Alberta Census

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Online Records[edit | edit source]

Library and Archives Canada[edit | edit source]

1881 Census of Canada from Library and Archives Canada Index and images.
Census of Canada, 1891 from Library and Archives Canada Index and images.
1901 Census of Canada from Library and Archives Canada Index and images.
Census of the Northwest Provinces, 1906 from Library and Archives Canada Index and images.
1911 Census of Canada from Library and Archives Canada Index and images.
Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1916 from Library and Archives Canada Index and images.
Census of Canada, 1921 from Library and Archives Canada Index and images.
Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1926 from Library and Archives Canada Index and images.

FamilySearch[edit | edit source]

Canada Census, 1881 Index and Images.
Canada Census, 1891 Index only. Also at FindMyPast, index, ($).
Canada Census, 1901 Index only. Also at FindMyPast, index, ($).
Canada Census, 1911 Index only. Also at FindMyPast, index, ($).
Canada Census, 1916, index
Canada, Prairie Provinces Census, 1926, index and images.

Ancestry.com ($)[edit | edit source]

1921 Census of Canada, index and images. ($)
1911 Census of Canada, index and images. ($)
1901 Census of Canada, index and images. ($)
1891 Census of Canada, index and images. ($)
1881 Census of Canada, index and images. ($). Included as part of the Northwest Territories.
1916 Canada Census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, index and images. ($). Included as part of the Northwest Territories.
Canada Census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, index and images. ($). Included as part of the Northwest Territories.

FindMyPast ($)[edit | edit source]

1881 Census of Canada, index, ($).
Canada Census, 1891, index, ($).
1891 Census of Canada ($) Index and Images.
Canada Census, 1901, index, ($).
Canada Census, 1911, index, ($).

History[edit | edit source]

A census is a count and description of the population. Censuses have been taken by the colonial, provincial, and national governments of Canada for a variety of reasons, including taxation and levying for militia service.

Census records can provide family relationships, age, year of birth, description of property, religion, and place of birth. Microfilm copies are available at many repositories and through interlibrary loan. Generally, more recent censuses are more complete. They can provide information missing in other records. Use census information with caution because information (which may have been given by any family member) may be incorrect or deliberately falsified.

The national government of Canada has taken censuses every ten years since 1871 and every five years since 1971. The 1871 census covers the four original provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. The first coast-to-coast census was taken in 1881.

Contents[edit | edit source]

These censuses list a large proportion of the population. Unfortunately, portions of some have been lost, and some geographical areas within the provinces were missed by the census takers.

The 1871 and later censuses list for each member of the household:

Name.
Age.
Occupation.
Religious affiliation.
Birthplace (country or province).

The 1871 and 1881 censuses list for each person:

Father’s origin or ethnic background.
The 1891 census, in addition, asks:
If persons are French Canadian.
For parents’ birthplaces.

The 1891 and later censuses ask for a person’s:

Relationship to head of household.

The 1901 census asks for:

A complete birth date, not just the year.
The year the person immigrated to Canada.
The year of naturalization.

The father’s racial or tribal origin, not whether the person was of French Canadian descent.

The 1901 census also contains a buildings and lands schedule for each locality. This schedule gives a city street address or a farm land description—such as township and range, or township, concession, and lot number—for most families.

1921 Canadian Census

The 1921 Canadian Census was released to the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) on June 1st, 2013 from Statistics Canada. According to the legislation, 92 calendar years must have elapsed before the census is released to the LAC. On August 8th, 2013 the LAC released these images to Ancestry.ca for nominal indexing and viewing by geographical areas. The LAC will make the indexed images available in three years.