Canada Census Mortality Schedules - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Canada, dénombrement des morts

Record Description
The official enumeration date for this census was April 2, 1871; however, the ages given in the census were to be the ages at their next birthday.

The schedules consist of large preprinted forms filled in by the census enumerators. The forms are printed in French.

Following the Constitution Act, 1867, census taking became a federal mandate. The first census was set for 1871 and every ten years thereafter. Therefore, the first national Canadian census was conducted in 1871.

Enumeration was by census district, except for Prince Edward Island, which was enumerated by lot number. 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.

Mortality schedules are a national level file of death registers. Using the death information, you can search for obituaries, mortuary records, cemeteries, and probate records, all of which may provide additional genealogical information. Mortality schedules also list ages and birthplaces for a time period when births were not always reported. Use this information to look for other records that may provide information about the individual, parents, and siblings.

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

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in the Mortality Schedules usually contain the following information:


 * Name of Deceased
 * Age of Deceased
 * Born in the last 12 months
 * Religion
 * Place of Birth
 * Month of death
 * Cause of death
 * Marital status
 * Profession or Occupation

How to Use the Record
To search this collection, it is helpful to know the following information:


 * Approximate year of death
 * Place where your ancestor last resided
 * Place of birth

Searching the Mortality Schedules
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.

Using the Information
Using the death information, you can search for obituaries, mortuary records, cemeteries, and probate records, all of which may provide additional genealogical information.

When you have found your ancestor, the following will aid you in your research:


 * Use the place of birth to help you find a birth record
 * Use the age on the record to calculate an approximate year of birth

Unable to Find Information?
If you haven't found information, consider the following tips to help further your research:


 * Your ancestor might have lived in a different place from where you were looking for the death.
 * Your ancestor may have used a nickname or a different surname, or the registrar spelled the name wrong. See Name Variations in Canadian Indexes and Records.
 * Your ancestor might have lived at a slightly different time from the years you were looking.
 * Not every death was registered.

For more information on how to use the record, go to Canada Census and Canada Vital Records.

General Information About These Records
Be aware there may be inaccuracies such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

Mortality schedules also list ages and birthplaces for a time period when births were not always reported. Use this information to look for other records that may provide information about the individual, parents, and siblings.

Related Websites

 * Canadian Census at Library and Archives Canada
 * Canadian Censuses on AutomatedGenealogy.com
 * Canadian Census Finder

Related Wiki Articles

 * Canada
 * Canada Census
 * Canada Church Records
 * Canada Vital Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
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A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.