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1871 Canadian census

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1871 Canadian census

April 2, 1871 1881 →

General information
CountryDominion of Canada
AuthorityDepartment of Agriculture (Census Branch)
Websitebac-lac.gc.ca (1871)
Results
Total population3,485,761
Most populous ​provinceOntario (1,620,851)
Least populous ​provinceNew Brunswick (285,594)

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]

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

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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

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Canada provinces July 1870 – July 1871

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

Population by province

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

Province
Males Females Total
Nova Scotia 193,792 194,008 387,800
New Brunswick 145,888 139,706 285,594
Quebec 596,041 595,475 1,191,516
Ontario 828,590 792,261 1,620,851
Canada (official 1871) 1,764,311 1,721,450 3,485,761
Manitoba 25,228
British Columbia 36,247
North-West Territories 48,000
Total Canada (with estimates) 1,869,--- 1,820,--- 3,689,257

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. In Manitoba, a separate census took place on October 27, 1870.

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

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Results for religion in 1871 were as follows.[9]

Religion Population
Percent (%)
Adventist 6,179 0.18
Anglican 494,049 14.17
Baptist 239,343 6.87
Brethren 2,305
Christian
Congregationalist 21,829 0.63
Evangelical Association 4,701 0.13
Friends (Quaker) 7,345
Greek Church 18
Jews 1,115 0.03
Lutheran 37,935 1.09
Methodist 567,091 16.27
Mormon 534 0.02
No religion 5,146 0.15
Pagan 1,886 0.05
Plymouth Brethren 2,229
Presbyterian 544,998 15.63
Protestant 10,146 0.29
Roman Catholic 1,492,029 42.80
Unitarian 2,275
Other sects 27,553
Not given 17,055 0.49
Canada 3,485,761 100.0

Origins

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The figures for 1871 are for the four original provinces (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia) only.[10]

Origins Population
Percent (%)
European 3,433,315 98.5
English 706,369 20.3
Irish 846,414 24.3
Scotch 549,946 15.8
Other 7,773 0.2
     Totals, British 2,110,502 60.6
French 1,082,940 31.1
Dutch 29,662 0.9
German 202,991 5.8
Italian 1,035 0.0
Russian 607 0.0
Scandinavian 1,623 0.0
Swiss 2,962 0.1
Other 53,441 1.5
Hebrew 125
Native Indian & Inuit (Eskimo) 23,037 0.7
Black 21,496 0.6
Various 1,222 0.0
Unspecified 7,561 0.2
Canada 3,485,761 100.0

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Census of Canada, 1871: How the Census Was Collected". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. 11 March 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Canada Year Book population" (PDF). Statistics Canada. 31 March 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "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.