Census Records
Although excluded from some official records, people of Chinese origin have always been included in Canadian census enumerations.
The first census in Canada was taken in 1666 in New France (now Quebec). Following 1666, local and regional censuses were taken at irregular intervals until 1851, when the first national census was taken. The 1851 census covered the modern Canadian provinces of Canada, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
Although the census has been conducted at ten-year intervals since 1851, the 1881 census was the first to include the western provinces and territories. Since B.C. was the magnet for a vast majority of early Chinese immigrants, the likelihood of finding records relating to people of Chinese origin in pre-1881 census records is extremely remote.
Census records provide a snapshot of each enumerated household and offer clues about birthdates, countries of origin, etc. One of the most useful characteristics of census records is the ability to reconstruct family groups and identify individuals correctly, based on the other people they were living with at the time. This advantage rarely applies to census records relating to those of Chinese origin as early immigrants were usually unaccompanied by their families. For more information see History and Pioneers.
As always, Chinese Canadian researchers using historical census records must be aware of commonly-seen inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the way that Chinese names were recorded in the New World. For example, in one census record, every individual in the household purportedly had the name Ah, which is not a Chinese name, but a prefix added to the personal name as a familiar or informal manner of address. For more information, see Chinese Names.
In Canada, census records are made available to the general public after 92 years. Currently, all national census records up to 1931 have been released. Records of censuses taken in 1906, 1916 and 1926, covering only prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba), have also been released.
All historical Canadian census records have been microfilmed. In addition, genealogical societies and other groups have created many transcriptions and indexes of census records. These are sometimes published as print items, and may also be available electronically. In many cases, there is no charge for accessing online Canadian census records.
Some portions of census records have been indexed and released more than once, sometimes in a different format. It is always advisable to compare the different versions, in case standards have not been applied consistently. After locating a reference in a printed or electronic index, it is also essential to always check the microfilm copy of the original record.
In addition to census records, you may also want to look for records in the National Registration File of 1940. The 1940 registration was carried out at the beginning of the Second World War and was similar to a census.
1881
The 1881 census was the first Canadian census to cover British Columbia, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories, which then included modern Alberta and Saskatchewan, as well as Yukon and Nunavut. It was held on April 4, 1881.
The 1881 census provided information about each member of every household but did not record the relationship between individuals in a household. Thus, it cannot be used to reconstruct family groups with certainty, although it may provide good clues.
Personal information about each enumerated individual was recorded under the following column headings on the 1881 federal census returns:
- Names
- Sex
- Age
- Born within last twelve months
- Country of Province of Birth
- Religion
- Origin
"Origin" meant the country of origin of the paternal emigrant ancestor of each person, and was usually recorded as an adjective, e.g. Chinese. Although sometimes recorded as the name of the country, it was not the country of birth of the enumerated person.
- Profession, Occupation or Trade
- Married or Widowed
The extract from the 1881 census seen at the left shows Won Alexander Cumyow the first Chinese baby born in Canada at the age of 20, living in the New Westminster census district in British Columbia. The household in which he was living included a male adult (Won Liu Ling, age 57) and a female adult (Wong Shee, age 38) probably his parents as well as five other people ranging in age from 7 to 18. These younger people were probably Won Alexander Cumyow's brothers and sisters.
FINDING THE RECORDS
At the Vancouver Public Library
- A full name index for the Census of Canada, 1881, is available on the Ancestry Library Edition electronic database. Links to digitized images of original records are provided. Free access to Ancestry Library Edition is available at any location of the Vancouver Public Library. Remote access from home is not available.
The Vancouver Public Library collection includes microfilm copies of all 1881 Canadian census records. The census microfilm collection is located on Level 6 of the Central Library.
1881 British Columbia census records are on microfilm reels C-13284 and C-13285.
On the microfilms, records are arranged by census district and subdistrict. In 1881 B.C. was divided into five districts and 27 subdistricts. The census districts were:
- Cariboo
- New Westminster
- Vancouver
- Victoria
- Yale
Note that the census district names listed above do not reflect modern B.C. political divisions in B.C. For example, the Vancouver census district included a large portion of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, as well as the City of Vancouver. The New Westminster census district include the northern end of Vancouver Island.
A searchable Catalogue of Census Returns on Microfilm 1666-1891 (Library and Archives Canada) may be useful in identifying the subdistrict in which a particular city or town was located and finding it on the microfilms.
Online
In addition to Ancestry Library Edition, a large amount of free 1881 Canadian census information is available online. Individuals of Chinese origin have been identified in the following databases:
1891
The 1891 census was held on April 6, 1891. Important additions to the information collected in the 1881 census included the relationship between individuals in a household and the birthplace of each person's parents.
Personal information about each enumerated individual was recorded under the following column headings in the 1891 federal census returns:
- Names
- Sex
- Age
- Married or Widowed
- Relation to Head of Family
- Country or Province of Birth
- French Canadians
- Place of Birth of Father
- Place of Birth of Mother
- Religion
- Profession, Occupation or Trade
The enumeration of the Chinese population in the City of Victoria, the largest Chinatown in Canada was very inadequate. All people of Chinese origin were simply recorded "Chinaman". Fortunately, however, a higher standard was applied elsewhere in B.C.
FINDING THE RECORDS
At the Vancouver Public Library
- A full name index for the Census of Canada, 1891, is available on the Ancestry Library Edition electronic database. Links to digitized images of original records are provided. Free access to Ancestry Library Edition is available at any location of the Vancouver Public Library. Remote access from home is not available.
- The Vancouver Public Library collection includes microfilm copies of all 1891 Canadian census records. The census microfilm collection is located on Level 6 of the Central Library. 1891 British Columbia census records are on microfilm reels T-6290 and T-6291.
- On the microfilm reels, records are arranged by census district and subdistrict. In 1891 B.C. was divided into five districts and forty-nine sub-districts. The districts had the same names as those used in the 1881 census:
- 1 - Cariboo
- 2 - New Westminster
- 3 - Vancouver
- 4 - Victoria
- 5 - Yale
As in the 1881 census, the Vancouver District encompassed large parts of Vancouver Island, although the New Westminster District no longer included any portion of the Island.
A searchable Catalogue of Census Returns on Microfilm 1666-1891 (Library and Archives Canada) may be useful in identifying the subdistrict in which a particular city or town was located and finding it on the microfilms.
- For B.C., the only printed index available corresponds to the City of Victoria, and is available at the Vancouver Public Library:
1891 Canadian Census, Victoria, British Columbia
Sager, Eric and Peter Baskerville, eds.
Ref. 929.3711 V64s
However, as noted previously the Victoria enumerators did not record the names of Chinese individuals, but identified each person simply as "Chinamen", transcribed in this printed index as "Chinese". Therefore, it is of limited genealogical value for Chinese Canadian research. - A guide to locating people of Chinese origin in the 1891 Canadian census microfilms is being compiled to assist genealogists and other researchers. It is now available for B.C.'s Cariboo District (complete) and New Westminister District (partial). The Territories have also been reviewed.
Online
In addition to Ancestry Library Edition, a large amount of free 1891 Canadian census information is available online. Individuals of Chinese origin have been identified in the following databases:
1901
The 1901 census was held on March 31, 1901. Important additions to the information collected in the 1881 and 1891 censuses included month, date and year of birth, year of immigration to Canada, and year of naturalization.
In the 1901 federal census, personal information about each enumerated individual was recorded under the following column headings:
- Name of each person in family or household on 31st March, 1901
- Sex
- Colour
- Relationship to head of family or household
- Single, married, widowed or divorced
- Month and date of birth
- Year of birth
- Age at last birthday
- Country or place of birth
- Year of immigration to Canada
- Year of naturalization
- Racial or Tribal origin
- Nationality
- Religion
- Profession, occupation, trade or means of living of each person
FINDING THE RECORDS
At the Vancouver Public Library
- A full name index for the 1901 Census of Canada is available on the Ancestry Library Edition electronic database. Links to digitized images of original images are provided. Free access to Ancestry Library Edition is available at any location of the Vancouver Public Library. Remote access from home is not available.
- The Vancouver Public Library collection includes microfilm copies of all 1901 Canadian census records. The census microfilm collection is located on Level 6 of the Central Library. 1901 British Columbia census records are on films T-6428, T-6429, T-6430, and T-6431.
- On the microfilm reels, records are arranged by census district and subdistrict. In 1901 B.C. was divided into five census districts:
- Burrard
- New Westminster
- Vancouver
- Victoria
- Yale / Cariboo
As in the 1881 census and 1891 census, these district names do not reflect modern B.C. political divisions. For example, the Vancouver District was on Vancouver Island, while Vancouver City was in the Burrard District.
A searchable Catalogue of Census Returns on Microfilm, 1901 (Library and Archives Canada) may be useful for identifying the subdistrict in which a particular city or town was located and finding it on microfilm.
Online
Although Ancestry Library Edition is the most efficient way of searching the 1901 census, there are several options for those who are unable to visit the Vancouver Public Library or wish to research from home:
1906
In 1905, Alberta and Saskatchewan joined Confederation. The following year, a special 1906 census of the new provinces was held, in order to track population growth on the prairies. Manitoba, which had joined Confederation in 1870, was also covered by this special census.
Although overall numbers of Chinese on the prairies were still quite small at this time, they were increasing quite dramatically in relative terms. Between the 1901 and 1911 censuses, the number of Chinese in Alberta increased more than sevenfold, from 235 to 1787. Saskatchewan had 957 Chinese in 1911, more than 23 times the number — 41 — it had recorded in 1901. Numbers in Manitoba increased more than fourfold, from 206 to 885.
Information about each enumerated individual was recorded under the following column headings in the 1906 Census of the Northwest Provinces:
- Name of each person in family
- Relation to head of family
- Sex
- Single, married, widowed or divorced
- Age
- Country or place of birth
- Year of immigration to Canada
- Post office address
- Location
- Section
- Township
- Range
- Meridien
Information about livestock holdings was recorded in the five last columns.
FINDING THE RECORDS
At the Vancouver Public Library
- A full name index for the 1906 Census of Population of the Northwest Provinces is available on the Ancestry Library Edition electronic database. Links to digitized images of original images are provided. Free access to Ancestry Library Edition is available at any location of the Vancouver Public Library. Remote access from home is not available.
-
The Vancouver Public Library collection includes a microfilm copy of 1906 Canadian census records, located on Level 6 of the Central Library:
1906 Census of Population of the Northwest Provinces, 11 microfilm reels (1906)
Reference 929.3 MA33n
Online
Although Ancestry Library Edition is the most efficient way of searching the 1906 Northwest provinces census, there are several options for those who are unable to visit the Vancouver Public Library or wish to research from home:
1911
The 1911 census was held on June 1, 1911.
According to an electronic index (available at the Vancouver Public Library; see below), 25,060 people reported their birthplace as China in the 1911 Canadian census. Although a few may have been individuals of non-Chinese ethnic origin who happened to have been born in China, most were of Chinese ethnicity. The total number reported above does not, however, indicate individuals born in Canada to parents of Chinese origin.
Chinese-born Canadian residents in the 1911 census were distributed across Canada as follows:
| British Columbia | 17,477 |
| Alberta | 1713 |
| Saskatchewan | 947 |
| Manitoba | 844 |
| Ontario | 2637 |
| Quebec | 1229 |
| New Brunswick | 83 |
| Nova Scotia | 124 |
| Prince Edward Island | 6 |
The database indicates no Chinese-born in the Territories. There is no figure for Newfoundland, since Newfoundland was not at this time part of Canada.
Personal information about each enumerated individual was recorded under the following column headings in the 1911 federal census returns:
- Name of Each Person in Family, Household, or Institution
- Place of Habitation
- Sex
- Relationship to head of family or household
- Single, Married, Widowed, Divorced or Legally Separated
- Month of birth
- Year of birth
- Age at last birthday
- Country or Place of Birth (if Canada specify province or territory)
- Year of Immigration to Canada, if an Immigrant
- Year of Naturalization, if Formerly an Alien
- Racial or Tribal Origin
- Nationality
- Religion
- Chief Occupation or Trade
- Employment Other Than at Chief Occupation or Trade, if any
- Employer
- Employee
- Working on Own Account
FINDING THE RECORDS
At the Vancouver Public Library
- A full name index for the Census of Canada, 1911, is available on the Ancestry Library Edition electronic database. Links to digitized images of original records are provided. Free access to Ancestry Library Edition is available at any location of the Vancouver Public Library. Remote access from home is not available.
-
The Vancouver Public Library collection includes a microfilm copy of 1911 census records, located on Level 6 at the Central Library:
Fifth census of Canada, 1911, 135 microfilm reels (1911)
Reference 929.3 ORC39e -
On the microfilm reels, records are arranged by census district and subdistricts. In 1911 B.C. was divided into 7 census districts:
8 Comox-Atlin 9 Kootenay 10 Nanaimo 11 New Westminster 12 Vancouver 13 Victoria City 14 Yale and Cariboo
Online
Although Ancestry Library Edition is the most efficient way of searching the 1911 Canadian census, there are several options for those who are unable to visit the Vancouver Public Library or wish to research from home:
1916
In 1916, the federal government conducted a special census of the Prairie Provinces only (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba), as it had previously done in 1906 after Alberta and Saskatchewan became provinces of the Canadian Confederation.
For more details, see the archival inventory description of Census Returns for 1916 Census of Prairie Provinces.
FINDING THE RECORDS
At the Vancouver Public Library
A full name index for the 1916 Census of Prairie Provinces is available on the Ancestry Library Edition electronic database. Links to digital images of original records are provided. Free access to Ancestry Library Edition is available at all Vancouver Public Library locations. Remote access from home is not available.
The Vancouver Public Library collection includes microfilm copies of all 1916 Census of Prairie Provinces records. The microfilms can be found on Level 6 of the Central Library.
Online
The original records of the 1916 census have been digitized by Library and Archives Canada and are available online. View the records in Library and Archives Canada's Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1916 database.
To locate individuals by name, use the online index titled Canada, Prairie Provinces Census, 1916 on FamilySearch.
National Registration of 1940
The National Registration of 1940 was carried out in order to mobilize human and material resources for the purpose of Canada's defence and security.
All persons 16 years of age or older were required to register. The only exceptions were members of the armed forces and religious orders, or those confined to an institution.
Questionnaires were distributed, which asked for details including name, address, date of birth, age, number of dependents, place and country of birth of the individual and his or her parents, and other information. There was a different form for males and females.
FINDING THE RECORDS
The National Registration File of 1940 records are in the custody of Statistics Canada. They are arranged by electoral district, but an index is available. Searches can be undertaken for a prepaid search fee. For full details, see the 1940 National Registration page from Library and Archives Canada.
Chinese Communities in the 1891 Census
This series of Film Notes has been designed by Vancouver Public Library staff as a guide for researchers wishing to quickly locate individuals of Chinese origin in 1891 census records. It is not an alphabetical name index or list, but allows for quick identification of census pages on which Chinese individuals appear.
The Film Notes currently cover census records relating to B.C.'s Cariboo and New Westminster Districts and the Territories, an area with five census districts (covering modern Saskatchewan, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon).
"Communities" is a very general term in the context of this project. Chinese people often lived together in work camps, hostels and Chinatowns. But others were scattered among households in which they were the only Chinese residents (often domestic servants). The Film Notes attempt to reflect all Chinese noted in the census records. Every effort has been made to compile a comprehensive and accurate listing, but due to the quality of both filming and penmanship, there may be omissions. As in all census records, it is also possible that some households and individuals were missed entirely and never originally recorded.
Unless otherwise indicated, people have been identified as Chinese if either their own or at least one of their parents' birthplace was recorded as China in the census . The Film Notes are based on records of all such individuals, even when the names indicate that they were not ethnoculturally Chinese.
British Columbia
The Film Notes in this section have been compiled to help researchers locate Chinese people more efficiently in 1891 Canadian census records . For further details, see the introduction to these Film Notes.
In 1891, the vast majority of Chinese people in Canada resided in B.C. B.C. census records for 1891 appear on Library and Archives Canada microfilm reels T-6290, T-6291, and T-6292. These microfilm reels are available at the Vancouver Public Library and at other repositories across Canada.
British Columbia was divided into five census districts. The Film Notes cover two districts: Cariboo (complete) and New Westminster (partial). Click on the 1891 tab above to view the Notes for these two districts.
Territories
This series of Film Notes has been compiled to help researchers locate Chinese people more efficiently in 1891 Canadian census records . For further details, see the introduction to this section.
In 1891, the Territories comprised the area now occupied by Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon. In the census of that year, very few people of Chinese origin were recorded in the Territories.
1891 Territorial census records appear on Library and Archives Canada census microfilm reels T-6425, T-6426, and T-6427. These microfilm reels are available at the Vancouver Public Library and at other repositories across Canada.
The Territories were divided into five census districts. No Chinese were enumerated in District 200 - Saskatchewan, and the films for District 201 - Unorganized Territories have not been reviewed. Click on the 1891 tab above to view Film Notes for 197, Alberta; 198, Assiniboia East; 199, Assiniboia West.
