Jane MacNamara’s finding aid on the Ontario Genealogical Society Toronto Branch’s website of where to find Torontonians in historic census records helps us easily learn and understand what is available in the old returns. Since Ms. Macnamara first created the finding aid, more resources are available, and she recently updated it for the branch’s new website where it has now been published.
This online format could also serve as a model for other societies and OGS branches to create their own finding aids.
Ms. MacNamara has put together one page that describes census records for 1842, 1852, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911, and 1921 and what is distinct about each one.
For example, the 1842 census is missing some returns:
The nominal returns survive for the City of Toronto, but for Etobicoke, Scarborough, and York townships, only aggregate returns—without names—have survived.
The note for the 1871 census is equally helpful:
Considered to be the most complete surviving census. Be sure to consult all nine schedules. Find the household on the nominal index first; note the page number and line number of the head of household; then locate the schedules that match District, Sub District, and Division; your household will be identified by page and line number rather than by name.
OGS Toronto Branch’s Census Records finding aid may help genealogists find their Toronto ancestors.
The description for each census year provides advice about where to find the record set online, microfilm, and elsewhere, and it also includes a link to a map of Toronto that shows the wards.
I can see other societies putting together a similar page for their website.
Nice one, Ms. MacNamara and OGS Toronto Branch.
