1871 Canadian census

The 1871 Canadian census marked the first regularly scheduled collection of national statistics of the Canadian population on April 2, 1871,[1][2] as required by section 8 of the British North America Act.[3] The constitution required a census to be taken in 1871 and every tenth year thereafter.[3] Parliament implemented the requirements of the constitution through the Census Act of May 12, 1870. In the first census, the population of Canada was enumerated to be 3,485,761.[4]

1871 Canadian census
April 2, 1871
General information
CountryCanada
Results
Total population3,485,761
Most populous ​provinceOntario (1,620,851)
Least populous ​provinceNew Brunswick (285,594)

All inhabitants of Canada were included, including aboriginals. While this was the first national census of Canada, only four provinces existed at the time: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Other areas of what later became part of Canada continued to be enumerated in their own separate censuses. The results of the 1871 census, in both English and French, were reported in a five volume set.

The following census was the 1881 census.

Questionnaire

The questionnaire was on a variety of subjects and asked 211 questions including area, land holdings, vital statistics, religion, education, administration, the military, justice, agriculture, commerce, industry and finance. Information was collected in tabular form on population, houses and other buildings, lands, industries and institutions. The population section included the age, sex, religion, education, race and occupation of each person, although not every household answered all 211 questions.[5]

Data products
Canada provinces July 1870 – July 1871.

As the data were compiled, Statistics Canada released various census data products.

Population by province

Population of the provinces and territories:[6][2][7]

Province
 Males Females Total
Nova Scotia193,792194,008387,800
New Brunswick145,888139,706285,594
Quebec596,041595,4751,191,516
Ontario828,590792,2611,620,851
Canada (official 1871)1,764,3111,721,4503,485,761
Manitoba25,228
British Columbia36,247
North-West Territories48,000
Total Canada (with estimates)1,869,---1,820,---3,689,257
Source: Statistics Canada.

Manitoba and North-West Territories joined the Canadian confederation on July 15, 1870, but were not included in the 1871 official census of Canada. In addition, British Columbia joined the Canadian confederation on July 20, 1871, after the census date of April 2, 1871. Statistics Canada has included estimates for all three of these jurisdictions – total population only – in the same stated source, though totals do not add (see notes at source).[6] Statistics Canada also provides the 1871 totals by sex for Canada, adjusted with their estimates for Manitoba and North-West Territories and British Columbia.[8]

Religion
Religion Population
 Percentage
Adventist6,1790.18
Anglican494,04914.17
Baptist239,3436.87
Brethren2,305—
Christian——
Congregationalist21,8290.63
Evangelical Association4,7010.13
Friends (Quaker)7,345—
Greek Church18—
Jews1,1150.03
Lutheran37,9351.09
Methodist567,09116.27
Mormon5340.02
No Religion5,1460.15
Pagan1,8860.05
Plymouth Brethren2,229
Presbyterian544,99815.63
Protestant10,1460.29
Roman Catholic1,492,02942.80%
Unitarian2,275—
Other sects27,553—
Not given17,0550.49
Canada3,485,761100.0
Statistics Canada[9]

Origins

The figures for 1871 are for the four original provinces (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia) only.

Origins Population
 Percentage
European3,433,31598.5%
     English706,36920.3%
     Irish846,41424.3%
     Scotch549,94615.8%
     Other7,7730.2%
Totals, British2,110,50260.6%
     French1,082,94031.1%
     Dutch29,6620.9%
     German202,9915.8%
     Italian1,0350.0%
     Russian6070.0%
     Scandinavian1,6230.0%
     Swiss2,9620.1%
Other53,4411.5%
Hebrew125—
Native Indian & Inuit (Eskimo)23,0370.7%
Black21,4960.6%
Various1,2220.0%
Unspecified7,5610.2%
Canada3,485,761100.0%
Statistics Canada.[10]

See also

References
  1. "Census of Canada, 1871: How the Census Was Collected". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. 11 March 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  2. "Canada Year Book population" (PDF). Statistics Canada. 31 March 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  3. "History of the Census of Canada". Statistics Canada. 2006. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  4. "Canada: Overview of the 1871 Census". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. 11 March 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  5. History of the Census of Canada The first national census in 1871
  6. "Series A2-14. Population of Canada, by province, census dates, 1851 to 1976" (PDF). Historical Statistics of Canada | Section A: Population and Migration. Statistics Canada and Social Science Federation of Canada (Report). 1983. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  7. Census of 1871: (33 & 34 Vict. C. 107.) ...By Great Britain. Census Office
  8. "Series A78-93. Population, by age and sex, census dates, 1851 to 1976 (thousands)" (PDF). Section A: Population and Migration. Statistics Canada and Social Science Federation of Canada (Report). 1983. p. 14. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  9. "Historical statistics, principal religious denominations of the population". www150.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  10. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2018-02-12). "Historical statistics, origins of the population". www150.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
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