Canada Census, 1851 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection will include records for 1851.

These records will include the 1851 census for Québec and Ontario (united as the "Province of Canada") and the independent provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Census 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.

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 sub districts.

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 sub districts 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.

Colonial, provincial, and local governments conducted censuses in 1851.

Detailed family information is in the surviving personal schedules of the censuses of Quebec and Ontario, taken for 1851. The official census day was taken in January 1852. Less detailed censuses were taken of the Maritime Provinces in the same years, 1851 and 1861.

Canadian census records were taken to enumerate the population for representation, taxation, and other purposes. Information may have been given to a census taker by any family member or by a neighbor.

Record Content
Census records may contain the following information:


 * Full name
 * Gender
 * Age
 * Approximate year of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Province and district of residence

How to Use the Records
This section provides information on how to search the collection, what to do with information once found, and what to do if no record is found.

When searching: As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as approximate date and place of residence.

Search the Collection
To search by index: 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 compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * 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.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Using the Information
When you have found the information that you are looking for, the following may help you further your research:


 * Use the birth place and birth year for each individual you find in the census, to search for a birth record in the Canada Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records) collection
 * Use the birth year of your ancestor to search for later census records.

General Information About These Records
Returns for many counties are incomplete. The counties missing census returns are:


 * 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.

Canadian census records are the best source to use for quickly identifying a family group and residence. The census lists other persons living in the same household and may identify individuals for whom other records do not exist.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * Canada History Links
 * Canada Historic Maps
 * Canada Census, 1851

Related Wiki Articles

 * Canada
 * Canada Census

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):