may identify individuals for whom other records simply do not exist.

The accuracy of the census depended on the knowledge of the informant and the care of the enumerator. Realize that the information may have been given to a census taker by any member of the family or even by a neighbor.

Related Web Sites

 * Canada History Links
 * Canada Historic Maps
 * Campobello, New Brunswick Census Index

Related Wiki Articles

 * Canada Census
 * New Brunswick Census
 * New Brunswick Genealogy

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually. Collection Citation

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):