A census describes a household at a particular date. It helps track addresses, occupations and people living together, but does not prove every relationship.
The method, step by step
- Identify the locality, address and period. Read collection notes about coverage, absences, categories and the reference date.
- Try spelling variants and browse the street if name searches fail. Examine neighbours and pages continuing the household.
- Compare successive censuses. A disappearance may indicate migration, death, omission or a household change; treat it as a hypothesis to verify.
- Record page and household numbers and the original column headings. Link each person to records confirming their identity.
What to record
Record the address, household members and stated relationships without assuming everyone is related. Compare ages across censuses and retain discrepancies. Check adjacent pages if the household continues.
Record in your research log
- Reference date
- address
- members
- stated relationships
- adjacent pages.
Sources & references
- National Archives and Records Administration ↗ (Resource review date : )
- The National Archives ↗ (Resource review date : )
- Library and Archives Canada / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada ↗ (Resource review date : )