Canada, Ontario Census, 1861 - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This census was taken on January 14, 1861 and applied to the residents as of the previous night (January 13, 1861).

Census schedules were taken on large sheets of paper with pre-printed rows and columns. They are bound into volumes, arranged by county, then by township and enumeration district. The Census contains the 1861 census for the province of Ontario. At this time Ontario was not yet part of the Dominion of Canada but was called Canada West. The census taker took the information on the census day starting January 14, 1861. 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.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Census
 * Name of resident
 * Gender
 * Age
 * Marital status
 * Religion
 * Place of birth
 * Approximate year of birth
 * Place of residence

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The name of a relative or date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Cite the record. See below for help citing this collection
 * Look at an image of the original record. The original may contain information that was not recorded in the index. To find a copy of the original record, visit the Public Archives, Toronto page
 * Use the information you have found to find the person in census records
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This can help you find possible relatives
 * Search the records of nearby areas
 * Check for other names. An individual might appear under an unexpected name for a variety of reasons:
 * They might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name
 * A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Ontario.
 * Record Finder
 * Canada Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.
 * Collection Citation:"Ontario Census, 1861." Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Citing Board of Registration and Statistics. Public Archives, Toronto.