Canada, Manitoba Census Indexes, 1831-1870 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Canada Manitoba

What is in this Collection?
These records include card indexes to census records returns of Manitoba (Red River Settlement), Canada, from the years 1831-1856, taken by the Hudson’s Bay Company, and the 1870 provincial census of Manitoba taken under the direction of Canada's Department of Agriculture. The names are listed in alphabetical order. A complete census return is available from the Public Archives of Canada (MG9 E3, Volume3). The first several images of these census collections may include statistical information cards.

What Can these Records Tell Me?
The Pre-1870 returns of Manitoba (Red River Settlement) census list:
 * Heads of households
 * Age
 * Residence

The 1870  returns of Manitoba (Red River Settlement) list:
 * Heads of households
 * Age
 * Residence
 * Birthplace
 * Race
 * Marital status
 * Name of spouse
 * Age of spouse
 * Children's names and ages
 * Religion

There is a surname index to this census. Census returns for Manitoba with names of each member of the household were also taken in 1881, 1891, 1901, and 1911.

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The name of a relative or place of residence

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page.
 * 1) Select Film Number
 * 2) Select Surname Range

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images.

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Carefully examine all the information on the index card; this will give you more information to add to your family records.
 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date to find a birth and death record.
 * Use the name of spouse to locate a marriage record.
 * Search for the family in the additional census records.
 * Use the information to find other records such as christening, civil court and land records.
 * Use the information to find additional family members.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

I Can’t Find Who I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality in an area search.
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name, especially French versions.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Search the indexes and records of Manitoba, Canada Genealogy.
 * Search in the Manitoba Archives and Libraries.
 * Search in the FamilySearch Library Catalog

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image. Collection Citation

Image Citation

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