For those in the Carleton County area (since 1 January 2001 called Ottawa), there is easy access to microfilmed census returns at the National Archives of Canada on Wellington Street in Ottawa. Copies of selected census returns are held by other institutions, such as Carleton University's library.

Early records for the years up until 1850 are actually a collection of Assessment Rolls and Censuses. The Assessment Rolls indicate who was paying taxes on various things (buildings, animals, fireplaces, carriages, and so on) and the Lot and Concession on which those taxes were levied. In many cases, the location of the ratepayer and the Lot and Concession were the same. However, some people owned and paid taxes on several lots, so identifying their place of residence might be a little more difficult. The Censuses, if they exist for the period before 1850, list only the head of the family and how many people lived there.

From 1851 on, the Censuses listed everyone living at each home. In certain years (1851, 1861, and 1871), an Agricultural Census was also taken. Unfortunately not all of them have survived. These Censuses have all sorts of information including the various types of crops that were grown and how much of each crop.

Census Reels Census Indexes Censuses Online Census Transcriptions Information from Censuses Where to find Canadian census information

Census Reels: 1822 to 1911

Census records are not yet available past 1911

LAC = Library and Archives of Canada
LDS = Family History Library, Salt Lake City

Agricultural Census

Cumberland (Russell County) 1861; LAC: C-1071; LDS: 349319

Fitzroy (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1013; LDS: 349254

Gloucester (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1013; LDS: 349254

Goulbourn (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1014; LDS: 349255

Gower (North) (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1014; LDS: 349255

Huntley (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1013; LDS: 349254

March (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1014; LDS: 349255

Marlborough (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1013; LDS: 349254

Nepean (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1013; LDS: 349254

Richmond (Village) (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1013; LDS: 349254

Torbolton (Carleton County) 1861; LAC: C-1014; LDS: 349255

Personal Census
See OntarioGenWeb’s Census Project

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Census Indexes

1842 census index

Goulbourn - alphabetical or non-alphabetical
For more information, see Alberta Family Histories Society censuses page

1851 census indexes

Goulbourn - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Marlborough - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

North Gower - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Richmond - alphabetical or non-alphabetical
For more information, see Alberta Family Histories Society censuses page

1861 census indexes

Goulbourn - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Marlborough - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

North Gower - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Richmond - alphabetical or non-alphabetical
For more information, see Alberta Family Histories Society censuses page

1871 census indexes
For its 25th anniversary project, the Ontario Genealogical Society undertook to index the 1871 census. Only heads of family and strays (anyone having a different surname from that of the head of the family) were recorded. The results were published in 30 Indexes which are available from the Ontario Genealogical Society. Copies are also held in the third floor Reading Room at the National Archives. The index covering Ontario County is called Index to the 1871 Census of Ontario: Ontario County.

You can also check out the 1871 Census Index on the Library and Archives web site.

An alternative is the Searchable Database of Heads & Strays site at Queen's University.

Individual indexes for the following places have also been transcribed.

Goulbourn - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Marlborough - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

North Gower - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Richmond - alphabetical or non-alphabetical
For more information, see Alberta Family Histories Society censuses page

1881 census indexes

Goulbourn - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Marlborough - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

North Gower - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Richmond - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

1891 census indexes

Goulbourn - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Marlborough - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

North Gower - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Richmond - alphabetical or non-alphabetical
For more information, see Alberta Family Histories Society censuses page

1901 census indexes

Goulbourn - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Marlborough - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

North Gower - alphabetical or non-alphabetical

Richmond - alphabetical or non-alphabetical
For more information, see Alberta Family Histories Society censuses page

Nepean census indexes
You can now consult the census indexes for Nepean Township at the Ottawa Branch OGS Library. There are two versions for each census - one is as recorded by the census takers (non-alphabetical) and the other is alphabetical.

1852 and 1861 - Call Number: AL 0488

1871 - Call Number: AL 0489

1881 - Call Number: AL 0490

1891 - Call Number: AL 0491

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Censuses Online

An overview of online census records can be found at Ontario GenWeb under ‘Is It Online?’

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Census transcriptions

1842 Census
1842 census, Carleton County, Ontario (2000)
J.M. Robinson
Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, Ottawa
Publication 00-01
Includes index
ISBN 0-7779-1494-8

1851 Census
1851 Census of Carleton County
Publication 99-6
Contents: Volume 1. Bytown East, Bytown West
Volume 2. Fitzroy, Torbolton, Huntley and March Townships
Volume 3. Nepean and Gloucester Townships
Volume 4. Goulbourn, North Gower, Marlborough Townships and Village of Richmond
ISBN 0-7779-1474-3
Available from the Ottawa Branch, OGS

Note: There is no existing 1851 census for Cumberland Township.

1901 Census
1901 census, Torbolton Township, Carleton County, Ontario, Canada (2000)
Transcribed by Edward Wilson
Torbolton Township Historical Society, Dunrobin, Ontario
P.O. Box 101, Dunrobin, Ontario K0A 1T0
Includes index
ISBN 0-9680132-1-X

before 1851-1911
Ontario GenWeb's Census Project. This is a "work-in-progress". You can search for a census by the County or District or by the name of a town, township, or village. Another option is to do a surname search. Note that these searches are only done in the censuses that have been transcribed. You might want to check back periodically, if you get no results the first time.

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Information from censuses

Jews resident in Ontario according to the 1851 to 1901 Censuses of Canada (2002)
Glen Eker
ISBN 0-7779-2128-6
Consult at: OGSL

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Where to find Canadian census records

Microfilmed census returns are held at Library and Archives Canada. You can borrow these census reels from Library and Archives Canada through their inter-library loan service.

Outside of Canada, you can borrow census returns from your local Family History Centre.

You can also find microfilm copies of census returns at the following locations. They might also be found in other locations, such as university libraries or archives.

Single jurisdiction records held

Institution / Organization	Location	Jurisdiction
British Columbia Archives and Records Office	Victoria	B.C.
Provincial Archives of Manitoba	Winnipeg	Manitoba
Archives of Ontario	Toronto	Ontario
Hamilton Public Library	Hamilton	Ontario
St. Catharines Public Library, Special Collections Department	St. Catharines, Ontario	Ontario
Archives nationales du Québec	Montréal	Quebec
Archives nationales du Québec	Québec	Quebec
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick	Fredericton	N.B.
Saint John Public Library	Saint John	N.B.
Public Archives of Nova Scotia	Halifax	N.S.
Public Archives and Records Office	Charlottetown	P.E.I.

Multiple jurisdiction records held

Institution / Organization	Location	Jurisdictions
Surrey Public Library, Cloverdale Branch	Cloverdale, B.C.	all
Greater Victoria Public Library	Victoria, B.C.	most
Calgary Public Library	Calgary	all
Provincial Archives of Alberta	Edmonton	all
Regina Public Library, Prairie History Room	Regina	all
Saskatchewan Archives Board	Regina and Saskatoon	western provinces
Saskatoon Public Library	Saskatoon	most
Winnipeg Public Library	Winnipeg	Manitoba and Ontario
London Public Library	London, Ontario	Ontario and some Maritime
Queen's University Library, Government Documents Department	Kingston, Ontario	all
Toronto Public Library, North York Central Branch	Toronto	all
Windsor Public Library	Windsor, Ontario	Ontario and Quebec
Montreal Municipal Library, Central Branch, Salle Gagnon	Montréal	all

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