Canada, Prince Edward Island Census, 1861 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection contains a population census of Prince Edward Island in 1861. Prince Edward Island was not yet part of the Dominion of Canada. Includes agricultural censuses at the end of each county or township.

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 Prince Edward Island. 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. 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. Census district and county boundaries were not always the same and there were many variations from location to location. This census covers the population of Prince Edward Island in 1861.

This census was taken in 1861 for the census year 1860.

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

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. Some information may have been incorrect or deliberately falsified.

This census records only the name of the head of household, along with information about the other members of the household.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published on FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in the 1861 Prince Edward Island Census are:


 * Name of head of household
 * Number and age of individuals in household
 * Race
 * Religion
 * Residence
 * Profession of head of household

Beginning Your Search
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Ancestor's name
 * Approximate year of birth
 * Occupation

Search the Collection
Search the 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.

General Information About These Records
This census records the birthplace 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.

Related Websites

 * Prince Edward Island Database projects

Related Wiki Articles

 * Prince Edward Island
 * Prince Edward Island Census

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. 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.