How best to explore recent and historic censuses of Canada. Presentation given at the 2014 Data Liberation Initiative National Training. Authors: Alex Guindon and Susan Mowers

1. Historical Census Statistics
Print and electronic – A How-to
DLI National Training Day, June 2, 2014, Toronto
Susan Mowers
Alex Guindon

2. Workshop Objectives
Understanding what you can find using
historical Census publications
Learning the key changes to Census
publications over time

3. • How often do you use
the print volumes of
the historical Census?
o once a month?
o once a term?
o never…
o or do you use the digitized
version?

4. Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Census changes
3. Scope of Census statistical publications
4. Sources of Census statistics and
…reference materials

5. Why do we need a workshop on
Historical Census resources?
• Increasing lack of familiarity with researching historical
Census statistics
• Census – to – Census variations
• Changes in use patterns
• Recent digitization of print volumes

6. Workshop topics
1. Introduction
2. Census changes
3. Scope of Census statistical publications
4. Sources of Census statistics and reference material
We are
here

7. Censuses to the early 1900’s
.
Population Census
Parallel censuses:
- recent deaths
- farms; livestock; farm products;
- real estate
- fur & fabric products
- forestry products
- shipping and fisheries
- mining products
- industry, etc.
Many families would have been
enumerated in several censuses
No wonder Censuses were
only held once every
10 years!

8. Censuses to 1901
● 1666-1872 - Colonial censuses, starting with New France, 1666. Age, sex,
language, occupation, housing and other property... - More info [Link]
● 1765... - Questions introduced on race, religion and ethnic origin
● 1871 - First national Census
- under 1867 BNA (representation by population)
- NB, NS, QC and ON
- included aboriginal persons
- questionnaires, called schedules, were administered by enumerators
- Census Dictionary appendix A traces Census questions and derived
variables since Confederation (when Census questions were first asked)
● 1881 - saw the adoption of the oath of secrecy for census enumerators
- and covered PEI, Man., NWT and BC
● 1891 - Question on parents’ birthplaces introduced (previously the father’s)
● 1901 - 11 schedules (561 questions overall), reduced to 5 schedules by 1921
Sources: Nancy Lemay, The library and the Canadian Census (2009, University of Ottawa
Slideshare presentation [Link] and Statistics Canada, History of the Census [Link],

9. 1906 to today
● 1906 (Alberta and Saskatchewan - 1896 (Manitoba)
○ first quinquennial Censuses (Censuses of Agriculture)
● 1921 - most recent Census release of microdata (92 year embargo)
● 1931 - Questions regarding the causes and severity of unemployment
● 1941 - Last year fertility questions asked (dropped in 1921 and 1931)
● 1951 - Census Tracts and tables introduced
● 1961 - Enumeration Area-level and Basic Summary Tables
● 1971 - Self-enumeration introduced
● 1986 - First “full” quinquennial Census
● 1996 - Dissemination of detailed tables via DLI and use of web site
● Undercoverage rates …1961 to 1976 [csv Link] 1971-2001 [Link], 2006
[Link] and voluntary 2011 National Household Survey [Link - forthcoming]
and [Link]

10. Workshop topics
1. Introduction
2. Census changes
3. Scope of Census statistical publications
4. Sources of Census statistics and reference material
We are
here

11. Two major Census
statistical publications
Profiles Tabulations
(Simple variable tables)
• Major component of the print
Census publications
• Electronic formats, e.g.,
online Community Profiles
or Census Profile...
• Many distribution channels:
Census Analyser, Profile
series via DLI and the public
web site, former E-Stat (now
DLI and Queen’s).
(Allow cross-tabulations of two +
variables)
Various names and distribution
channels via Statistics Canada:
• detailed tables through DLI:
Topic-based Tabulations,
former Basic Summary Tables,
and former Dimension Series
• simpler Topic-based
tabulations through Statistics
Canada web site,
• simpler Nation Series &
Dimension Series (both
replaced by the Topic-based
tabulations) via the Depository
Services Program

12. What are Profiles?
● Univariate* overviews of geographic areas,
SOURCE: Statistics Canada. 2007. Ontario, Quebec. 2006 Community Profiles, 2006 Census [Table]. Statistics
Canada Catalogue no. 92-591-XWE. Ottawa. Released March 13, Retrieved from
2007.http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Index.cfm?Lang=E
Characteristic
(variable)
Quebec Ontario
Population, total 7,546,130 12,160,285
male, total 3,687,695 5,930,700
male, aged 0-4 191,565 343,475
mother tongue, French only 5,877,660 488,815
immigrants 851,555 3,398,725
LIMITATION:
Variables, (e.g.,
French mother
tongue and
immigrants), can
not be combined
Two types of Profile
tables:
Thematic &
Cumulative profiles

13. What are Census (cross)tabulations?
● Multivariate tables by region
● Detailed subject matter
● Use Topic-based tabulations to tabulate two or more characteristics
yourself, e.g., Education-Immigration-Sex table 97-562-XCB200601:
SOURCE: Statistics Canada. 2009. Occupation - National Occupational Classification for Statistics 2006 (720), Class of Worker (6) and Sex (3)
for the Labour Force 15 Years and Over of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census
- 20% Sample Data, Topic-based Tabulation: Labour, Occupation. Retrieved from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-
pd/tbt/index-eng.cfm

14. Evolution of the
Census tabulation series
● Going back in time to 1996, the greater in number and depth
of the electronic tables (DSP/Web + DLI).
● 1996- 2006 Censuses:
● multiple tabulation series and
● geography goes down to dissemination areas and census tracts
● 2011 National Household Survey Data Tables (like the former
20% Census)
● 2011 Census Topic-based tabulations (like the 100% / short-
form Census)

15. Workshop topics
1.Need for skills and tools
2. Census changes
3. Scope of Census statistical publications
4. Sources of Census statistics and reference material
We are
here

16. MODERN CENSUSES
(1961 onward)

17. Compared features of aggregate data sources
Features Stat Can website
(Census/ Community
Profiles )
CHASS
Census Analyzer
DLI EFT
(FTP Site)
ODESI, Equinox, Abacus
Search
functions
By place name
By postal code, geo
code (2011 only)
None Limited (depends on
FTP client)
Sophisticated
(field searching,
boolean logic, etc.)
*Not at variable level
Browse
functions
List of place names Sophisticated
selection menu
(geography,
variables, output, file
format)
Folder structure
navigation
Varies but generally
good
Download
data for all
geo units in
Canada
Yes, but complicated Yes Yes Yes
Download
specific
variables
No
(only tables by theme)
Yes No No (some exceptions)
File formats CSV, TAB
IVT, XML (complete
tables)
TXT, HTML, CSV,
SAS, SPSS, DBF
IVT, TXT Multiple
Access Public By subscription DLI contacts By subscription/region

18. Data sources by type of tables for
recent censuses (1961 onward)
Type of
table
Census Website CHASS
Census
Analyzer
DLI EFT
(FTP
site)
ODESI,
Equinox,
Abacus
Profiles Yes
(1996-2011)
No DA-level data
Yes Yes Yes
Topic-based
Tabulations
Yes
(2001-2011)
1996: only selective
Nation Series tables
No Yes Yes
Basic
Summary
Tabulations
No No Yes Some

19. Census cross-tabulations
Year Census Product Data Source Format
2011 Topic-based tabulations
Including DA-level
Very few variables
DLI EFT
Stat Can web site
B2020, ASCII
HTML (web)
2006 Topic-based tabulations
(Web: DA-level upon request only)
DLI EFT
Stat Can web site
B2020, ASCII
HTML (web)
2001 Topic-based tabulations(Web: DA-
level uon request only)
DLI EFT
Stat Can web site
B2020, ASCII
HTML (web)
1996 Dimension Series (more
detail/variables)
DLI EFT B2020, ASCII
Nation Series
(Web: only some tables)
DSP EFT
Stat Can web site
B2020, ASCII
HTML (web)
Basic Summary Tables , lower levels
of geography (going back to 1961)
DLI EFT B2020, ASCII

20. HISTORICAL
CENSUSES (before 1961)

21. Pre-Confederation Censuses:
1665-1871
• From the print: Censuses of Canada, 1665 to 1871, Statistics of
Canada, Volume IV
• 343 tables in Beyond 20/20 viewer format
• Formerly on E-Stat, now available through Queen’s University Library web site
(in English)
• By region and date
• The tables also available via DLI/EFT under census_pop_recens (in English and
French)
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Atlantic Canada - 1671-1871

22. Digitized Print Volumes of the
Census of Canada
Databases of nomimal censuses (1825 to 1921)
• LAC
• Ancestry.ca
Canadiana: 1851-1891
Internet Archive (archive.org): 1851-1991
• Complete volumes
• Reference materials
• PDFs are searchable (OCRed) and downloadable

23. How to explore the digitized volumes
… an overview
• UofT guide to the Census aggregate statistics
o Detailed breakdown by product and geographic level
o Digitized catalogue of products (when available)
o Digitized tables of contents
o Extensive historical coverage
• Questionnaires and schedules (University of Ottawa)
• Canadian census questions and derived variables since
confederation
(from Appendix A of the 2011 Census Dictionary)
 Internet Archive -- Advanced Search
- Under collection select: statisticscanada
- In any field:[census year] AND [topic]
Example: 1981 census immigra*
- Keyword search in the PDFs

24. DEMONSTRATION
Question:
What are the top countries for place of birth of
immigrants?
• In the 1981 census
• In the 1951 census
Answering this question shows that:
• It is possible to retrieve a lot of information from old
censuses
• but it may not be immediately comparable to
statistics from recent censuses

25. Workshop topics
1.Need for skills and tools
2. Census changes
3. Scope of Census statistical publications
4. Sources of Census statistics and … reference
materials
We are
here

26. Reference materials …
● To provide background on the Census questions asked …
○ Topical information and finding tools
● To navigate the printed Census tables whether print or
digitized formats

27. Reference Materials
(A) Researching by topic: after Confederation
● "Census questions and derived variables since Confederation” in Census
Dictionary Appendix A … ”when”
● Questionnaires 1871-2006 uO Library | 1871-1961: CCRI *Canadian
Century Research Infrastructure
● Search the Statistics Canada Library catalogue [Link]
■ Search by series (e.g., Census and optional year) and keyword (your
topic) searches
● add series keywords, e.g., Nation or Population or Bulletin
■ Records often have links to the Internet archive version
■ Note the title of the publication or the Statistics Canada catalogue
number … important because the titles of the publications do not often
indicate the topic, and because many topical tables are outside the
“Population” volumes
● Also search Internet Archive [Link] e.g., title keyword: Census and (Year)
and collection is: statisticscanada

28. Reference Materials
(A) Researching by topic: before Confederation
Approximately 1821-1871
● Library and Archives Canada, > About the 1871 Census :
Column headings and interpretation (“about” the questions on the
Census schedules)
● Manuals containing the Census Act and Instructions to enumerators
[Internet archive search of Census manuals] and on CCRI

29. Reference Materials
(B) Navigating the Census by year
The Census publications grew substantially over time, making manual browsing
through the print volumes increasingly laborious …
● 1961-2006
○ Products and Services catalogues essential to understanding Census
publications
■ Statistics Canada 2006-Preview | 2001 | 1996 > See Census
reference products
■ U of T – [Link] > See individual Census years > Doumentation >
Products
○ Use series/title information from above with Statistics Canada library
catalogue [Link]

30. Reference Materials
(B) Navigating the Census information: the earlier Population
Censuses
1665 - 1871
● Queen’s University Library web site | Bilingual access: DLI/EFT
1825 – 1891, again note: Manuals containing the Census Act and Instructions
to enumerators [Link] and via CCRI
… overviews, e.g.,
1666-1871 Censuses of Canada … various:
Estimated population of Canada, 1605 to present [Link]
Aboriginal peoples [Link]
1867 – Historical statistical almanacs/yearbooks, [Link] & Articles [Link]
1851- 1975 Population and migration – with details [Link]

31. Questions?