This is a page of census information for western Canada: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. They are in order of year, country, province or territory, then city, running west to east (BC -> AB -> SK -> MB). I am indebted to the Universities of Toronto and Victoria for their research into Canadian censuses. [UPDATE 22 Nov 2022 – LAC has changed their web pages concerning censuses. Many of the links created only weeks ago may now be broken. Bear with me in the interim.]
It is surprising to see no single site holds a complete set of censuses although it’s interesting to compare the data between Ancestry, FamilySearch, and Library and Archives Canada. For example, the 1832-56, 1870 compiled data for Manitoba may be found at both Ancestry, which holds the indices, and FamilySearch, which holds the images.
The information in the table is not restricted to censuses but rather includes useful information for finding locations. Few census maps have survived but there are a number of ways to locate geographic information: the 1904 electoral map, and the street indices for large Canadian cities 1911 and forward.
Table of western Canadian censuses
| Name | Details | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| 1832-56, 1870 – Manitoba | Name Age Residence Place Ethnicity Birth Place Marital Status Father’s Name Father’s Religion | Ancestry ($) (indices only, from Hudson’s Bay Company lists and the 1870 census). FamilySearch (images only). |
| 1870 – Manitoba; schedule 1 | Name Residence Place Birth place Age Father’s name Race if Métis or Indian Marital status Nationality if British or American Religion if Catholic or Protestant | Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1871 – British Columbia/ Victoria census | Name Location Occupation Household count Record ID | viHistory (index) |
| 1881 – Canada (BC, MB, NB, NWT, NS, ON, PEI, QC); schedule 1 | Dwelling details Name Sex Age Birth place Religion Country of origin Occupation Marital status Attending school Infirmities | Ancestry ($). Automated Genealogy (index only, free but only NB and some QC). FamilySearch. FindMyPast ($). Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1881 – British Columbia/ Vancouver Island census | Name Family number Sex Age Marital Status Infirmities Attending school Religion Occupation Location Building type Place of origin | viHistory (index) |
| 1884-85 – Census of the North-West Territories (AB, SK, MB) | Compiled statistics only, 120 pages, no names; see Notes, below. | Internet Archive |
| 1886 – Manitoba | Compiled statistics of the population, 242 pages, no names, see Notes, below. | Internet Archive |
| 1891 – Canada (AB, BC, MB, NB, NWT, NS, ON, PEI, QC, SK, YT); schedule 1 | Number of household in order of visitation Names of each person in household as of 6 Apr 1891 Relationship to head of house Sex Age Marital status Country/ prov of birth Race if French Birthplace of father and mother Religion Occupation Employer Wage earner and if unemployed If employer, no. of staff Literacy Infirmities | Ancestry ($). Automated Genealogy (index only, free but only NB and some QC). FamilySearch (index only). FindMyPast ($). Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1891 – British Columbia/ Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands census | Name Family number Sex Age Marital status Relationship to head of household Literacy Infirmities Religion Occupation Employement Location and building type Place of origin Place of origin of father and mother | viHistory (index only) |
| 1891 – British Columbia/ Victoria census | Name Occupation Address Total residents in household Chinese or Indians? | viHistory (index only) |
| 1891 – Manitoba’s Lisgar District (Gimli, Kildonan, MacDonald, Plessis, Rockwood, Selkirk) | Full name Age Religion Occupation Birthplace LAC details | Ancestry ($) |
| 1896 – Manitoba | Compares the population of 1896 with that of 1891 for the Census of Manitoba, districts of Brandon, Lisgar, Macdonald, Marquette, Provencher, Selkirk and Winnipeg City; no names in the document. | Library and Archives Canada |
| 1901 – Canada (AB, BC, MB, NB, NWT, NS, ON, PEI, QC, SK, YT); schedules 1 and 2 | Number of household in order of visitation Names of each person as of 31 Mar 1901 Relationship to head of house Sex Colour: W (whites), R (Indigenous), B (Black), Y (Asians) Marital status Day, month, year of birth Age Country or place of birth Year of immigration Year of naturalization Racial origin if European Nationality Religion Occupation Employment (9 questions) Mths in school Literacy Infirmities | Ancestry ($). Automated Genealogy (index only). FamilySearch. FindMyPast ($). Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1901 – British Columbia/ Vancouver Island and City of Victoria census | Family Names Sex Colour (race) Relation to head of family Marital status Year, month, date of birth Age Birthplace Year of immigration Year of naturalization Race Nationality Religion Occupation Employment Mths in school Literacy Mother tongue Infirmities | viHistory (index) |
| 1904 – Electoral atlas – Canada | Not a census atlas but a good proxy online | Library and Archives Canada |
| 1906 – Census of the Northwest Provinces(AB, MB, SK); schedule 1 | Number of household in order of visitation Name of each person in family Relationship to head of house Sex Marital status Age Country or place of birth Year of immigration Post Office Address Livestock | Ancestry ($). Automated Genealogy (index only). FamilySearch (index only). Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1911 – Canada (AB, BC, MB, NB, NWT, NS, ON, PEI, QC, SK, YT); schedule 1 | Number of household and dwelling in order of visitation Name of each person in household Place of habitation Sex Relationship to head of household. Marital status Month and year of birth Age Country or place of birth Year of immigration Year of naturalization Racial origin Nationality Religion Occupation Employment (12 questions) Life insurance carried Mths in school Literacy Cost of education Infirmities | Ancestry ($). Automated Genealogy (index only). FamilySearch (index only). FindMyPast ($). Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1911 census street indices (Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, London, Montreal, Quebec City, St. John, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg) | Find the subdistrict by street, avenue, or institution | Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1911 – British Columbia/ City of Victoria census | Dwelling House Family (residential hotel, boarding house, institution) Names in full Sex Relationship to head of family Marital stauts Year, month and date of birth Age Birth place Year of immigration Year of naturalization Racial origin Nationality Religion Occupation Employment Life insurance Mths in school English or French literacy Languages commonly spoken Cost of education Infirmities | viHistory (index) |
| 1911 – British Columbia/ Alberni and Port Alberni census | Dwelling House Family (residential hotel, boarding house, institution) Names in full Sex Relationship to head of family Marital stauts Year, month and date of birth Age Birth place Year of immigration Year of naturalization Racial origin Nationality Religion Occupation Employment Life insurance Mths in school English or French literacy Languages commonly spoken Cost of education Infirmities | viHistory (index) |
| 1916 – Census of the Prairie Provinces (AB, MB, SK); schedule 1 | Number of household in order of visitation Name of each person in family Military service Place of habitation Relation to head of household Sex Marital Status Country or place of birth Religion Year of immigration to Canada Year of naturalization Nationality Race English or French spoken Other language spoken as mother tongue Literacy Occupation Employment | Ancestry ($). FamilySearch. Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1916 census street indices (Edmonton, Winnipeg) | Find the subdistrict by street, avenue, or institution | Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1921 Census of Canada (AB, BC, MB, NB, NWT, NS, ON, PEI, QC, SK, YT); schedule 1 | Number of household and dwelling in order of visitation Name of each person in the household Place of habitation Class of home Sex Relationship to head of house Marital status Age Country or place of birth Country or place of birth of father and mother Year of immigration Year of naturalization English or French language Religion Literacy Mths at school Employment (7 questions) | Ancestry. Automated Genealogy (index; NB only). Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1921 census street indices (Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, London, Montreal, Quebec City, St. John, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg) | Find the subdistrict by street, avenue, or institution | Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1926 – Census of the Prairies (AB, MB, SK); schedule 1 | Number of household and dwelling in order of visitation Name of each person in household Place of abode Relationship to head of household Sex Marital Status Age Place of birth Place of birth of father and mother Race Year of immigration Year of naturalization Citizenship English or French spoken Mother tongue Literacy Mths at school | FamilySearch. Library and Archives Canada. |
| 1926 census street indices (Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg) | Find the subdistrict by street, avenue, or institution | Library and Archives Canada. |
| Name of census | Details on the census | Where to find it |
Notes
This is a work in progress and will be updated as more and better digital information is located.
1886 Census of Manitoba
LAC holds only the blank forms for this census, which appears to have been a census of population, buildings, lands, livestock, and goods produced. No known copies of the schedules have survived.
1896 Census of Manitoba
The 1896 census of Manitoba was taken “to ascertain the population of the province in order to make up the per capita allowance to be paid by the Dominion to the province.” No knowns copies of the population schedule exist.
References
Ancestry, “Census and Voter Lists,” Archives, Ancestry (Ancestry.ca : accessed October 25, 2022).
Automated Genealogy, “Indices to Canadian Censuses,” 2008, Archives, Automated Genealogy (http://automatedgenealogy.com/ : accessed 25 Oct 2022). Useful site but does not appear to have been updated recently.
Patrick A. Dunae, Alex Dunae, and David Badke, “Census,” 2011, Archives, University of Victoria (vihistory.uvic.ca : accessed 25 Oct 2022).
FamilySearch, “Start Your Family Tree – Search Genealogy Archives,” 2002, Archives, FamilySearch (FamilySearch.org : accessed 25 Oct 2022).
FindMyPast, “Full List of Canadian Records,” Archives, 2022, FindMyPast (Findmypast.com : accessed 25 Oct 2022).
Library and Archive Canada, “1885 Census of The Territories, and 1886 Census of Manitoba, Schedules and Instructions,” archives, 2022, textual record, archives, Library and Archives Canada (BAC-LAC.gc.ca : accessed 28 Oct 2022).
Library and Archives Canada, “Censuses,” archives, 4 Oct 2012, Library and Archives Canada (BAC-LAC.gc.ca : accessed 25 Oct 2022).
Library and Archives Canada, “Census of Manitoba – Min Agri [Minister of Agriculture], 1896/05/11, Recds [Recommends] Authority to Take – Appt [Appointment of] Mr. St. Denis Census Commr [Commissioner], Date, Books, Rates Payt [Payment] Enumerators Etc.,” digital images, 2022, 3rd of five pages, memo from Department of Agriculture to Ottawa dated 7 May 1896 re Manitoba census, Library and Archives Canada (BAC-LAC.gc.ca : accessed October 28, 2022); citing Privy Council minutes, 8 May – 15 May 1896, RG2, series 1, volume 688.
Library and Archives Canada and Linda Yip, email, 28 Oct 2022, “Manitoba Censuses?” Personal Correspondence, 2022; RE: Manitoba censuses 1884, 1886, 1896; privately held by Yip, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Manitoba Archives and Linda Yip, email, 27 Oct 2022, “Western Canadian Censuses,” Personal Correspondence, 2022; RE: Manitoba censuses 1884, 1886, 1896; privately held by Yip, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The noted censuses regarding Manitoba are not held at the Manitoba Provincial Archives.
University of Toronto Libraries, “Census of Canada | Map and Data Library,” Archives, Census of Canada, University of Toronto Library (https://mdl.library.utoronto.ca : accessed 25 Oct 2022).