The 1931 Census of Canada offers a glimpse into one of the most significant periods of Canadian history. This was a time when hundreds of thousands of people were on the move, immigration from overseas was at a tipping point, and the ancestors of millions of modern Canadians were building their lives and families.

The Seventh Census of Canada (1931) documents the vital statistics of millions of people living at the start of the Great Depression—schoolteachers in the Prairies, loggers in the Maritimes, shopkeepers of Ontario, and students living at home.

The 1931 Canada Census records are also highly relevant to the millions of U.S. citizens who can trace part of their heritage through Canada because the early 1930s were peak years for Canadian migration to the United States.

Looking through this archive, you might find records that tie together your family’s stories, fill in gaps of information, reveal new ancestors, or point you toward new avenues of research.

Why Is the 1931 Canadian Census so Important?

Canada gained self-rule in 1931 when the Statute of Westminster granted Dominions like Canada the opportunity to chart its own political course. But this new status came with great challenges. The stock market had crashed less than 2 years before, creating unparalleled economic disruption for people around the world, including Canadians. Northern wheat prices were crashing, Canadian exports were falling, and record numbers of unemployed people were looking for work, prompting many to migrate to other parts of the country. The 1931 Canada Census recorded the nation during this pivotal moment in history.

The 1931 Canada Census was also the first time the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) assisted the government in collecting information. Using airplanes and over-the-horizon radio communications, RCMP officers managed to gather information about citizens living in the Northwest Territories (part of which is now the territory of Nunavut) and the Yukon. This allowed information about many remote communities and First Nations settlements to be recorded in a census for the first time, offering the government a better view of the different cultures that exist across Canada’s vast landscape.

What Was Recorded in the 1931 Canada Census?

The 1931 Census of Canada enumerated more than 10.3 million people as well as details about personal property. The census form used for most of the country recorded extensive details about each person with over 40 fields for personal information, but an abbreviated form was used for the Northwest Territories.

In addition to common details, such as name, age, location, and marital status, the census added new questions that would give government officials a better picture of the economic and employment struggles present across the population in 1931. Altogether, the information recorded on most census forms included:

• Tribal or racial origin. Answers in this field would give officials a clearer picture of Canada’s diversity— across immigrant communities, Indigenous peoples, and other groups. For example, First Nations people could list specific band affiliations, such as Cree or Haida First Nations, which wasn’t an option in earlier decennial censuses.
• Housing. Specific addresses were recorded that helped locate families in provinces, regions, and even neighbourhoods. Respondents also indicated whether they were homeowners, lodgers, or in temporary living circumstances.
• Languages spoken. Individuals reported the language spoken at home, whether English, French, or another. Government reports noted that more than 225,000 listed Ukrainian as their mother tongue in the 1931 census.
• Education and literacy. The census taker requested information about an individual's literacy capabilities and their education level.
• Immigration and/or naturalization. The year in which immigration and naturalization occurred was recorded, which would help officials track migration and integration in Canadian society.
• Religious affiliation. Respondents were asked to specify if they had a specific religious affiliation, such as Catholic, Jewish, or other, or a non-religious community affiliation, if applicable.
• Radio ownership. The answers provided insight into radio technology adoption in Canadian households. In the 1931 census, 33.9% of Canadians owned a radio.
• Work or unemployment status. These fields, which were designed to take a closer look at individual employment during the Great Depression, asked whether or not someone was employed, the reason they were out of work, and how long they had been unemployed.

Given the range of questions and answers recorded, it’s easy to see that the 1931 Census of Canada can be a valuable resource for family history researchers. The information may help you to identify ancestors and confirm familial connections. And the address recorded might help you locate a home your family once lived in that’s still standing in the preserved historic areas in Montreal or Vancouver, for example. Or you might discover that someone relocated to British Columbia to seek opportunities working in mines or on the Kamloops-Calgary Trans-Canada highway project.

1931 Census Data and Indigenous Peoples

Early census records for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities—censuses prior to 1931—are fragmented and inconsistent for a variety of reasons, including linguistic challenges and enumerators’ lack of knowledge about, or access to, these communities. In many cases, state intervention resulted in Indigenous populations being subjected to restrictive and punitive administrative policies. Most enumerations prior to 1931 only included treaty populations and rarely non-treaty or nomadic populations.

In 1931, however, advances in technology and the involvement of the RCMP expanded the ability to enumerate more First Nations, Métis, and Inuit populations who lived outside of urban centers and in more remote areas. This means that 1931 census records are a common starting point from which to gather additional information about more of the diverse populations living in Canada at this time.

While these records can’t substitute for years of missing data, they may provide some useful information to people with Indigenous heritage.

Research Tips for Exploring the 1931 Canada Census

Canadian censuses use the de jure method of enumeration, which means that a person's records are included with their district of permanent residence rather than the place they’re living at the time of the census. This differs from the U.S. census method, which enumerates individuals based on their current location.

Because of the de jure enumeration method, it can be beneficial to your research if you’re able to gather your ancestor’s potential 1931 address before you dive into the 1931 records. Here are a couple of ways to find that information:

• Check other record sets like birth, marriage, and death or immigration records to see what address is recorded for your ancestor around the 1931 timeframe.
• If you’ve already been researching your Canadian ancestors and you’ve found them in the 1921 Census of Canada, try using that address when you search the 1931 records.

Given how many Canadians were internally displaced by the Depression, it’s not surprising that the 1931 Canada Census records a large number of unemployed and transient workers. The Canadian de jure method of gathering information, however, can make tracing some individuals more difficult, especially those of limited means. Those who worked as migrant labourers and people who were temporarily housed in a hostel may be especially difficult to find in the census. Still, if you find an ancestor who was unemployed in 1931, you may be able to find details on the unemployment relief they received from the government during this difficult period.

Still can’t find your Canadian relative in the 1931 census? Keep in mind their birth or death date. If the family member you're looking for was born or died in 1931, the census might have skipped them. Because June 1 is the cutoff for record collection, the documents include babies born before but not after that date.

Uncovering Your Canadian Roots

If an ancestor happened to be living in the Great White North during the first decades of the 20th century, there's a good chance that you may find them recorded in the 1931 Canadian census record collection on Ancestry^®. Searching the 1931 census for family members’ names can be a great start—or continuation of—the journey into your family history. Furthermore, the details recorded in the 1931 enumeration may help you piece together what life looked like for your ancestors during a tumultuous period of history.

Whether you're just beginning to explore that history for yourself or you've been searching on behalf of a family member, joining Ancestry with a free trial can open doors to research resources that you never knew were waiting for you.