Census returns are official Government of Canada records that enumerate the country’s population. They are an invaluable source of information as they often include the age, occupation, ethnic origin, religious denomination and the place of birth for the persons listed.
For each census, the records are arranged by province or territory, and then are divided into districts which usually correspond to counties and cities. Districts are typically divided into sub-districts, corresponding to townships, parishes and larger towns.
Databases
- Census of Lower Canada, 1825 – Coming soon
- Census of Lower Canada, 1831 – Coming soon
- Census of Lower Canada, 1842 – Coming soon
- Census of Upper Canada, 1842 – Coming soon
- Census of 1851 (Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia)
- Census of 1861 (Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) – Coming soon
- Census of Canada, 1871 – New version
- Federal Census of 1871 (Ontario only)
- Census of Canada, 1881 – New version
- Census of Canada, 1891
- Census of Canada, 1901 – New version
- Census of the Northwest Provinces, 1906 – New version
- Census of Canada, 1911 – New version
- Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1916 – New version
From 1851 to 1901, a census occurred every 10 years in Canada; this was confirmed by the
British North America Act (also known as the
Constitution Act, 1867). The original purpose of the census was to help determine parliamentary representation based on population.
According to the Census and Statistics Act (which received Royal Assent on May 16, 1905) a general census of Canada was to occur in 1911, and every 10 years thereafter, and a census of population and agriculture was to be taken in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1906, and every 10 years thereafter.
Research Aids at LAC
Research Aids – Other
Census Available at LAC
There are two types of census returns:
- nominal – lists all members of households or families
- partly nominal – lists only the heads of households or families. The other members are just counted.
| Year |
Location |
Type |
| 1666 |
Quebec |
Nominal |
| 1667 |
Quebec |
Nominal |
| 1671, 1673 |
Newfoundland (Plaisance only) |
Nominal |
| 1671–1753 |
Acadia |
Partly nominal |
| 1681 |
Quebec |
Nominal |
| 1691, 1693 |
Newfoundland |
Nominal |
| 1698, 1706, 1711 |
Newfoundland (Plaisance only) |
Partly Nominal |
| 1704 |
Newfoundland |
Partly Nominal |
| 1770–1838 |
Nova Scotia |
Partly nominal |
| 1825 |
Quebec |
Partly nominal |
| 1831 |
Quebec |
Partly nominal |
| 1831–1849 |
Manitoba (Red River only) |
Partly nominal |
| 1841 |
Prince Edward Island |
Partly nominal |
| 1842 |
Ontario, Quebec |
Partly nominal |
| 1848 |
Ontario |
Partly nominal |
| 1850 |
Ontario |
Partly nominal |
| 1851 |
Nova Scotia |
Partly nominal |
| 1851 |
New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec |
Nominal |
| 1861 |
Ontario, Quebec |
Nominal |
| 1861 |
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island |
Partly nominal |
| 1870 |
Manitoba |
Nominal |
| 1871 |
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec |
Nominal |
| 1871 |
Ontario only |
Nominal |
| 1881 |
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan |
Nominal |
| 1891 |
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory |
Nominal |
| 1891 |
City of Victoria, British Columbia |
Partly Nominal |
| 1901 |
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory |
Nominal |
| 1906 |
Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan |
Nominal |
| 1911 |
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory |
Nominal |
| 1916 |
Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan |
Nominal |
| 1921 |
Newfoundland |
Nominal |
| 1935 |
Newfoundland |
Nominal |
| 1945 |
Newfoundland |
Nominal |
After 1916
Census returns after 1916 are in the custody of Statistics Canada. The Statistics Act and the Act to Amend the Statistics Act does not permit the disclosure of personal information from post-1916 census returns. The only exception is for people who require information about themselves, for pension or other legal purposes. Third parties cannot obtain information about another individual without the individual's written consent.
Under the legislation, the records will be opened for public use and transferred to Library and Archives Canada 92 calendar years after the taking of a census.
If you have questions about post-1916 census returns or the census legislation, contact the Access to Information office of
Statistics Canada.
