Canada Census Mortality Schedules - FamilySearch Historical Records

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 records include an index with images of mortality schedules for the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario.

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.

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.

Record Content
Mortality schedule records may contain the following information:


 * Name of deceased
 * Age of deceased
 * Year of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Marital status
 * Date of death
 * Religion

How to Use the Record
This section provides information on how to search the collection, what to do with information once found, and what to do if no record is found.

When searching: As you are searching, it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, family relationships and approximate year and place of death.

Search the Collection
To search by 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.

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 find a birth record.
 * Use the religion mentioned in your ancestors record to search for church records.

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.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?
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 collection, go to Canada Census and Canada Vital Records.

Related Websites

 * Canada History Links
 * Canada Historic Maps
 * 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

Citations for this Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. 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. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):