START YOUR 14-DAY FREE TRIAL TODAY*

START YOUR 14-DAY FREE TRIAL TODAY*

Find your family in the newly released 1931 Canadian Census

Find your family in the newly released 1931 Canadian Census

Find your family in the newly released 1931 Canadian Census

For the first time, you can explore what life was like in the 1930s and reveal more about your parents’ or grandparents’ lives. Uncover personal details and learn how this era shaped your family story.

For the first time, you can explore what life was like in the 1930s and reveal more about your parents’ or grandparents’ lives. Uncover personal details and learn how this era shaped your family story.

What fascinating discoveries could you make?

What fascinating discoveries could you make?

Search now

© Library and Archives Canada

© Library and Archives Canada

How to get started

How to get started

Watch the video and follow these simple steps to see what interesting information you can find in the census records.

Build your tree

Build your tree

The more people in your tree, the better your chance of making family connections and uncovering your rich family story.

The more people in your tree, the better your chance of making family connections and uncovering your rich family story.

Search the records

Search the records

Explore key record collections, including the 1931 Census, to uncover personal details, including full names, job titles and places they lived.

Explore key record collections, including the 1931 Census, to uncover personal details, including full names, job titles and places they lived.

Delve even deeper

Delve even deeper

Add more colour and context to your family story by exploring specific collections.

Add more colour and context to your family story by exploring specific collections.

Search now

Discover daily life
during the 1930s

Discover daily life
during the 1930s

Get a glimpse of why the 1930s were so significant for your
ancestors –
from budget-friendly recipes to the
entertainment of the time.

A taste of the 1930s

A taste of the 1930s

A taste of the 1930s

With the help of Newspapers.com™, you can transport to a 1930s dinner table and discover popular dishes served by households during this time of resilience.

With the help of Newspapers.com™, you can transport to a 1930s dinner table and discover popular dishes served by households during this time of resilience.

Explore recipes

Learn about 1930s culture

Learn about 1930s culture

Learn about 1930s culture

Shine a light on daily life in the 1930s. Discover what made this era so eventful, from sporting events to the greatest fashion trends with articles from Newspapers.com™.

Shine a light on daily life in the 1930s. Discover what made this era so eventful, from sporting events to the greatest fashion trends with articles from Newspapers.com™.

Discover now

Compare today’s costs
to the 1930s

Compare today’s costs
to the 1930s

Learn how much your relatives paid for everyday
items
in the 1930s compared to today.

Learn how much your relatives paid for everyday items in the 1930s compared to today.

Click to reveal

Today

$4.45

Dozen
eggs

Today

$5.50

Pound of
butter

Today

$2.96

Quart of
milk

Today

$1,070

Monthly
rent

Today

$8.40

Pound of
coffee

Today

$6.15

Pound of
bacon

Today

$3.64

Loaf of
bread

What baby names topped the charts in the 1930s?

What baby names
topped the charts in
the 1930s?

Explore the top 50 baby names in British Columbia and Ontario in 1931 and discover how
preferences have changed. Does your family tree include any of these popular baby names?

Explore the top 50 baby names in British Columbia and Ontario in 1931 and discover how preferences have changed. Does your family tree include any of these popular baby names?

Top 3 boy names

Top 3 boy names

Joseph - 2,818
John - 2,808
William - 2,637

Top 3 girl names

Top 3 girl names

Mary - 2,478
Marie - 2,149
Margaret - 1,420

Reveal top 50

Popular names in Canada (Ontario and BC)

Popular names in Canada (Ontario and BC)

Top boy names

Top boy names

  1. Joseph 2,818
  2. John 2,808
  3. William 2,637
  4. Robert 2,049
  5. Donald 1,692
  6. James 1,556
  7. George 1,128
  8. Ronald 869
  9. Kenneth 767
  10. Charles 642
  11. Edward 622
  12. Thomas 613
  13. Gordon 612
  14. David 580
  15. Douglas 559
  16. Gerald 451
  17. Harold 451
  18. Richard 447
  19. Norman 400
  20. Arthur 396
  21. Albert 395
  22. Raymond 364
  23. Walter 356
  24. Frederick 341
  25. Stanley 317
  1. Joseph 2,818
  2. John 2,808
  3. William 2,637
  4. Robert 2,049
  5. Donald 1,692
  6. James 1,556
  7. George 1,128
  8. Ronald 869
  9. Kenneth 767
  10. Charles 642
  11. Edward 622
  12. Thomas 613
  13. Gordon 612
  14. David 580
  15. Douglas 559
  16. Gerald 451
  17. Harold 451
  18. Richard 447
  19. Norman 400
  20. Arthur 396
  21. Albert 395
  22. Raymond 364
  23. Walter 356
  24. Frederick 341
  25. Stanley 317

Top girl names

Top girl names

  1. Mary 2,478
  2. Marie 2,149
  3. Margaret 1,420
  4. Shirley 984
  5. Helen 899
  6. Dorothy 871
  7. Joan 860
  8. Barbara 839
  9. Betty 708
  10. Elizabeth 631
  11. Jean 607
  12. Patricia 563
  13. Joyce 540
  14. Ruth 506
  15. Marion 446
  16. Doris 407
  17. June 402
  18. Audrey 399
  19. Norma 381
  20. Doreen 370
  21. Lois 350
  22. Majorie 321
  23. Evelyn 316
  24. Florence 303
  25. Irene 290
  1. Mary 2,478
  2. Marie 2,149
  3. Margaret 1,420
  4. Shirley 984
  5. Helen 899
  6. Dorothy 871
  7. Joan 860
  8. Barbara 839
  9. Betty 708
  10. Elizabeth 631
  11. Jean 607
  12. Patricia 563
  13. Joyce 540
  14. Ruth 506
  15. Marion 446
  16. Doris 407
  17. June 402
  18. Audrey 399
  19. Norma 381
  20. Doreen 370
  21. Lois 350
  22. Majorie 321
  23. Evelyn 316
  24. Florence 303
  25. Irene 290

Source: behindthename.com

Add more details to your ancestors’ lives

Add more details to your ancestors’ lives

Dive deeper into these key record collections to help you grow and build your family tree – they may hold more details about your ancestors’ lives.

Dive deeper into these key record collections to help you grow and build your family tree – they may hold more details about your ancestors’ lives.

  • Census and Voter Lists

    Census and Voter Lists

  • Birth, Marriage and Death

    Birth, Marriage and Death

  • Immigration & Travel
    1500s–1998

    Immigration & Travel
    1500s–1998

Search all records

Why Ancestry® is the best place
to discover your family story

Why Ancestry® is the best place
to discover your family story

Why Ancestry® is the best place to discover your family story

Discover exclusive features and tools

Discover exclusive features and tools

See how Ancestry can help your family history research with Ancestry Hints® and StoryScout™.

Explore now

Explore over
40 billion records

Explore over
40 billion records

Add more details to your family tree with the help of the world’s largest online collection of historical documents.

Search all records

Delve deeper with Newspapers.com

Delve deeper with Newspapers.com

Go beyond the front page and uncover stories from the past – learn more about the events that shaped your ancestors’ lives.

Find out more

Make new
discoveries with a
14-day free trial*

Make new
discoveries with a
14-day free trial*

Make new
discoveries with a
14-day free trial*

Get started

*One free trial per person. Requires registration with a valid credit or debit card. Unless you cancel before the end of your free trial, your chosen membership will begin and you’ll be charged the relevant price. Your membership will automatically renew at the same price at the end of each membership period, unless you are notified otherwise. If you don’t want to renew, cancel at least two days before your renewal date by logging into your Account Settings page or by contacting us. See Terms and Conditions.