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).

Collection Content
The first several images of these census collections may include statistical information cards.

What Can this Collection 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?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor.
 * The place where your ancestor lived.
 * The names of other family members.

View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page: To search this collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select "Browse Images" on the initial search page ⇒ Select the appropriate "Film Number" ⇒ Select the “Surname Range" category which takes you to the images

Look at the images one by one, comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s census record, carefully evaluate each piece of information about them. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

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.
 * You can use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.
 * Use the birthplace to locate a birth record.
 * Use the name of spouse to locate a marriage record.
 * Search for the family in the original census records.
 * Search for the family in earlier or later census records to see patterns of migration and additions or losses to family members.

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

 * Try searching through the birth registers. This will aid you in finding the birthplace, name of the ancestor recorded, and the residence of the ancestor as well.
 * If you can't find your ancestors in this collection, try searching through the Canadian Census collections.

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