1961 Canadian census

Detailed enumeration of Canadian residents in 1961 July 2024 1961 Canadian census 1956 Canadian census 1956 1961 06 16 1966 Canadian census 1966 Canada province/territory Dominion Bureau of Statistics 18,238,247 13.4% Ontario (6,236,092) Yukon (14,628) The 1961 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was June 16, 1961. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 18,238,247. This was a 13.4% increase over the 1956 census of 16,080,791.1961 Census of Canada. Volume 1, Population, Electoral Districts https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/statcan/CS92-530-1961.pdf Statistics Canada Government of Canada October 13, 2024 The previous census was the 1956 census and the following census was the 1966 census. This was the first census since 1901 in which all then-admitted provinces recorded a population of at least 100,000, and the last in which Saskatchewan had a larger population than neighbouring Manitoba. Canada by the numbers A summary of information about Canada. Total population 18,238,247 Men 9,218,893 Women 9,019,354 Population by province Rank Province or territory Population as of1961 census Population as of1956 census Change Percentchange 1Ontario 6,236,092 5,404,933 831,159 15.4 2Quebec 5,259,211 4,628,378 630,833 13.6 3British Columbia 1,629,082 1,398,464 230,618 16.5 4Alberta 1,331,944 1,123,116 208,828 18.6 5Saskatchewan 925,181 880,665 44,516 5.1 6Manitoba 921,686 850,040 71,646 8.4 7Nova Scotia 737,007 694,717 42,290 6.1 8New Brunswick 597,936 554,616 43,320 7.8 9Newfoundland and Labrador 457,853 415,074 42,779 10.3 10Prince Edward Island 104,629 99,285 5,344 5.4 11Northwest Territories 22,998 19,313 3,685 19.1 12Yukon 14,628 12,190 2,438 20.0 Canada 18,238,247 16,080,791 2,157,416 13.4 A different definition for the Northwest Territories disregards areas not included within the Mackenzie River Electoral District. If such areas were excluded, the Northwest Territories had 14,895 people in 1961 and 12,492 people in 1956.1956 Census of Canada. Volume 1, Population, Electoral Districts https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/statcan/CS92-501-1956.pdf Statistics Canada Government of Canada October 13, 2024 Under this definition, the Northwest Territories saw an increase of 2,403 people, or 19.2%. Ethnic group Major ethnic groups in Canada by province/territory (1961 census)1961 Census of Canada : population : vol. I - part 2. 92-545. Ethnic groups Government of Canada Publications 2010-06-24 https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.831160/publication.html 2026-06-044–5Ethnic groupCanadaON OntarioQC QuebecBC British ColumbiaAB AlbertaSK SaskatchewanMB ManitobaNS Nova ScotiaNB New BrunswickNL Newfoundland and LabradorPE Prince Edward IslandNT Northwest TerritoriesYT Yukon TerritoryPop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentage French 5,540,346 5,540,346 18238247 2 647,941 647,941 6236092 2 4,241,354 4,241,354 5259211 2 66,970 66,970 1629082 2 83,319 83,319 1331944 2 59,824 59,824 925181 2 83,936 83,936 921686 2 87,883 87,883 737007 2 232,127 232,127 597936 2 17,171 17,171 457853 2 17,418 17,418 104629 2 1,412 1,412 22998 2 991 991 14628 2 English 4,195,175 4,195,175 18238247 2 1,939,867 1,939,867 6236092 2 322,410 322,410 5259211 2 518,010 518,010 1629082 2 282,964 282,964 1331944 2 170,296 170,296 925181 2 184,607 184,607 921686 2 241,020 241,020 737007 2 158,590 158,590 597936 2 342,070 342,070 457853 2 30,191 30,191 104629 2 2,039 2,039 22998 2 3,111 3,111 14628 2 Scottish 1,902,302 1,902,302 18238247 2 835,590 835,590 6236092 2 109,937 109,937 5259211 2 255,627 255,627 1629082 2 165,942 165,942 1331944 2 102,685 102,685 925181 2 119,299 119,299 921686 2 182,823 182,823 737007 2 84,082 84,082 597936 2 9,902 9,902 457853 2 32,940 32,940 104629 2 1,525 1,525 22998 2 1,950 1,950 14628 2 Irish 1,753,351 1,753,351 18238247 2 873,647 873,647 6236092 2 129,326 129,326 5259211 2 165,631 165,631 1629082 2 134,102 134,102 1331944 2 92,133 92,133 925181 2 84,726 84,726 921686 2 93,998 93,998 737007 2 82,485 82,485 597936 2 74,791 74,791 457853 2 19,786 19,786 104629 2 1,056 1,056 22998 2 1,670 1,670 14628 2 German–Austrian 1,156,134 1,156,134 18238247 2 435,205 435,205 6236092 2 46,880 46,880 5259211 2 137,010 137,010 1629082 2 199,218 199,218 1331944 2 177,192 177,192 925181 2 102,256 102,256 921686 2 46,038 46,038 737007 2 7,612 7,612 597936 2 1,937 1,937 457853 2 706 706 104629 2 805 805 22998 2 1,275 1,275 14628 2 Ukrainian 473,337 473,337 18238247 2 127,911 127,911 6236092 2 16,588 16,588 5259211 2 35,640 35,640 1629082 2 105,923 105,923 1331944 2 78,851 78,851 925181 2 105,372 105,372 921686 2 1,763 1,763 737007 2 379 379 597936 2 141 141 457853 2 66 66 104629 2 358 358 22998 2 345 345 14628 2 Italian 450,351 450,351 18238247 2 273,864 273,864 6236092 2 108,552 108,552 5259211 2 38,399 38,399 1629082 2 15,025 15,025 1331944 2 2,413 2,413 925181 2 6,476 6,476 921686 2 3,719 3,719 737007 2 1,210 1,210 597936 2 246 246 457853 2 103 103 104629 2 144 144 22998 2 200 200 14628 2 Scandinavian–Nordic 445,970 445,970 18238247 2 103,559 103,559 6236092 2 13,572 13,572 5259211 2 106,829 106,829 1629082 2 99,541 99,541 1331944 2 69,444 69,444 925181 2 38,816 38,816 921686 2 5,985 5,985 737007 2 5,066 5,066 597936 2 1,237 1,237 457853 2 443 443 104629 2 633 633 22998 2 845 845 14628 2 Dutch 429,679 429,679 18238247 2 191,017 191,017 6236092 2 10,442 10,442 5259211 2 60,176 60,176 1629082 2 55,530 55,530 1331944 2 29,325 29,325 925181 2 47,780 47,780 921686 2 25,251 25,251 737007 2 7,882 7,882 597936 2 462 462 457853 2 1,288 1,288 104629 2 177 177 22998 2 349 349 14628 2 Polish 323,517 323,517 18238247 2 149,524 149,524 6236092 2 30,790 30,790 5259211 2 24,870 24,870 1629082 2 40,539 40,539 1331944 2 28,951 28,951 925181 2 44,371 44,371 921686 2 3,106 3,106 737007 2 633 633 597936 2 243 243 457853 2 82 82 104629 2 167 167 22998 2 241 241 14628 2 Indigenous 220,121 220,121 18238247 2 48,074 48,074 6236092 2 21,343 21,343 5259211 2 38,814 38,814 1629082 2 28,554 28,554 1331944 2 30,630 30,630 925181 2 29,427 29,427 921686 2 3,271 3,271 737007 2 2,921 2,921 597936 2 1,411 1,411 457853 2 236 236 104629 2 13,233 13,233 22998 2 2,207 2,207 14628 2 Jewish 173,344 173,344 18238247 2 65,280 65,280 6236092 2 74,677 74,677 5259211 2 5,113 5,113 1629082 2 4,353 4,353 1331944 2 2,287 2,287 925181 2 18,898 18,898 921686 2 1,672 1,672 737007 2 859 859 597936 2 180 180 457853 2 15 15 104629 2 10 10 22998 2 0 0 14628 2 Welsh 143,942 143,942 18238247 2 61,678 61,678 6236092 2 5,285 5,285 5259211 2 27,159 27,159 1629082 2 18,522 18,522 1331944 2 8,261 8,261 925181 2 7,594 7,594 921686 2 7,577 7,577 737007 2 4,776 4,776 597936 2 2,136 2,136 457853 2 584 584 104629 2 157 157 22998 2 213 213 14628 2 Hungarian 126,220 126,220 18238247 2 59,427 59,427 6236092 2 15,561 15,561 5259211 2 12,833 12,833 1629082 2 15,293 15,293 1331944 2 16,059 16,059 925181 2 5,443 5,443 921686 2 827 827 737007 2 412 412 597936 2 73 73 457853 2 15 15 104629 2 61 61 22998 2 216 216 14628 2 Russian 119,168 119,168 18238247 2 28,327 28,327 6236092 2 13,694 13,694 5259211 2 27,448 27,448 1629082 2 17,952 17,952 1331944 2 22,481 22,481 925181 2 7,938 7,938 921686 2 804 804 737007 2 305 305 597936 2 67 67 457853 2 14 14 104629 2 37 37 22998 2 101 101 14628 2 Czechoslovak 73,061 73,061 18238247 2 33,332 33,332 6236092 2 7,381 7,381 5259211 2 8,482 8,482 1629082 2 12,448 12,448 1331944 2 5,854 5,854 925181 2 4,525 4,525 921686 2 711 711 737007 2 138 138 597936 2 40 40 457853 2 27 27 104629 2 57 57 22998 2 66 66 14628 2 Yugoslav 68,587 68,587 18238247 2 43,564 43,564 6236092 2 5,577 5,577 5259211 2 8,561 8,561 1629082 2 5,329 5,329 1331944 2 2,420 2,420 925181 2 2,448 2,448 921686 2 380 380 737007 2 114 114 597936 2 11 11 457853 2 4 4 104629 2 58 58 22998 2 121 121 14628 2 Baltic 64,373 64,373 18238247 2 42,105 42,105 6236092 2 9,310 9,310 5259211 2 4,667 4,667 1629082 2 3,903 3,903 1331944 2 981 981 925181 2 2,019 2,019 921686 2 727 727 737007 2 332 332 597936 2 210 210 457853 2 24 24 104629 2 39 39 22998 2 56 56 14628 2 Belgian 61,382 61,382 18238247 2 22,142 22,142 6236092 2 12,092 12,092 5259211 2 4,948 4,948 1629082 2 5,152 5,152 1331944 2 5,464 5,464 925181 2 9,698 9,698 921686 2 1,267 1,267 737007 2 447 447 597936 2 39 39 457853 2 31 31 104629 2 50 50 22998 2 52 52 14628 2 Chinese 58,197 58,197 18238247 2 15,155 15,155 6236092 2 4,749 4,749 5259211 2 24,227 24,227 1629082 2 6,937 6,937 1331944 2 3,660 3,660 925181 2 1,936 1,936 921686 2 637 637 737007 2 274 274 597936 2 445 445 457853 2 43 43 104629 2 34 34 22998 2 100 100 14628 2 Greek 56,475 56,475 18238247 2 29,062 29,062 6236092 2 19,390 19,390 5259211 2 3,124 3,124 1629082 2 1,774 1,774 1331944 2 809 809 925181 2 1,199 1,199 921686 2 827 827 737007 2 177 177 597936 2 43 43 457853 2 6 6 104629 2 52 52 22998 2 12 12 14628 2 European, n.o.s. The abbreviation "n.o.s." means "not otherwise specified." Includes general responses indicating European geographical origins (e.g., 'Portuguese,' 'Spanish', 'Bulgarian', etc.) as well as more specific responses indicating European geographical origins that are not otherwise specified (e.g., 'Catalan', 'Sami', etc.). 51,446Including 21,734 respondents specifying Portuguese ethnic origin, of which 12,079 were located in Ontario, 4,495 in Quebec, 2,910 in British Columbia, 1,566 in the Prairies, 659 in Atlantic Canada, and 25 in Northern Canada.Immigration and Ethnicity in Canada Booklet Series Canadian Historical Association https://cha-shc.ca/publications/immigration-and-ethnicity-in-canada-booklet-series/ 1982 2026-06-04 51,446 18238247 2 29,984 29,984 6236092 2 10,000 10,000 5259211 2 5,187 5,187 1629082 2 2,003 2,003 1331944 2 879 879 925181 2 1,332 1,332 921686 2 1,332 1,332 737007 2 424 424 597936 2 195 195 457853 2 30 30 104629 2 36 36 22998 2 44 44 14628 2 Romanian 43,805 43,805 18238247 2 15,787 15,787 6236092 2 7,101 7,101 5259211 2 4,455 4,455 1629082 2 6,806 6,806 1331944 2 7,128 7,128 925181 2 1,968 1,968 921686 2 322 322 737007 2 140 140 597936 2 30 30 457853 2 5 5 104629 2 24 24 22998 2 39 39 14628 2 African/Black 32,127 32,127 18238247 2 11,062 11,062 6236092 2 4,287 4,287 5259211 2 1,012 1,012 1629082 2 1,307 1,307 1331944 2 285 285 925181 2 920 920 921686 2 11,900 11,900 737007 2 1,273 1,273 597936 2 19 19 457853 2 48 48 104629 2 7 7 22998 2 7 7 14628 2 Japanese 29,157 29,157 18238247 2 11,870 11,870 6236092 2 1,459 1,459 5259211 2 10,424 10,424 1629082 2 3,721 3,721 1331944 2 280 280 925181 2 1,296 1,296 921686 2 28 28 737007 2 18 18 597936 2 3 3 457853 2 0 0 104629 2 26 26 22998 2 32 32 14628 2 Syrian–Lebanese 19,374 19,374 18238247 2 7,137 7,137 6236092 2 5,302 5,302 5259211 2 530 530 1629082 2 1,327 1,327 1331944 2 678 678 925181 2 590 590 921686 2 2,153 2,153 737007 2 984 984 597936 2 417 417 457853 2 240 240 104629 2 4 4 22998 2 12 12 14628 2 Asian, n.o.s. The abbreviation "n.o.s." means "not otherwise specified." Includes general responses indicating Asian geographical origins (e.g., 'Filipino,' 'Korean', 'Iranian', etc.) as well as more specific responses indicating Asian geographical origins that are not otherwise specified (e.g., 'Malay', 'Turk', etc.). 8,251 8,251 18238247 2 3,960 3,960 6236092 2 2,808 2,808 5259211 2 592 592 1629082 2 310 310 1331944 2 192 192 925181 2 157 157 921686 2 115 115 737007 2 45 45 597936 2 51 51 457853 2 11 11 104629 2 3 3 22998 2 7 7 14628 2 Indian (South Asian) 6,774 6,774 18238247 2 1,155 1,155 6236092 2 483 483 5259211 2 4,526 4,526 1629082 2 208 208 1331944 2 115 115 925181 2 198 198 921686 2 46 46 737007 2 22 22 597936 2 17 17 457853 2 1 1 104629 2 2 2 22998 2 1 1 14628 2 British Isles, n.o.s. The abbreviation "n.o.s." means "not otherwise specified." Includes general responses indicating British Isles origins (e.g., 'British,' 'United Kingdom') as well as more specific responses indicating British Isles origins that are not otherwise specified (e.g., 'Celtic'). 1,899 1,899 18238247 2 754 754 6236092 2 99 99 5259211 2 454 454 1629082 2 225 225 1331944 2 107 107 925181 2 219 219 921686 2 30 30 737007 2 7 7 597936 2 0 0 457853 2 0 0 104629 2 2 2 22998 2 2 2 14628 2 Other & Not Stated 210,382 210,382 18238247 2 128,112 128,112 6236092 2 8,762 8,762 5259211 2 27,364 27,364 1629082 2 13,717 13,717 1331944 2 5,497 5,497 925181 2 6,242 6,242 921686 2 10,795 10,795 737007 2 4,202 4,202 597936 2 4,266 4,266 457853 2 272 272 104629 2 790 790 22998 2 363 363 14628 2 Total population 18,238,247 18238247 18238247 2 6,236,092 6236092 6236092 2 5,259,211 5259211 5259211 2 1,629,082 1629082 1629082 2 1,331,944 1331944 1331944 2 925,181 925181 925181 2 921,686 921686 921686 2 737,007 737007 737007 2 597,936 597936 597936 2 457,853 457853 457853 2 104,629 104629 104629 2 22,998 22998 22998 2 14,628 14628 14628 2 At the time of the 1961 census, Canada comprised 12 major administrative units; ten provinces and two territories. See also Population and housing censuses by country Notes References Census Category:Censuses in Canada Category:1961 censuses