Census of 1861 - Library and Archives Canada (2023)

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​​This census includes Canada East (Quebec), Canada West (Ontario), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

How the census was collected

The 1861 Census marked the third collection of statistics for the Province of Canada. In 1841, the Act of Union created the Province of Canada, consisting of Canada West (present-day Ontario) and Canada East (present-day Quebec). Information on population was also collected for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

The census officially began on:

• January 14, 1861 for Canada East and for Canada West;
• March 30, 1861 for Nova Scotia;
• August 15, 1861 for New Brunswick.

The precise date of collection of data is unknown for Prince Edward Island.

The enumerators collected information for 3,112,269 individuals distributed as follows:

• Canada East (1,110,664)
• Canada West (1,396,091)
• New Brunswick (193,800)
• Nova Scotia (330,857)
• Prince Edward Island (80,857)

From paper to microfilm

In 1955, the Dominion Bureau of Statistics was authorized by the Public Records Committee to microfilm and destroy the original paper records of the 1861 Census. As a result, only a microfilm copy of the census exists as an archival holding. The microfilming of these records was not of consistent quality and not all images are readable.

The digitized images found on the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) website have been made by scanning the microfilms of the 1861 Census. As exact copies, a page that was unreadable on microfilm will also be unreadable on your computer screen. Title pages from the microfilm have not been scanned, and contained this information:

• Census year (i.e. 1861)
• Province
• County name
• Township name

Important note: The schedules were not always microfilmed in order and pagination is often inconsistent or non-existent. Page numbers sometimes alternate between stamped and handwritten numbers. In the Nova Scotia returns, the pages of schedules are often microfilmed in groups of two on one image, with the last page of one schedule beside the first page of the next schedule.

These records, and those of previous censuses, are described in the Statistics Canada fonds, formerly Record Group 31 (RG31).

Column headings and interpretation

Enumerators described ethnic origin or mental capacity with terms used in 1861. Some of those terms no longer reflect current usage when describing a person’s background.

Canada West
Personal census

Canada East
Personal census

New Brunswick
Schedule no. 1: population

Nova Scotia
Personal census by ages

Prince Edward Island
Heads of families

• Canada West—Personal census

  Column 1. Names of inmates
  Column 2. Profession, trade or occupation
  Column 3. Place of birth
  Column 4. Married during the year
  Column 5. Religion
  Column 6. Residence if out of limits
  Column 7. Age next birthday
  Column 8. Sex: male
  Column 9. Sex: female
  Column 10. Married or single
  Column 11. Widowers
  Column 12. Widows
  Column 13. Colored persons, mulatto or Indian
  Column 14. Residents: members of family: male
  Column 15. Residents: members of family: female
  Column 16. Residents: not members: male
  Column 17. Residents: not members: female
  Column 18. Members of family absent: male
  Column 19. Members of family absent: female
  Column 20. Deaf and dumb
  Column 21. Blind
  Column 22. Lunatics or idiots
  Column 23. Children attending school within the year: male
  Column 24. Children attending school within the year: female
  Column 25. Persons over 20 who cannot read or write: male
  Column 26. Persons over 20 who cannot read or write: female
  Column 27. Births in 1860: male
  Column 28. Births in 1860: female
  Column 29. Deaths in 1860: no. male
  Column 30. Deaths in 1860: no. female
  Column 31. Deaths in 1860: age and cause of death
  Column 32. Houses: brick, stone, frame, log, etc.
  Column 33. Houses: no. of stories
  Column 34. Houses: no. of families living in house
  Column 35. Houses: vacant
  Column 36. Houses: being built
  Column 37. Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: horses
  Column 38. Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: cows
  Column 39. Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: sheep
  Column 40. Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: pigs
  Column 41. Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: value of livestock in dollars
  Column 42. Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: carriages for pleasure
  Column 43. Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: value of same dollars
  Column 44. Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: carriages for hire
  Column 45. Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: value of same dollars
  Column 46. Quantity of land attached to tenement
  Column 47. Name of business or manufacture
  Column 48. Capital invested in business in real estate and personal estate
  Column 49. Raw material used, exclusive of fuel: quantities
  Column 50. Raw material used, exclusive of fuel: kinds
  Column 51. Raw material used, exclusive of fuel: value
  Column 52. What motive power or machinery
  Column 53. Average number of hands employed: male
  Column 54. Average number of hands employed: female
  Column 55. Average cost per month of male labor
  Column 56. Average cost per month of female labor
  Column 57. Annual product of business or manufacture: quantities
  Column 58. Annual product of business or manufacture: kinds
  Column 59. Annual product of business or manufacture: value
  Column 60. Remarks

• Canada East—Personal census

  A pre-printed form was used with headings written only in French. For your convenience, those headings have been translated.

  Column 1. Noms des personnes qui habitent la maison (Names of persons living in the house)
  Column 2. Profession, métier ou occupation(Profession, trade or occupation)
  Column 3. Lieu de naissance (Place of birth)
  Column 4. Mariés durant l'année (Married during the year)
  Column 5. Religion (Religion)
  Column 6. Résidence si hors des limites (Residence if out of limits)Column 7. Âge au prochain anniversaire (Age next birthday)
  Column 8. Sexe, masculin (Sex: male)
  Column 9. Sexe, féminin (Sex: female)
  Column 10. Marié ou non-marié (Married or not married)
  Column 11. Veufs (Widowers)Column 12. Veuves (Widows)
  Column 13. Personnes de couleur : mulâtres ou sauvages (Colored persons: mulattos or Indians)
  Column 14. Résidents : membres de la famille : mâle (Residents: members of family: male)
  Column 15. Résidents : membres de la famille : femelle (Residents: members of family: female)
  Column 16. Résidents : étrangers à la famille : mâle (Residents: not members of the family: male) Column 17. Résidents : étrangers à la famille : femelle (Residents: not members of the family: female)
  Column 18. Membres de la famille absents : mâle (Members of family absent: male)
  Column 19. Membres de la famille absents : femelle (Members of family absent: female)
  Column 20. Sourds ou muets (Deaf or dumb)
  Column 21. Aveugles (Blind)
  Column 22. Lunatiques ou idiots (Lunatics or idiots)
  Column 23. Nombre d'enfants allants à l'école pendant l'année : mâle (Number of children attending school during the year: male)
  Column 24. Nombre d'enfants allants à l'école pendant l'année : femelle (Number of children attending school during the year: female)
  Column 25. Individus de plus de 20 ans ne sachant lire ni écrire : mâle (Persons over 20 who cannot read or write: male)Column 26. Individus de plus de 20 ans ne sachant lire ni écrire : femelle (Persons over 20 who cannot read or write: female)
  Column 27. Nés en 1860 : mâle (Born in 1860: male)
  Column 28. Nés en 1860 : femelle (Born in 1860: female)
  Column 29. Morts en 1860 : nombre : mâle (Deaths in 1860: number: male)
  Column 30. Morts en 1860 : nombre : femelle (Deaths in 1860: number: female)
  Column 31. Morts en 1860 : âge et cause du décès (Deaths in 1860: age and cause of death)
  Column 32. Maisons : bâties en brique, en pierre ou en bois, etc. (Houses: built in brick, in stone or in wood, etc.)
  Column 33. Maisons : nombre d'étages (Houses: number of floors)
  Column 34. Maisons : nombre de familles habitant la maison (Houses: number of families living in the house)
  Column 35. Maisons : fermées (Houses: closed)
  Column 36. Maisons : en construction (Houses: under construction)
  Column 37. Nombres d'animaux, etc. appartenant aux habitants des villes et non cultivateurs : chevaux (Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: horses)
  Column 38. Nombres d'animaux, etc. appartenant aux habitants des villes et non cultivateurs : vaches (Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: cows)
  Column 39. Nombres d'animaux, etc. appartenant aux habitants des villes et non cultivateurs : moutons (Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: sheep)
  Column 40. Nombres d'animaux, etc. appartenant aux habitants des villes et non cultivateurs : cochons (Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: pigs)
  Column 41. Nombres d'animaux, etc. appartenant aux habitants des villes et non cultivateurs : valeur en dollars des animaux vivants (Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: value of livestock in dollars)
  Column 42. Nombres d'animaux, etc. appartenant aux habitants des villes et non cultivateurs : nombre de voitures d'agrément (Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: carriages for pleasure)
  Column 43. Nombres d'animaux, etc. appartenant aux habitants des villes et non cultivateurs : valeur des mêmes en dollars (Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: value of the same in dollars)
  Column 44. Nombres d'animaux, etc. appartenant aux habitants des villes et non cultivateurs : nombre de voitures de louage (Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: number of carriages for hire)
  Column 45. Nombres d'animaux, etc. appartenant aux habitants des villes et non cultivateurs : valeur d'icelles en dollars (Livestock etc. of townspeople and persons not farmers: value of the same in dollars)
  Column 46. Étendue de terre attachée à l'habitation (Quantity of land attached to tenement)Column 47. Genre d'affaires ou manufacture (Kind of business or manufacture)
  Column 48. Capital employé, soit en biens-fonds ou propriétés mobilières (Capital invested in property or real estate)
  Column 49. Matière brute employée, le chauffage excepté : quantités (Raw material used, exclusive of fuel: quantities)
  Column 50. Matière brute employée, le chauffage excepté : genre (Raw material used, exclusive of fuel: kinds)
  Column 51. Matière brute employée, le chauffage excepté : valeur (Raw material used, exclusive of fuel: value)
  Column 52. Force motrice ou machine (Motive power or machine)
  Column 53. Nombre moyen des individus employés : hommes (Average number of hands employed: men)
  Column 54. Nombre moyen des individus employés : femmes (Average number of hands employed: women)Column 55. Moyenne du coût par mois du travail des hommes (Average cost per month of male labour)Column 56. Moyenne du coût par mois du travail des femmes (Average cost per month of female labour)Column 57. Produit annuel des opérations ou de la manufacture : quantités (Annual product of business or manufacture: quantities)
  Column 58. Produit annuel des opérations ou de la manufacture : genre (Annual product of business or manufacture: kind) Column 59. Produit annuel des opérations ou de la manufacture : valeur (Annual product of business or manufacture: value)Column 60. Remarques (Remarks)

• New Brunswick—Schedule no. 1: population

  Column 1. Number
  Column 2. Names of inhabitants
  Column 3. Sex
  Column 4. Relationship to head of family
  Column 5. Age
  Column 6. Race and where born
  Column 7. Rank or occupation
  Column 8. Religious profession
  Column 9. Children at school within the year
  Column 10. Sick and infirm
  Column 11. Deaf and dumb
  Column 12. BlindColumn 13. Lunatic or idiotic
  Column 14. Births in previous year
  Column 15. Deaths in preceding year
  Column 16. Marriages in preceding year

• Nova Scotia—Personal census by ages

  Column 1. Total population: males
  Column 2. Total population: females
  Column 3. Total population: totals
  Column 4. Births since 30th March 1860: males
  Column 5. Births since 30th March 1860: females
  Column 6. Under one year of age: males
  Column 7. Under one year of age: females
  Column 8. Deaths under one year of age since 30th March 1860: males
  Column 9. Deaths under one year of age since 30th March 1860: females
  Column 10. Over one and under two years of age: males
  Column 11. Over one and under two years of age: females
  Column 12. Deaths between 1 and 2 years since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 13. Deaths between 1 and 2 years since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 14. Over two and under three years of age: males
  Column 15. Over two and under three years of age: females
  Column 16. Deaths between 2 and 3 years since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 17. Deaths between 2 and 3 years since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 18. Over three and under four years of age: males
  Column 19. Over three and under four years of age: females
  Column 20. Deaths between 3 and 4 years since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 21. Deaths between 3 and 4 years since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 22. Over four and under five years of age: males
  Column 23. Over four and under five years of age: females
  Column 24. Deaths between 4 and 5 years since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 25. Deaths between 4 and 5 years since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 26. Over five and under ten years of age: males
  Column 27. Over five and under ten years of age: females
  Column 28. Deaths between five and ten years of age since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 29. Deaths between five and ten years of age since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 30. Over 10 and under 15 years of age: males: married
  Column 31. Over 10 and under 15 years of age: males: single
  Column 32. Over 10 and under 15 years of age: females: married
  Column 33. Over 10 and under 15 years of age: females: single
  Column 34. Over 10 and under 15 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 35. Over 10 and under 15 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 36. Over 15 and under 20 years of age: males: married
  Column 37. Over 15 and under 20 years of age: males: single
  Column 38. Over 15 and under 20 years of age: males: widower
  Column 39. Over 15 and under 20 years of age: females: married
  Column 40. Over 15 and under 20 years of age: females: single
  Column 41. Over 15 and under 20 years of age: females: widow
  Column 42. Over 15 and under 20 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 43. Over 15 and under 20 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 44. Over 20 and under 30 years of age: males: married
  Column 45. Over 20 and under 30 years of age: males: single
  Column 46. Over 20 and under 30 years of age: males: widower
  Column 47. Over 20 and under 30 years of age: females: married
  Column 48. Over 20 and under 30 years of age: females: single
  Column 49. Over 20 and under 30 years of age: females: widow
  Column 50. Over 20 and under 30 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 51. Over 20 and under 30 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 52. Over 30 and under 40 years of age: males: married
  Column 53. Over 30 and under 40 years of age: males: single
  Column 54. Over 30 and under 40 years of age: males: widower
  Column 55. Over 30 and under 40 years of age: females: married
  Column 56. Over 30 and under 40 years of age: females: single
  Column 57. Over 30 and under 40 years of age: females: widow
  Column 58. Over 30 and under 40 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 59. Over 30 and under 40 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 60. Over 40 and under 50 years of age: males: married
  Column 61. Over 40 and under 50 years of age: males: single
  Column 62. Over 40 and under 50 years of age: males: widower
  Column 63. Over 40 and under 50 years of age: females: married
  Column 64. Over 40 and under 50 years of age: females: single
  Column 65. Over 40 and under 50 years of age: females: widow
  Column 66. Over 40 and under 50 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 67. Over 40 and under 50 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 68. Over 50 and under 60 years of age: males: married
  Column 69. Over 50 and under 60 years of age: males: single
  Column 70. Over 50 and under 60 years of age: males: widower
  Column 71. Over 50 and under 60 years of age: females: married
  Column 72. Over 50 and under 60 years of age: females: single
  Column 73. Over 50 and under 60 years of age: females: widow
  Column 74. Over 50 and under 60 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 75. Over 50 and under 60 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 76. Over 60 and under 70 years of age: males: married
  Column 77. Over 60 and under 70 years of age: males: single
  Column 78. Over 60 and under 70 years of age: males: widower
  Column 79. Over 60 and under 70 years of age: females: married
  Column 80. Over 60 and under 70 years of age: females: single
  Column 81. Over 60 and under 70 years of age: females: widow
  Column 82. Over 60 and under 70 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 83. Over 60 and under 70 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 84. Over 70 and under 80 years of age: males: married
  Column 85. Over 70 and under 80 years of age: males: single
  Column 86. Over 70 and under 80 years of age: males: widower
  Column 87. Over 70 and under 80 years of age: females: married
  Column 88. Over 70 and under 80 years of age: females: single
  Column 89. Over 70 and under 80 years of age: females: widow
  Column 90. Over 70 and under 80 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 91. Over 70 and under 80 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 92. Over 80 and under 90 years of age: males: married
  Column 93. Over 80 and under 90 years of age: males: single
  Column 94. Over 80 and under 90 years of age: males: widower
  Column 95. Over 80 and under 90 years of age: females: married
  Column 96. Over 80 and under 90 years of age: females: single
  Column 97. Over 80 and under 90 years of age: females: widow
  Column 98. Over 80 and under 90 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 99. Over 80 and under 90 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 100. Over 90 and under 100 years of age: males: married
  Column 101. Over 90 and under 100 years of age: males: single
  Column 102. Over 90 and under 100 years of age: males: widower
  Column 103. Over 90 and under 100 years of age: females: married
  Column 104. Over 90 and under 100 years of age: females: single
  Column 105. Over 90 and under 100 years of age: females: widow
  Column 106. Over 90 and under 100 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 107. Over 90 and under 100 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 108. Over 100 years of age: males: married
  Column 109. Over 100 years of age: males: single
  Column 110. Over 100 years of age: males: widower
  Column 111. Over 100 years of age: females: married
  Column 112. Over 100 years of age: females: single Column 113. Over 100 years of age: females: widow
  Column 114. Over 100 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: males
  Column 115. Over 100 years of age: deaths since March 30, 1860: females
  Column 116. Ages not given: males
  Column 117. Ages not given: females
  Column 118. Deaths: ages not given: males
  Column 119. Deaths: ages not given: females
  Column 120. Males: married
  Column 121. Males: single
  Column 122. Males: widowers
  Column 123. Males: total
  Column 124. Females: married
  Column 125. Females: single
  Column 126. Females: widows
  Column 127. Females: total
  Column 128. Males and females: grand total
  Column 129. Deaths: males Column 130. Deaths: females
  Column 131. Deaf and dumb: males
  Column 132. Deaf and dumb: females
  Column 133. Blind: males
  Column 134. Blind: females
  Column 135. Lunatics: males
  Column 136. Lunatics: females
  Column 137. Idiots: males
  Column 138. Idiots: females
  Column 139. Cannot read: over 5 and under 15 years of age: males
  Column 140. Cannot read: over 5 and under 15 years of age: females
  Column 141. Cannot read: above 15 years: males
  Column 142. Cannot read: above 15 years: females
  Column 143. Cannot write: over 5 and under 15 years of age: males
  Column 144. Cannot write: over 5 and under 15 years of age: females
  Column 145. Cannot write: over 15 years: males
  Column 146. Cannot write: over 15 years: females
  Column 147. Married since March 30, 1860

  (Video) U. S. Census Records Genealogy Research Strategy. Prior to 1850, Part 3 of 3

• Prince Edward Island—Heads of families

  Column 1. Name of city, town, township or royalty
  Column 2. Name of the head of each family
  Column 3. Trade, profession or occupation
  Column 4. Males: under 5 years of age
  Column 5. Males: from 5 to 16
  Column 6. Males: from 16 to 21
  Column 7. Males: from 21 to 45
  Column 8. Males: from 45 to 60
  Column 9. Males: upwards of 60
  Column 10. Females: under 5 years of age
  Column 11. Females: from 5 to 16
  Column 12. Females: from 16 to 21
  Column 13. Females: from 21 to 45
  Column 14. Females: from 45 to 60
  Column 15. Females: upwards of 60
  Column 16. Number of deaf and dumb in each family
  Column 17. Number of blind in each family
  Column 18. Number who have not been vaccinated or had the smallpox in each family
  Column 19. Total number in each family (including servants and apprentices)
  Column 20. Number of married persons in each family
  Column 21. Number of single persons in each family
  Column 22. Number of insane in each family
  Column 23. Number of your family married in the past year
  Column 24. Number of deaths in your family in the past year
  Column 25. Number of births in your family in the past year
  Column 26. Indians: males in each family
  Column 27. Indians: females in each family
  Column 28. Number of persons in each family in connection with the Church of England
  Column 29. Presbyterian Church of the Lower Provinces
  Column 30. Kirk of Scotland
  Column 31. Number of Roman Catholics in each family
  Column 32. Number of Methodists in each family
  Column 33. Number of Baptists in each family
  Column 34. Number of Bible Christians in each family
  Column 35. Number of Quakers in each family
  Column 36. Number of Universalists in each family
  Column 37. Number of each family of any other denomination
  Column 38. Number of acres held by each family by fee simple
  Column 39. Number of acres held by each family by leasehold or by agreement for lease
  Column 40. Number of acres held by each family by verbal agreement
  Column 41. Number of acres held by each family or occupants being neither freeholders nor tenants
  Column 42. Number of years of term of lease
  Column 43. Number of years of term of lease expired
  Column 44. Amount of rent paid by each family: present rent paid by each family per acre
  Column 45. Amount of rent paid by each family: proprietor's name
  Column 46. Amount of rent paid by each family: increasing rent per acre
  Column 47. Amount of rent paid by each family: full rent, and what year it comes to full rent
  Column 48. Amount of rent paid by each family: rent in sterling
  Column 49. Amount of rent paid by each family: rent in currency

Common abbreviations

Gender

• M (Male)
• F

• (Female)

us

• M (Married)
• S (Single)
• W (Widow)
• Wr (Widower)

Provinces

• C.E. (Canada East)
• C.W. (Canada West)
• L.C. (Lower Canada)
• U.C. (Upper Canada)
• More abbreviations for places of birth in Canada

Religion

• B.C. (Bible Christian)
• C. (of) E. (Church of England)
• C. (of) S. (Church of Scotland)
• E.M.C. (Episcopal Methodist Church)
• F.C. (Free Church—Presbyterian)
• M.E.C. (Methodist Episcopal Church)
• P.C.L.P. (Presbyterian Church of the Lower Provinces)
• P.F.C. (Presbyterian Free Church)
• R.C. (Roman Catholic)
• R.P. (Reformed Presbyterian)
• U.P. (United Presbyterian)
• W.M. (Wesleyan Methodist)

Schedules

Personal census

The enumeration data were collected using documents known as schedules. Each province submitted unique schedules. Questions were asked either in French or in English in Canada East depending on the language spoken by the enumerator.

Agricultural census

Agricultural returns provide information such as lot and concession number, acreage, livestock and agricultural products. The agricultural returns are listed by the name of the head-of-household and can be found after the personal returns for the entire county.

In some cases, the name of the head of household was indexed both from the personal census and from the agricultural census returns. This has resulted in more than one entry for one individual and is particularly noted in the returns for Canada West.

Instructions to enumerators

No document providing the instructions to enumerators on how to collect the names and other information in 1861 has been located for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Province of Canada: Instructions to Enumerators

Statistical information can be found in the following reports:

• Abstract of the census of the population, and other statistical returns of Prince Edward Island: taken in the year 1861. (AMICUS 4991565)
• Census of Nova Scotia, taken March 30, 1861, under act of provincial Parliament, chap. XIV-XXIII Vic; Report of the secretary of the Board of Statistics on the census of Nova Scotia, 1861. (AMICUS 4984324)
• Census of the Canadas, 1860–61. Bureau of Agriculture and Statistics, Census Department. Volume I and Volume II (AMICUS 14000750)
• Census of the province of New Brunswick, 1861: laid before the provincial Parliament, March 14th, 1862. (AMICUS 17284413)

Issues about this census and this database

• For New Brunswick, this database only includes the census returns held by Library and Archives Canada. The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick hold the census returns for other places in that province, which are not available online.However, Library and Archives Canada holds microfilm copies that can be viewed onsite at 395 Wellington. Consult the list of 1861 Census Districts and Sub-districts to learn the extent of our collection.
• Some pages, and parts or all of some sub-districts, exist on microfilm but were missed during the digitization process. Those include Brantford and Burford in Canada West. Those images and the indexing of the names will be added to the database in the future. In the meantime, those census returns can be viewed on site or at other Canadian libraries and archives that hold copies of those microfilm reels. See Access the Records for more information. You can also view our microfilm reels through the Family History Library. See their catalogue entry for Census of Canada, 1861 for a list of their reel numbers and how to access them.
• For Leeds County, Canada West, the sub-district name was not indexed in database entries for Kitley, Lansdowne, Leeds and Yonge, so you can search only by a person’s name and the county (district), not by sub-district.
• Some census records have not survived. Consult the list of 1861 Census Districts and Sub-districts to find out what sub-districts are missing.
• In the 1861 census of New Brunswick, “Native” meant born in that province, not Aboriginal.
• The 1861 census has also been indexed on our partners’ websites:
  • Ancestry (subscription required; free at many public libraries)
  • FamilySearch (free)

The 1861 Census consists of multiple pages depending on the form that was used to collect the information. The first page is on the digitized image link to an entry in the database for an individual.

 http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1861/jpg/4108689_00495.jpg http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1861/jpg/4108689_00496.jpg

Electoral maps

No electoral maps were created for this census. However, you may consult the Map of Canada East and West (MIKAN 3694915) created in 1842.