Specialized Information in Canadian Censuses, 1901-1916 - International Institute

The amount of information collected varied from census to census. Some years provide special information not available in all records. It is useful to know what specialized information may be found in the various records, and how to make use of this information.

1901 Census - taken as of 31 March
For this census most of the Indian agencies were enumerated separately from their geographic area and will be found on reels T-6554 and T-6555. Digital images of this census are available on the Library and Archives Canada website. This particular census included important information not previously collected. Columns were provided for the collection of the following specific information:


 * The relationship of each person to the head of the family... This is especially helpful if brothers, sisters, parents or other relations are living with the family. It also indicates for the first time that the children are indeed sons or daughters. In previous census records this information was not spelled out, and children listed were assumed to be sons or daughters, but may also have been adopted children or step-children, or nieces or nephews.

This information can be very useful to the researcher, but again should be looked at carefully and perhaps authenticated through further research.

Example: William J. Fisher household, 1901 Ontario census. This record lists William J. Fisher as head of house, with his wife Catherine. It also lists Alice Pirie as a niece, with her children, who are listed as grandchildren of the Head of the House. Obviously further information is needed to establish if Alice is really a daughter of William J. Fisher, or his niece, as reported in the census.


 * Single, married, widowed, divorced... For the first time an indication of a possible divorce may be found in the census records.


 * Month and date of birth/year of birth... Each person’s date of birth was recorded. This information is very helpful, although again there have been instances when the information given has not agreed with actual birth registration information located. However, it does provide a useful guide to look for a birth record. Age was the age at the last birthday.


 * Year of immigration to Canada and year of naturalization. This is very helpful information to give the researcher a starting point to search for immigration or naturalization records, and passenger lists. As with all information given to the enumerator, memories may be faulty or information inaccurate, but at least a suggested time period is provided for the researcher.


 * Additional statistics regarding employment... This census listed type of employment or self-employment, wages, months employed, wages earned, and other statistics not previously enumerated.

1901 Census (Yukon Territory)
Information collected for the Yukon Territory was slightly different from the other 1901 census enumeration. Headings included were: No. of Dwelling; No. of Family; Name of each person in family; Sex; Colour; Relationship to head of family; Single, Married, Widowed, Divorced; Age Last Birthday; Place of Birth; Date arrival in Canada; When Naturalized; Years in Yukon; Present Nationality; Occupation; Position; Salary; second page included real estate information and location; Racial origins; Religion; School information; Mother tongue; Infirmities.

A separate Absentee List was appended to each section. Instructions to the enumerator indicated that this should “include all names of those absent from the Yukon Territory, but who were in the Yukon for any period over 10 days between 15 March and 1st October, 1901; also names absent, but gone to some other part of the Yukon; also names in district too remote to visit, but whose names you can secure.”

The enumerator was instructed to list at the bottom “the number of those in your district whose names you cannot secure”. The instructions to list any person present between 15 March and 1st October, 1901 suggests that this census may not have been completed until after 1st October 1901.

1906 Census - taken as of 24 June
The 1906 census of the Northwest Provinces was taken to document the high rate of population growth in Western Canada, and covers the Province of Manitoba, and the newly created Provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta only. It contains individual’s name and relationship to the head of household; sex; marital status (married, single, widowed or divorced); Age; Country or place of birth; Year of Immigration to Canada; Post Office Address; Location, which includes Section, Township, Range and Meridian; and Agricultural statistics regarding livestock. Digital images of this census are available on the Library and Archives Canada website, with a finding aid to locate the appropriate census district and sub-district.

1911 Census - taken as of 1 June
For this census enumerators of the Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories were permitted to record information before 1 June. Enumeration of unorganized areas, including the territories, used an abbreviated census form; therefore, for some individuals, less information will have been recorded. Digital images of this census are available on the Library and Archives Canada website. This particular census included “Place of habitation” on Schedule 1, Nominal Return of Living Persons.


 * The relationship of each person to the head of the family... This is especially helpful if brothers, sisters, parents or other relations are living with the family. Other than the 1901 census, in previous census records this information was not spelled out, and children listed were assumed to be sons or daughters, but may also have been adopted children or step-children, or nieces or nephews. This information can be very useful to the researcher, but again should be looked at carefully and perhaps authenticated through further research.


 * Single, married, widowed, divorced... For the second time an indication of a possible divorce may be found in the census records.


 * Month of birth/year of birth... Each person’s month of birth was recorded. This information is very helpful, although again there have been instances when the information given has not agreed with actual birth registration information located. However, it does provide a useful guide to look for a birth record. Age was the age at the last birthday.


 * Year of immigration to Canada and year of naturalization... This is very helpful information to give the researcher a starting point to search for immigration or naturalization records, and passenger lists. As with all information given to the enumerator, memories may be faulty or information inaccurate, but at least a suggested time period is provided for the researcher.


 * Additional statistics regarding employment... This census listed type of employment or self-employment, wages, months employed, wages earned, and other statistics not previously enumerated.

1916 Census - taken as of 1 June
This “Western Census” was released in August 2008 and consists of the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Although British Columbia was a western province in Canada during that time, it was not included in this enumeration. This census is currently only available on microfilm from Library and Archives Canada. The list of microfilm reel numbers can be found on LAC's Genealogy and Family History website.

Information and links regarding this special census can be found in the CanadaGenealogy, or, ‘Jane’s Your Aunt’ blog, dated August 21, 2008.

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