Canada Rural Censuses, 1901 and 1911 - International Institute

Introduction
To locate an individual in a rural area, the name of the township should be known. For the 1901 census and the 1911 census, the geographical location of the individual may also be determined within the township. This is accomplished in various ways, depending on the census year consulted.

1901 rural census:
Two schedules have survived for the 1901 census. Schedule No. 2, Buildings and Lands, Churches and Schools is located at the beginning of each sub-district. The first column of this Schedule is a cross-reference to Schedule 1, Nominal Return of Living Persons, page and line, similar to the 1871 census. Column 2 indicates “Place of habitation” and will contain one of three types of information, depending on the area being enumerated.

These choices were:

i. Name of municipal township or parish ii. Range or concession and lot or cadastre number iii. Street and house number

Following Schedule No. 2, is Schedule No. 1, Nominal Return of Living Persons for that sub-district.

This resulted in Schedule No. 2 appearing on a different microfilm reel than Schedule No. 1 for the same sub-district. This is not explained in the Catalogue of Census Returns on Microfilm 1901/Catalogue de recensements sur microfilm 1901, Ottawa: National Archives of Canada.

Therefore, if you look up Victoria, British Columbia in the Catalogue you will see:

Victoria:


 * 1901 T6429
 * 1901 T6436

This does not mean that there are two reels of film containing the entire 1901 census for Victoria, British Columbia. You will find Schedule No. 1 for Victoria on reel T-6429, and Schedule No. 2 for Victoria on reel T-6436. In general, if there are two reels indicated for a place in British Columbia, or for a place in Manitoba, the lowest numbered film will contain Schedule No. 1 for that place, and the higher numbered film will contain Schedule No. 2 for the same place.

Example: George Caldwell, farmer, Oro Township, Simcoe County, Ontario
The family of George Caldwell is located in Schedule No. 1 of the 1901 census for District 113, Simcoe East, Sub-District 2, Oro Township, Poll Sub-Division J1, on page 6, line 25, dwelling no. 52, family no. 59, Library and Archives Canada film T-6496.

By cross-referencing page 6, line 25 with Schedule No. 2, located at the beginning of Poll Sub-Division J1, you will see that page 6, line 25 is located on page 2 of Schedule No. 2 and refers to Concession 3, Lot 20, indicating that George Caldwell and his wife Margaret lived on this lot.

When the family of George Caldwell is located in Schedule No. 1 on page 6, the researcher will notice that there is also a George A. Caldwell and wife listed on page 6, line 39, dwelling no. 55, family no. 62. Could this Caldwell family be related to George Caldwell and his wife Margaret? Where do they live in relationship to George and Margaret?

A third Caldwell family is also listed on this page, starting on line 1 with Mary Caldwell and her children. Looking back one page the researcher will see Robert Caldwell, page 5, line 50, dwelling no. 49, family no. 55. Does this family live near George and Margaret? Could there be a relationship among all these families?

Referring this information back to Schedule No. 2, the researcher will determine that Robert Caldwell, page 5, line 50, lives on concession 2, east ½ lot 18 and concession 3, east ½ lot 17 and other premises; George A. Caldwell lives on concession 3, east ½ lot 22. Both live very close to George and Margaret Caldwell, living on concession 3, lot 20 and further searching of the land records may be worthwhile for these two families.

1911 Rural Census
One schedule has survived for the 1911 census—Schedule 1, Nominal Return of Living Persons. The fourth column of this Schedule indicates “Place of habitation” and will contain one of three types of information, depending on the area being enumerated.

These choices were:

i. Name of municipal township or parish ii. Range or concession and lot or cadastre number iii. Street and house number

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