1951 Canadian census
CountryCanada
DateJune 1, 1951
Population14,009,429
Percent change21.8%
Previous census1946 Canadian census
Previous year1946
Next census1956 Canadian census
Next year1956

The 1951 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. The total population count was 14,009,429, representing a 21.8% increase over the 1941 census population count of 11,506,655.[1] The 1951 census was the ninth comprehensive decennial census since Canadian Confederation on July 1, 1867.

The previous census was the Northwest Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba 1946 census and the following census was the 1956 census – the first quinquennial, rather than decennial, nationwide census.

This was the first census to include Newfoundland, having joined Confederation only two years prior.

Canada's Statistics Act legislation does not permit the release of personal information until 92 years have elapsed. Detailed information from this census is not due for release until 2042.[2]

Population by province

Province1951 census[1]1941 census[1]Difference% change
Newfoundland361,416Joined Confederation in 1949
Prince Edward Island98,42995,0473,3823.6%
Nova Scotia642,584577,96264,62211.2%
New Brunswick515,697457,40158,29612.7%
Quebec4,055,6813,331,882723,79921.7%
Ontario4,597,5423,787,655809,88721.4%
Manitoba776,541729,74446,7976.4%
Saskatchewan831,728895,992−64,264−7.2%
Alberta939,501796,169143,33218.0%
British Columbia1,165,210817,861347,34942.5%
Yukon Territory9,0964,9144,18285.1%
Northwest Territories16,00412,0283,97633.1%
Total14,009,42911,506,6552,502,77421.8%

Ontario added the largest number of new residents since the 1941 census, while British Columbia saw the highest growth rate among the provinces, becoming the first western province to reach one million inhabitants. Saskatchewan experienced a second consecutive decade of population decline, falling behind both Alberta and British Columbia in size.

Newfoundland, where the previous census was in 1945, recorded a 12.3% increase in population.

Population by religion

DenominationPopulation[3]% of total
Roman Catholic6,069,49643.3%
United Church2,867,27120.5%
Anglican2,060,72014.7%
Presbyterian781,7475.6%
Baptist519,5853.7%
Lutheran444,9233.2%
Jewish204,8361.5%
Ukrainian (Greek) Catholic190,8311.4%
Greek Orthodox172,2711.2%
Mennonite125,9380.9%
Pentecostal95,1310.7%
Salvation Army70,2750.5%
Evangelical50,9000.4%
Jehovah's Witnesses34,5960.2%
Mormon32,8880.2%
No religion59,6790.4%
Other/not recorded260,6251.9%

Population by Ethnicity

EthnicityPopulation[4]% of total
French4,319,16730.83%
English3,630,34425.91%
Scottish1,547,47011.05%
Irish1,439,63510.28%
German619,9954.43%
Ukrainian395,0432.82%
Dutch264,2671.89%
Polish219,8461.57%
Jewish181,6701.30%
Indigenous165,6071.18%
Italian152,2451.09%
Norwegian119,2660.85%
Swedish97,7800.70%
Other British Isles92,2360.66%
Russian91,2790.65%
Czech and Slovak63,9590.46%
Hungarian60,4600.43%
Finnish43,7450.31%
Danish42,6710.30%
Belgian35,1480.25%
Chinese32,5280.23%
Austrian32,2310.23%
Romanian23,6010.17%
Icelandic23,3070.17%
Japanese21,6630.15%
Yugoslav21,4040.15%
African18,0200.13%
Lithuanian16,2240.12%
Greek13,9660.10%
Syrian12,3010.09%
Estonian9,8180.07%
Latvian9,2140.07%
South Asian2,1480.02%
Other and Not Stated191,1711.36%

See also

References

  1. ^ "Historical Statistics of Canada: Population and Migration". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  2. ^ "After 1921". Library and Archives Canada. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  3. ^ Statistics Canada (2017). "Table A164-184, Principal religious denominations of the population, census dates 1871 to 1971". Statistics Canada. doi:10.25318/1710007301-eng. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Ninth census of Canada, 1951 = Neuvième recensement du Canada". Canada Dominion Bureau of Statistics. July 2002. Retrieved 28 September 2024.