1916 Canada Census

Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta

The population in the western areas of Canada grew quite a lot in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) was built and immigrants used it as a means of transportation to the western areas.

Manitoba, which became a province in 1870 composed almost entirely of the city of Winnipeg, grew rapidly. In 1905, the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta were created, and the boundaries of Manitoba were also redefined.

In 1906 the Canadian government took a special census of these prairie provinces, and that practice continued from 1906 to 1956. So Canada had a national census on the "one" years (1901, 1911, etc.), and a special prairie province census five years after each of those (1906, 1916, etc.)

Column Question
Number in the order of visitation (1-2)
1 Dwelling house
2 Family, household or institution
Residence and Personal Description (3-12)
3 Name of each person in family, household or institution
4 Military Service (If overseas write "O"; if in Canada write "C" and give the name of the camp in Col 8)
Location of habitation. In rural locations give township, range and meridian. In cities, towns and villages give street and number of dwelling. (5-8)
5 Township
6 Range
7 Meridian
8 Municipality
9 Relationship to head of family or household
10 Sex
11 Single, married, widowed, divorced or legally separated
12 Age at last birthday
Nativity and Religion (13-14)
13 Country or place of birth. If in Canada, specify province or territory
14 Religion
Citizenship (15-17)
15 Year of immigration to Canada
16 Year of naturalization
17 Nationality
Race and Language (18-21)
18 Racial or tribal origin
19 Can speak English
20 Can speak French
21 Other language spoken as mother tongue
Education (22-23)
22 Can read
23 Can write
Profession, Occupation or Means of Living (24-26)
24 Chief occupation or trade. (Give as definite information as possible.)
25 Employer (E), employee or worker (W) or working on own accord (O.A.)
26 State where person is employed as "on farm", "in cotton mill", "in foundry", "in dry goods store", "in saw-mill", etc.


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My mother and her father about 1912 when she was 4 years old