1921
Newfoundland Population Census

Listing

Arranged by District

HOW THE CENSUS IS ORGANIZED AND DISPLAYED ON THE SITE

The idea originated with John Howell and the Notre Dame Genealogy Project and was later expanded to cover the entire Province by Bill Crant and a large number of volunteer transcribers.

We wouuld like to thank the original group who started the 1921 census project of transcribing the Notre Dame Bay region of the Province. Put together by John and Patricia Howell, Tonya Colbourne, Glynn Hewlett, Freeman Fry, Karen Ruedisueli, George White, and Sidney Young. There may be others that I am not aware of.

Bill Crant, who then combined their efforts with his own to expand the project out to include the entire Province, thus creating the Newfoundland's Grand Banks Genealogy Site (NGB). Together, these people were the origin of the idea to put the 1921 cenus on line for all to be able to use it from anywhere they are living.

It should be realized that the 1921 census is an old document that was hand written and in many areas, it is very difficult to read the handwriting. Also many of the pages are in very poor condition, adding to the difficulty that these people had in trying to transcribe the information. The original census was organized in the order of the houses on the street in each community. People living next door to each other or within the same house can be identified by the order of the names in the census. We have attempted to retain the original layout, spellings of the names, and the order of the names in the census so that researchers can derive all of the information possible from the original census information. It is hoped to add the information contained on the right hand page of the census at a later date.

Our sincere thanks to all of these people who put the original idea together (These plus any others that I may be unaware of their participation).

Report on the Census of Newfoundland and Labrador, 1921

To: His Ecellency SIR WILLIAM LAMOND ALLARDYCE, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Island of Newfoundland and Dependencies.

May it Please Your Excellency :

I have the honour to submit the following repost upon the census of 1921:

1. This census was taken under the Cap. 20, Consolidated Statutes (Third Series), which directed that the population of the Colony be enumerated between the months of June and December in the year of 1921.

2. In the early part of 1921, the necessary forms for the work of the Census were prepared. These Forms were the same as those used for the Census of 1911, the number of items being taken being 311, the particulars of every individual residing in the Colony being called for. Books of instruction to the enumerators detailing their duties were prepared. The Books, Forms and Instructions were approved by his Excellency the Governor in Council under Section 7 of the Census Act.

3. In July, 1921, each Electoral District was subdivided into divisions and Enumerators appointed to each division. The Forms were sent to these Enumerators and they commenced the work of taking the Census. In September, 1921, certain Stipendiary and Honorary Justices were appointed for the purpose of examining and revising the Returns of these Enumerators. The Enumeration in most cases was completed by the end of November and the Revising Justices proceeded with their work during the December month. In some cases, however, because of faulty Returns, the work had to be gone over again, and the revision was not completed until the early part of 1922. One enumerator was appointed for Labrador, and we secured the co-operation of Bishop Martin, at Nain, who furnished particulars of the Moravian Settlements to the far North.

4. Special care had to be taken in relation to the residences of the people, for the Educational and Road Grants are allocated to each section or settlement according to its population. Many of the people at the time of enumeration were not at their homes, but were at Labrador or other parts of the Colony. The Enumerator, however, had to enter them with their places of residence, and particular oversight, had to be exercised to insure that they were not entered twice, that is, at their temporary place of working and also at the place where was their regular residence. In some cases the Revising officers held the sheets over until the people returned home, in order that they might be properly checked. Copies of each Enumerators Returns were given to the respective clergymen (?) in the division and the correctness of the Census depends in a great measure upon the assistance in checking which we received from the various Clergeymen in the Island.