It’s spring, and the government’s mind turns to: census-taking! That’s true in 2011 and was the same in 1871. The census is of course a great source of data for a researcher like me. The census has also recently been controversial – the Chief Statistician resigned over the government’s decision to shorten the census this year and make part of it voluntary.
This week I filled out the 2011 census – online, a very cool option – and also spent time in the 1871 census of Muskoka. I noticed a few interesting differences between the two census questionnaires. Which I suppose is to be expected as they’re 140 years apart.
For instance, we no longer ask everyone how many acres they have under crop. Or what livestock or how many carriages they own. Or if anyone in the household is “deaf, dumb, blind or of unsound mind.” Questions about “Daily Living” do form part of the “National Household Survey” (the optional part of the 2011 census,) although the method of questioning about that kind of thing is now much more polite: “Does this person have any difficulty hearing, seeing, communicating, walking, climbing stairs, bending, learning or doing any similar activities?”
The question of religion is not part of the 2011 short form census. Nor is ‘profession, occupation, or trade’. Nor is ethnic background.
Marital status has gotten quite a bit more complicated. In 1871 you were either single, married or widowed. In 2011, you could be:
- never legally married
- legally married (and not separated)
- separated (but still legally married)
- divorced
- widowed… OR (asked in a separate question)
- living with a common-law partner.
In 1871 there was no question about what language you spoke – fascinating for a country of immigrants. Speaking of which, I’m researching the 1871 census records of two immigrant families:
- The Simintons of Morrison township. They were among the very first settlers along the Muskoka Road and had been singled out in the Provincial Land Agent’s 1859 report as being “particularly intelligent and industrious.” I think by 1871 they had abandoned their land and fled to Manitoba.
- Ira Fetterley of Chaffey township. I found only one reference that specifies the Muskoka Road ended at his farm in 1865. All others say it ended somewhere in the vicinity of Lake Vernon. I would much rather learn about Ira Fetterley and use his story to talk about the end of the road! So I am hoping the enumerator made some kind of reference to the government road in a note on the Fetterley record.
That is another difference, 140 years later: there is no place to make a note!
I was thinking of you and your research as I filled out the census this year. There’s a question at the end that asks if you would allow this information to become public in 100 years, or if you would rather keep it private forever. I proudly picked the “public in 100 years” option and imagined someone in the far future writing a book about me, and looking me up in the census. It made the whole thing feel so weighty and permanent!
Yay – good for you! I think we tend to get a little carried away with “privacy” sometimes. In 100 years you are safely beyond the opinions of anyone – so why not help out the researchers and genealogists of the future??
I found this truly fascinating! I also checked the ‘public in 100 years’ on my census form but had not made the connection that someone like yourself might be researching stuff. Huh! Truly fascinating!
Well, I’m glad you checked the ‘public in 92 years’ button! And now you know the benefits – researchers of the future thank you!