Census Returns : 1767-1838.

Call Number: HIL-MICL FC LPR .N6C4R4
Category: Nova Scotia
Creator: Nova Scotia. Census Records.
Description: 2 microfilm textual records () ; 35 mm
Background:
            The earliest complete census returns for all parts of Nova Scotia are those taken in the years 1861 and 1871. Earlier returns do not cover every District of the Province and only the heads of households are named, along with details about the size of the family, acreage farmed, and the occupation of the householder.            
Contents:
            Reel  1 contains volumes 443-448 and includes both Census and Poll or Capitation Tax returns, with a few returns of livestock, from 1767 to 1838. Indians in Sydney County and Blacks in Tracadie (Sydney County) are listed separately in the 1817 census. 1838 material on this reel is for Halifax County only.

Reel 2 contains 1838 census returns only, and is arranged alphabetically by county. There are extensive and detailed returns for Cape Breton Island on this reel. The last portion of the reel contains one volume of 1838 census abstracts for the following counties: Cape Breton, Sydney, Richmond, Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne, Annapolis, Kings, Yarmouth, Digby, Colchester and Guysborough. For each county, the figures are given by Township or Settlement Area. The format is fairly consistent, with figures for males and females under six years of age, between six and fourteen, and over fourteen. The number of heads of families is listed separately. The reel contains volumes 449 and 450.

Originals: The original records are held by the Public Archives of Nova Scotia.
Archival Ref. No.: PANS RG 1, vols. 443-449, and Abstracts, vol. 450. See also National Archives of Canada MG 12, re
Finding Aids:
            The Table of Contents has been microfilmed at the beginning of the first reel.

Published indexes covering 1838 are available for the following counties:
Pictou HIL-MICGDL CS88 .P49 M38 1999
Hants & Kings HIL-MICGDL CS88 .H375 1997
Digby HIL-MICGDL CS88 .D5 M34 1999
Annapolis HIL-MICGDL CS88 .A566 M38 1999
Shelburne & Yarmouth HIL-MICGDL CS88 .S54 M38
Antigonish CS88 .A57 M38.

A print copy of the Table of Contents is available and as a PDF in the electronic finding aids section.

Electronic Finding Aid Record: Contents_Census-Returns_NS-Census-Records.pdf
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