Like the United States, Canada also has a trove of census records that are useful for those wanting to research their Canadian ancestry. But Canada’s history is very different from ours. The first Canadian census was taken in 1666. At that time, Canada was called New France and was held by the French. This early census recorded 3,215 inhabitants of New France.
In 1757, France ceded its lands in what is now Canada to the British. The land was divided into Upper and Lower Canada in 1791 and became Canada West and Canada East in 1841. These territories soon became the first provinces, Ontario and Québec. In 1867 Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united to become the Dominion of Canada. Manitoba was annexed in 1870, British Columbia in 1873, Prince Edward Island in 1875, Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905, and finally Newfoundland and Labrador in 1949.
Starting in 1831, there was a census roughly every 10 years, enumerated on the first year of each decade. Because of the different dates that the provinces were admitted into Canada, plus extra interim censuses taken in some provinces, the following list for each province should prove helpful. (This information was taken from the New England Historic Genealogical Society Web site at www.neweng
landances
tors.org/research/services/arti
cles_intro_canada_census_records.asp#).
Censuses were enumerated in the following provinces in the years indicated: Alberta 1881, 1891, 1901; British Columbia 1881, 1891, 1901; Manitoba 1831, 1849, 1870, 1881, 1891, 1901; New Brunswick 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901; Nova Scotia 1770-71, 1785-87, 1791-95, 1811, 1817-18, 1827,1838, 1851, 1861, 1871,1881, 1891, 1901; Ontario 1801, 1803, 1842, 1847, 1848, 1850, 1851, 1861,1871,1881,1891, 1901; Prince Edward Island 1841, 1860-61, 1881, 1891, 1901; Québec 1666, 1667, 1681, 1811, 1813, 1825, 1830, 1831,1832-35, 1842, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1901; Saskatchewan 1881, 1891, 1901; the Territories 1891, 1901.
In addition to this list, there have been national censuses released for 1906, 1911, and 1916. According to Canadian law, a census cannot be opened to the public for 92 years. This would make the 1921 census scheduled to be released in 2013.
Censuses conducted before 1851 list only the heads of households; starting in 1851, the following details were recorded: name, age, sex, country or province of birth, religion, racial or ethnic origin, occupation, and marital status. From 1901 onward, each person’s actual date of birth was recorded. French Canadian women kept their maiden names throughout their lifetime and can be found on the census under their maiden names. The children took the surname of the father. By 1881, some of these women were using their husband’s surname, and be 1901 all were. In 1851 and 1871, the deaths that occurred during the census year were recorded (not unlike the American mortality schedules). The 1851, 1861, and 1871 censuses also contain an agricultural census. The 1871 census recorded the most extensive information, including eight additional schedules for deaths, public institutions, real estate, cultivated land, livestock and animal products, homemade fabrics and furs, industry, forest products, shipping and fisheries, and mineral products.
The Canadian censuses were originally not searchable by surname, but by geographical region only. Gradually, various groups and Web sites have created surname indexes and search engines. The returns from 1851 to 1916 have been digitized and can be found on various Internet sites.
History
GENEALOGY: Canada offers a trove of useful census records
- History
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GENEALOGY: Columnist seeks info on families from Dana
Perhaps someone out there can help me with something I’ve been working on for quite a few years
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Early Terre Haute theater includes Billy Emerson
Traveling theater troupes performed in Terre Haute before the village was incorporated on Jan. 26, 1832.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Radiant heating — a hot idea
This week’s Historical Treasure is a bit out of season, but a wood stove will help drive away the morning chill and you can make breakfast on it.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: Record-breaking temps hit Vigo
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSON: Emperor Constantine changes the world
The Emperor Constantine, the first Christian ruler of the Roman Empire and the man who ended that empire’s persecution of Christianity, died this week (May 22) in 337 AD, having lived a life that would change the world.
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GENEALOGY: Library archives contain tons of information
Inside the archives room of the Vigo County Public Library, row after row of fragile documents, rare out-of-print books, and historic photographs are kept on shelves in a humidity and temperature-controlled room.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Historic efforts to open Center Street from Cherry to Swan
Efforts to open Center Street, from Cherry to Swan, spanned a half century or more.
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LOOKING BACK: 2002 — Valley drenched in wettest spring in 107 years
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star. -
HISTORICAL TREASURE: Some history wreathed in hair
From the unfortunate occurrence of Prince Albert’s death in 1861 came the social mores of proper mourning practices and accoutrements witnessed and endorsed by the admirers of Queen Victoria in her reign-long state of grieving.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: League of Women Voters reorganizes
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Here comes the bride
The newest major exhibit at the Historical Museum, which opens Tuesday, showcases wedding gowns worn by Vigo County residents.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Downtown changes featured in early 1927
During March and April of 1927 – about 85 years ago – the owners of interests in four major downtown Terre Haute theaters were negotiating to transfer their interests to representatives of Paramount Studios.
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GENEALOGY: Genealogy isn’t for the easily embarrassed
The saying goes, if you’re easily embarrassed or afraid of what you’ll find, don’t start doing genealogy.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: The long, lost, last — the 27th —Amendment
Our very last constitutional amendment — the 27th Amendment — was ratified this week (May 7) in 1992 when Michigan became the 38th state to approve it.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: The Haymarket Square Massacre
One unhappy byproduct of the Industrial Age was the growing discontent of its industrial workers, who constantly agitated for better pay and more humane working conditions.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: Stands packed as Wiley takes county track title
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and the Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Death of Terre Haute jeweler gains national headlines
Terre Haute sought national publicity in 1910 through “Boosterism,” lauding the city’s significant advancements during the decade ending Dec. 31, 1909.
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GENEALOGY: Cemetery Committee to conduct restoration workshop
The Wabash Valley Genealogy Society’s Cemetery Committee will conduct an all-day cemetery restoration workshop on Saturday at the Smith Cemetery near Youngstown, Honey Creek Township, Vigo County, Ind.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Harmonious history
In 1923, a group of singers calling themselves the Harmony Four entertained regularly over the radio and at civic and various club events.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: Cleveland observes Lincoln’s funeral
The death of America’s greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, resulted in an outpouring of national mourning, the apex of which came in late April of 1865 when a specially outfitted train carried his body on a thirteen-day, 1,700-mile, eleven-city funeral procession from Washington, D.C., to his home and final resting place in Springfield, Ill.
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GENEALOGY: Many people can trace ancestry to Titanic
This month marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, which occurred on April 14-15, 1912.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: ISU bowling team at nationals again
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Sullivan County mine explosion kills 8 in 1878
Shortly after 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21, 1878, an enormous explosion rocked the Handford Brothers mine about one-half mile north of the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad depot in Sullivan County.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: A common feature, but memorable
As an absolute architecture nerd, I tend to look at buildings noticing the odd ball things such as door hinges and door locks in addition to admiring the overall building.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSONS: MLK’s letter written from a jail cell in Birmingham
This week (April 16) in 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. sat in a jail cell in Birmingham, Ala., having been arrested for violating a trumped-up court order that prohibited him and his followers from conducting various protest activities, most of which you can read about in the First Amendment.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: Swope celebrates 20th anniversary
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: 1955 Babe Ruth League championship team to be feted
Currently in his 25th year as a college baseball coach, Rick Heller is in the midst of his third winning season at Indiana State and has embraced the university and the community.
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GENEALOGY: Long-awaited 1940 census is now available for the public
The long-awaited release of the 1940 census took place on April 2.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Memories baked from scratch
On my Historical Treasure hunt, I was drawn to a pasteboard barrel 28 inches high and 18.5 inches across with the words “Calumet Baking Powder Bakes Best, Received Highest Award” on one side and “Calumet Baking Powder Always Pleases, Try It” on the other.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Thomas Jefferson's flights of fancy
Thomas Jefferson, born this week (April 13) in 1743, is — deservedly so — in the pantheon of American heroes.
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GENEALOGY: Columnist seeks info on families from Dana
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