A New Prosopography: The Enumerators of the 1891 Census in Ontario

Who were the enumerators and to what degree were they representative of the wider Ontario population in 1891? What potential influence did the selection of enumerators have on the accuracy and bias of the census returns? We address these questions by considering the residence and socioeconomic characteristics of Ontario enumerators, as identified in their own census returns, in relation to a new 5 percent sample of the entire Ontario population. We found that the census commissioners were largely successful in finding men they deemed trustworthy and reliable to serve as enumerators: married, middle-aged heads of household with ties to their communities. These men were broadly representative of the rest of 1891 Ontario, especially the large class of independent farmers and tradesmen in the countryside and the growing middle class in the towns and cities. However, communities composed of ethnic or religious minorities including French-Canadian Catholics and Lutherans often had an enumerator who shared their language and culture. The 1891 census was not objective and was certainly not perfect, but the Dominion was successful in improving and standardizing pre-Confederation census-taking practices. The selection of more competent, knowledgeable, and representative enumerators was a key component of that success.