If you have Canadian ancestors you may wish to visit the NEHGS Library in
Boston. Besides our vast collection of Canadian church records and vital records
we have one of the most complete collections of Canadian microfilm in the United
States. The collection of Canadian Census microfilm at NEHGS spans four
centuries, starting with a 1666 Quebec census through a 1921 census for
Newfoundland. The following is a listing by Province of all Canadian Microfilm
available at NEHGS from the Provincial Archives of Canada.
Alberta – 1881, 1891, 1901
British Columbia – 1881, 1891, 1901
Manitoba – 1831, 1849, 1870, 1881, 1891, 1901
New Brunswick – 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901
Newfoundland – 1921
Nova Scotia – 1770-1771, 1785-1787, 1791-1795, 1811,
1817-1818, 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, 1848, 1860-1861, 1881,
1891, 1901
Quebec – 1666, 1667, 1681, 1811, 1813, 1825, 1830,
1831, 1832-1835, 1842, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901
Saskatchewan – 1881, 1891, 1901
Territories – 1891, 1901
Your first step is to determine where your ancestor was
residing in Canada during a given census year. After determining the Canadian
Province you wish to search you would then want to consult any printed or
transcribed lists for that particular census year. For the most part there are
not many name indexes to the Canadian Census, which is unlike the United States
census schedules for the nineteenth century. However in the case of the 1851
Census for New Brunswick there are many parish towns already transcribed. Or you
might find a web site such as <http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Heritage/NGB/C1921/index.html
> where a project is underway to index the entire 1921 Newfoundland Census. This
will of course save you much valuable research time, but you should still
consult the original microfilm to confirm the accuracy of the transcriber. At
the end of this article you will find a listing of all the printed or CD-ROM
Census indexes we have for Canada.
If you only know the county in which your ancestor resided in
a particular province you will want to systematically check parish by parish
until you locate groupings of the same surname. In some cases a Canadian
gazetteer may aide you in your determining the location a given surname . If you
do know the parish where your ancestor resided you can determine the microfilm
you will need by utilizing the following set of reference books depending on the
year of the census.
1666-1891 - Thomas A. Hillman, Catalogue of Census
Returns on Microfilm 1666-1891. (Ottawa, ON., Public Archives of Canada,
1987) [M.T./HA742/P82/1987]
1901 - Thomas A. Hillman, Catalogue of Census
Returns on Microfilm 1901. (Ottawa, ON., Public Archives of Canada, 1987)
[M.T./HA741/C4/1901]
If your ancestor’s parish or township is small in size you
should consult a map or atlas of that particular province to determine the
larger parishes or townships nearby. In some cases a small township may have
been included within the census enumeration for a nearby larger township and not
identified individually. For a detailed listing of all communities within a roll
of microfilm you can consult these volumes for the 1871-1891 Canadian Census.
1871 – Public Archives of Canada, Record Group 31,
Census of 1871 Finding Aid. (Ottawa, ON, Public Archives of Canada) [M.T./HA741/C4/1871]
1881 – Public Archives of Canada, Record Group 31,
Census of 1881 Finding Aid. (Ottawa, ON, Public Archives of Canada) [M.T./HA741/C4/1881]
1891 – Thomas A. Hillman, Record Group 31, Census of
1891 Finding Aid. (Ottawa, ON, Public Archives of Canada, 1986) [M.T./HA741/C4/1891]
The following is a listing of all indexes and transcriptions
available at NEHGS in the Microtext Department. Please note the call number for
each volume is found in square brackets at the end of the description.
ALBERTA
1891 – Eileen P. Condon, Index to the 1891 Census
District of Alberta. (Regina, SK, Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, Inc.,
1998) [M.T./CS/88/A46/D56/1998].
MANITOBA
1881 – Ronald Vern Jackson, 1881 Manitoba. (North Salt
Lake, UT., Accelerated Indexing Systems International, Inc., 1984) [M.T./CS88/M28/J3/1986].
1881 – Lorne William Main, Index to 1881 Canadian Census
of Manitoba with extensions and East Rupert’s Land. (Richmond, B.C, British
Columbia Genealogical Soc., 1984) [M.T./CS88/M281/J3/1986]
NEW BRUNSWICK
1851 – Ronald Vern Jackson, 1851 New Brunswick. (North
Salt Lake, UT., Accelerated Indexing Systems International, Inc., 1986) [M.T./CS88/N43/J3]
1851 – Robert F. Fellows, The New Brunswick Census of 1851
Albert County, New Brunswick, Canada. (Fredericton, N.B., Genealogical
Section Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1972) [M.T./CS88/N43/A42/1972]
1851 – Robert F. Fellows, The New Brunswick Census of 1851
Carleton County, New Brunswick, Canada. (Fredericton, N.B., Genealogical
Section Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1972) [M.T./CS88/N43/C37/1980]
1851 – Robert F. Fellows, The New Brunswick Census of 1851
Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada. (Fredericton, N.B., Genealogical
Section Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1972) [M.T./CS88/N43/C52/1974]
1851 – Julia M. Walker and Margaret G. Duplishea, 1851
Census for Kings County, New Brunswick, Canada. (Fredericton, N.B.,
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1979) [M.T./CS88/N43/K56/1979/vols. 1-2]
1851 – Carman Williston, Recensement 1851 Census, Comté
Northumberland County, New Brunswick. (New Brunswick, 1991) [M.T./CS88/N43/N77/1991]
1851 – The Restigouche Branch, New Brunswick Genealogical
Society, The New Brunswick Census of 1851: Restigouche County.
(Fredericton, N.B., Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1983) [M.T./CS88/N43/R4/1983]
1851 – Saint John Branch, New Brunswick Genealogical Society,
The New Brunswick Census of 1851: Saint John County. (Fredericton, N.B.,
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1982) [M.T./CS88/N43/S24/1982/vols. 1-2]
1851 – George H. Hayward, 1851 Census, Sunbury County, New
Brunswick, Canada.
(New Brunswick, 1974) [M.T./CS88/N43/S96/1974]
1851 – Daniel F. Johnson, The New Brunswick Census of 1851
for Victoria County.
(Perth-Andover, N.B., 1979) [M.T./CS88/N43/J63/1979]
1851 – Wayne A. Gillcash, The New Brunswick Census of 1851
: Westmorland County.
(Fredericton, N.B., Provincial Archives of New Brunswick,
1981) [M.T./CS88/N43/W47/1981/vols. 1-2]
1851 – Elizabeth Sewell and Elizabeth Saunders, The New
Brunswick Census of 1851: York County. (Fredericton, N.B., Provincial
Archives of New Brunswick, 1979) [M.T./CS88/N43/Y67/1979]
1861 – ------, Recensement 1861 Census, Comté Gloucester
County, Nouveau-Brunswick Canada. (Fredericton, N.B., Genealogical Section
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1980) [M.T./CS88/N43/G66/1980].
1861 – New Brunswick Genealogical Society, Recensement
1861 Census Comté de Kent / Kent County. (Fredericton, NB., Provincial
Archives of N.B., 1993) [M.T./CS88/N43/K45/1993]
1861 – G. Timothy Walton, 1861 New Brunswick Census Kings
County. (New Brunswick, 1989) [M.T./CS88/N43/N652/1989/ vols. 1-3]
1861 – G. Timothy Walton, The 1861 Census New Brunswick,
Queens County. (St. John, N.B., Copy Write Centre, 1991) [M.T./CS88/N43/Q44/1991]
1861 – New Brunswick Genealogical Society, Recensement
1861 Census, Comté de Queens County, New Brunswick. (Fredericton, N.B.,
Provincial Archives of N.B., 1991) [M.T./CS88/N43/Q442/1991]
1861 – The Restigouche Branch, New Brunswick Genealogical
Society, The New Brunswick Census of 1861: Restigouche County.
(Fredericton, N.B., Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1984) [M.T./CS88/N43/R42/1984]
1861 – New Brunswick Genealogical Society, Recensement
1861 Census, Comté de York / York County. (Fredericton, N.B., Provincial
Archives of New Brunswick, 1993) [M.T./CS88/N43/Y77/1993]
1871 – ----- Recensement 1871 Census, Comté Gloucester
County, Nouveau-Brunswick Canada. (Fredericton, N.B., Genealogical Section
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1980) [M.T./CS88/N43/G66/1980].
1871 – The Restigouche Branch, New Brunswick Genealogical
Society, The New Brunswick Census of 1871: Restigouche County.
(Fredericton, N.B., Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1985) [M.T./CS88/N43/R442/1985]
1871 – Saint John Branch, New Brunswick Genealogical Society,
Index to the 1871 Census for St. John County, New Brunswick, Canada.
(Saint John, N.B., Copy Write Centre, 1989)
[M.T./CS88/N43/S243/1989]
1871 – Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, The New
Brunswick Census of 1871, Sunbury County. (Fredericton, N.B., Provincial
Archives of New Brunswick, 1989)
[M.T./CS88/N43/S9/1989]
1871 - Robert F. Fellows, The Fredericton Census of 1871.
(Fredericton, N.B., Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1974) [M.T./CS88/N43/F73/1974]
1881 - -----, Recensement 1881 Census, Comté Gloucester
County, Nouveau-Brunswick Canada. (Fredericton, N.B., Genealogical Section
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1984 [M.T./CS88/N43/G663/1984].
1881 – The Restigouche Branch, New Brunswick Genealogical
Society, The New Brunswick Census of 1881: Restigouche County.
(Fredericton, N.B., Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1986) [M.T./CS88/N43/R424/1986]
1891 - -----, Recensement 1891 Census, Carleton County /
Comté de Carleton. (Fredericton, N.B., N.B. Genealogical Society, 1994) [M.T./CS88/N43/C374/1994].
1891 - -----, Recensement 1891 Census, Comté Gloucester
County, Nouveau-Brunswick Canada. (Fredericton, N.B., Provincial Archives of
New Brunswick, 1989) [M.T./CS88/N43/G664/1989/vols. 1-2].
1891 – The Restigouche Branch, New Brunswick Genealogical
Society, Recensement 1891 Census, Comté Restigouche County, New Brunswick.
(Fredericton, N.B., Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1989) [M.T./CS88/N43/R426/1989/vol.
1-2]
1851-1881 - Julia M. Walker and Margaret G. Duplisea, The
Census Records of 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881 for Kingston Parish, Kings County, New
Brunswick. (Fredericton, N.B., Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1982) [M.T./CS88/N43/K57/1982]
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
1881 – Ronald Vern Jackson, 1881 Northwest Territories.
(North Salt Lake, UT, Accelerated Indexing Systems International, Inc., 1986) [M.T./CS88/N62/J3]
NOVA SCOTIA
1817 – Mary Elizabeth Koen, Census of 1817, Index to Heads
of Families in Sydney County, Nova Scotia. (Swampscott, Mass., 1986) [M.T./CS88/N64/K6]
1818 and 1827 – Allan C. Dunlop, Census of Nova Scotia
1827; Census of District of Pictou 1818. (Halifax, N.S., Public Archives of
Nova Scotia, 1979) [M.T./CS88/N64/D86/1979]
1838 – Mary Elizabeth Koen, Index, 1838 Census of Nova
Scotia, Guysborough County, Consolidated Listing of heads of families.
(Swampscott, Mass., 1985) [M.T./CS88/N64/K63]
1838 – Steven A. Bridges, 1838 Pictou County, Nova Scotia,
Census. (Trumbull, CT., 1987)
[M.T./CS898/P49/B735/1987]
1838 – 1841 – Mildred Howard, Census of Cape Breton
Island, Province of Nova Scotia 1838-1841.
(Sydney, N.S., Cape Breton Genealogical Society, 1991) [M.T./F1039/C2/C46/1991]
1851 – Ronald Vern Jackson, Nova Scotia 1851. (Halifax
and Kings Counties only).
(North Salt Lake, UT., Accelerated Indexing Systems
International, Inc., 1986)
[M.T./CS88/N64/J3]
1860-1861 – Mary Elizabeth Koen, Census of Nova Scotia
1860-1861, Index Heads of Households, Consolidated Listing for Guysborough
County. (Swampscott, Mass., 1985) [M.T./CS88/N64/K64]
1861 – Edward L. Galvin, The 1861 Census of D’Escousse,
Richmond County, Nova Scotia, Canada.
(Brea, CA., 1993) [M.T./CS88/N64/D45/1993]
1871 – Mary Elizabeth Koen, 1871 Census Guysborough
County, N.S., Canada. (Swampscott, Mass., 1988) [M.T./CS88/N64/K65/1988/vols.
1-2]
1871 - ----, Surname Index to the 1871 Census of Canada,
Nova Scotia, Halifax County (excluding Halifax City). (Bridgewater, N.S.,
Bridgewater Business & Information Services, 1995)
[M.T./CS88/N64/H17/1995]
1871 - ----, Surname Index to the 1871 Census of Canada,
Nova Scotia, Lunenburg County.
(Bridgewater, N.S., Bridgewater Business & Information
Services, 1994) [M.T./CS88/N64/S82/1994]
1881 – Mary Elizabeth Koen, 1881 Census of Guysborough
County, Nova Scotia, Canada. (Swampscott, Mass., 1990) [M.T./CS88/.N64/K66/1990/vols.
1-2]
1881 - ----, Surname Index to the 1881 Census of Canada,
Nova Scotia, Halifax County (excluding Halifax City). (Bridgewater, N.S.,
Bridgewater Business & Information Services, 1995)
[M.T./CS88/N64/H171/1995]
1881 - ----, Surname Index to the 1881 Census of Canada,
Nova Scotia, Lunenburg County.
(Bridgewater, N.S., Bridgewater Business & Information
Services, 1994) [M.T./CS88/N64/S822/1994]
1881 - Edward L. Galvin, The 1881 Census of D’Escousse,
Richmond County, Nova Scotia, Canada.
(Brea, CA., 1990) [M.T./CS88/N64/D452/1990]
1891 – Mary Elizabeth Koen, 1891 Census of
Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Canada. (Swampscott, Mass., 1992) [M.T./CS88/.N64/K67/1992/vols.
1-2]
1891 - ----, Surname Index to the 1891 Census of Canada,
Nova Scotia, Halifax County (excluding Halifax City). (Bridgewater, N.S.,
Bridgewater Business & Information Services, 1995)
[M.T./CS88/N64/H172/1995]
1891 - ----, Surname Index to the 1891 Census of Canada,
Nova Scotia, Lunenburg County.
(Bridgewater, N.S., Bridgewater Business & Information
Services, 1994) [M.T./CS88/N64/S823/1994]
1891 - Edward L. Galvin, The 1881 Census of D’Escousse,
Richmond County, Nova Scotia, Canada.
(Brea, CA., 1994) [M.T./CS88/N64/D454/1994]
1901 - ----, Surname Index to the 1901 Census of Canada,
Nova Scotia, Halifax County (excluding Halifax City). (Bridgewater, N.S.,
Bridgewater Business & Information Services, 1995)
[M.T./CS88/N64/H173/1995]
1901 - ----, Surname Index to the 1901 Census of Canada,
Nova Scotia, Lunenburg County.
(Bridgewater, N.S., Bridgewater Business & Information
Services, 1994) [M.T./CS88/N64/S824/1994]
1901 – Donald N. Morrison, 1901 Census, Victoria County,
Nova Scotia. (Baddeck, N.S., 1995) [M.T./CS88/N64/V5/1995]
ONTARIO
1848 and 1850 – Ronald Vern Jackson, Upper Canada 1848 /
1850 Ontario (Huron District Part 1, Newcastle & Johnstown Districts Part 2).
(North Salt Lake, UT., Accelerated Indexing Systems International, Inc., 1986) [M.T./CS88/O6/J3]
1848 and 1850, Bryan Lee Dilts, 1848 and 1850 Canada West
(Ontario) Census Index, and every name index. (Salt Lake City, UT., Index
Publishing, 1984) [M.T./
1851 – Russ Waller, Kingston Township 1851 Census.
(Kingston, ON., Kingston General Hospital, 1988) [M.T./CS88/O6/K56/1988]
1851 – Russ Waller, Loughborough and Storrington Townships
1851 Census. (Kingston, ON., Kingston General Hospital, 1988) [M.T./CS88/O6/L68/1988]
1851 – Russ Waller, Portland and Hinchinbrooke Townships
1851 Census. (Kingston, ON., Kingston General Hospital, 1988) [M.T./CS88/O6/P67/1988]
1851 – Russ Waller, Wolfe Island 1851 Census.
(Kingston, ON., Kingston General Hospital, 1988) [M.T./CS88/O6/W64/1988]
1861 – Janice J. Miller, 1861 Norfolk County Census Index
Ontario. (Vernon, MI, 1984)
[M.T./CS88/O6/M54/1984]
1871 CD-ROM Index – Census Index: Ontario, Canada 1871
– CD # 116.
(Broderbund, 1996) [M.T/CS88/O6/C46/1996/CD-ROM]
1881 – Lorne William Main, Index to 1881 Canadian Census
of North West Territories & Algoma, Ontario. (Vancover, B.C., 1984) [M.T./CS88/A48/M35/1984]
1881 – The Madawaska Valley District High School Genealogy
Club, The 1881 Census of Hastings County: Bangor Township and Wicklow and
McClure Townships. (Ottawa, Ont., The Ottawa Genealogical Society, 1990) [M.T./CS88/O6/H368/1990]
1881 – The Madawaska Valley District High School Genealogy
Club, The 1881 Census of Renfrew County: Hagarty and Jones, Raglan and
Radcliffe, and Sherwood, Richarda and Burns Townships. (Ottawa, Ont., The
Ottawa Genealogical Society, 1990) [M.T./CS88/O6/R458/1990]
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
1891 – William M. Glen, Prince Edward Island ‘Strays in
the 1891 Census’, individuals living on Prince Edward Island in 1891 who were
born elsewhere in Northa America or at sea. (Charlottetown, P.E.I., 199-) [M.T./CS88/P7/G54/199-/v.
1]
QUEBEC
1851 – Recensement de 1851. (Various Parishes)
(Montreal, QC, Archiv-Histo,1994-1998 ) [M.T./CS88/Q4/M8/ vols. 1 - 21]
1871 – R. Neil Broadhurst, Index to the 1871 Census of
Quebec, Brome County. (Calgary, AB, Kintracers, 1992) [M.T./CS88/Q43/B8/1992]
1871 – R. Neil Broadhurst, Index to the 1871 Census of
Quebec, Missisquoi County. (Calgary, AB, Kintracers, 1992) [M.T./CS88/Q43/M37/1992]
1871 – R. Neil Broadhurst, Index to the 1871 Census of
Quebec, Shefford County. (Calgary, AB, Kintracers, 1992) [M.T./CS88/Q43/S48/1992]
1871 – R. Neil Broadhurst, Index to the 1871 Census of
Quebec, Stanstead County. (Calgary, AB, Kintracers, 1994) [M.T./CS88/Q43/S7/1994]
1871 – R. Neil Broadhurst, Index to the 1871 Census of
Quebec, Brome County. (Calgary, AB, Kintracers, 1992) [M.T./CS88/Q43/B8/1992]
1881 – R. Neil Broadhurst, Index to the 1881 Census of
Quebec, Shefford County. (Calgary, AB, Kintracers, 1992) [M.T./CS88/Q43/S54/1992]
SASKATCHEWAN
1891 – Eileen P. Condon, Index to the Census of Canada
1891, Assiniboia East. (Regina, SK., Regina Branch – Saskatchewan
Genealogical Society Inc., 1990) [M.T./CS88/S39/A86/1990]
1891 – Eileen P. Condon, Index to the Census of Canada
1891, Assiniboia West. (Regina, SK., Regina Branch – Saskatchewan
Genealogical Society Inc., 1990) [M.T./CS88/S39/A86/1990]
