16 June 2011

Free access to the Canadian census

Unless you're a newcomer to family history you likely know of the free access to Ancestry's suite of name indexed Canadian census records, from 1851 to 1916, at many public libraries and Family History Centres.

They were completed under a collaborative arrangement with Library and Archives Canada. The agreement is summarized at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/about-us/012-215.01-e.html and includes a table of projects currently underway to be posted online, on the LAC website, as time and resources permit.

Ancestry.ca ProjectsDigital images To be createdDigital Images available on Collections-canada.gc.caNominal index To be createdNominal index available on Collections-canada.gc.caAvailable on Ancestry.ca
Canadian Passenger ListsYesTo be determinedYesTo be determinedOnline
(http://landing.ancestry.ca/
intl/canada/passenger
/lists.aspx?o_iid=36816
&o_lid=36816
)
1851 CensusAlready existOnline
(www.collections-canada.gc.ca/
archivianet/1851
/index-e.html
)
YesEstimated summer 2011Online
(http://content.ancestry.ca/
iexec/?htx=
List&dbid=1061
)
1861 CensusYesTo be determinedYesTo be determinedOnline
(http://search.ancestry.ca/
iexec/Default.aspx?htx=
List&dbid=1570
)
1871 CensusYesTo be determinedYesTo be determinedOnline
(http://search.ancestry.ca/
iexec/Default.aspx?htx=
List&dbid=1578
)
1881 Census *Already existOnline
(www.collections-canada.gc.ca
/databases
/census-1881
/index-e.html
)
Already existOnlineNA
1891 CensusYesOnline
(www.collections-canada.gc.ca
/databases
/census-1891
/index-e.html
)
YesOnlineOnline
(http://content.ancestry.ca/
iexec/?htx=
List&dbid=1274
)
1901 CensusAlready existAlready Online
(www.collections-canada.gc.ca
/databases
/census-1901
/index-e.html
)
YesEstimated summer 2011Online
(http://content.ancestry.ca/
iexec/?htx=
List&dbid=8826
)
1906 CensusAlready existAlready Online
(www.collections-canada.gc.ca
/databases
/census-1906
/index-e.html
)
YesEstimated summer 2011Online
(http://content.ancestry.ca/
iexec/?htx=
List&dbid=8827
)
1911 CensusAlready existAlready Online
(www.collections-canada.gc.ca
/databases
/census-1911
/index-e.html
)
YesEstimated summer 2011Online
(http://content.ancestry.ca/
iexec/?htx=
List&dbid=8947
)
1916 CensusYesTo be determinedYesEstimated summer 2011Online
(http://search.ancestry.ca/
iexec/?htx=
List&dbid=1556
)

* Family Search provided the index available on the LAC website. LAC provided the digital images of the 1881 Census to Ancestry.ca.

This summer we should see the 1851, 1901, 1906, 1911 and 1916 census nominal indexes at the LAC site, adding to 1881 and 1891 where nominal indexes are already available.  In addition, last December, LAC committed to providing "by 2011," "digitized images of original census documents from 1861 and 1871."

There are two other sources:

Automated Genealogy provides free access to name indexed transcripts of the 1901, 1906 and 1911 censuses with links to images at LAC.

Go to FamilySearch for free access to name indexes/transcripts for the 1851, 1871, 1881 and 1891 censuses, but no access of original images. At the site you can also access the 1871 Mortality Schedules and images for the 1831 census of Lower Canada.


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