2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1971¹, 1966¹, 1961¹

Population in private households (including those enumerated outside Canada)²

Derived variable: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Not applicable

'Children' refer to blood, step or adopted sons and daughters (regardless of age or marital status) who are living in the same dwelling as their parent(s), as well as grandchildren in households where there are no parents present.

Sons and daughters who are living with their married spouse or common-law partner, or with one or more of their own children, are not considered to be members of the census family of their parent(s), even if they are living in the same dwelling. In addition, the sons or daughters who do not live in the same dwelling as their parent(s) are not considered members of the census family of their parent(s). Sons or daughters who study or have a summer job elsewhere but return to live with their parent(s) during the year are considered members of the census family of their parent(s).

As of 2011, a child living with a couple family can be identified as a child in an intact family; the child of one parent in a simple stepfamily; the child of one parent in a complex stepfamily; or the child of both parents in a complex stepfamily.

As of 2006, a married couple may be of opposite or same sex.

The 2001 Census introduced several changes to the census family concept:

• Two persons living in a same-sex common-law relationship and their children residing in the same household, if any, are considered a census family.
• Children in a census family can have been previously married (as long as they are not currently living with a married spouse or common-law partner). Prior to the 2001 Census, they had to be never-married.
• A grandchild living in a three-generation household where the parent (middle generation) is never-married will, contrary to previous censuses, now be considered as a child in the census family of his or her parent, provided the grandchild is not living with his or her own married spouse, common-law partner, or child. Prior to the 2001 Census, the census family consisted of the two older generations.
• A grandchild present in the household of his or her grandparent(s), where a middle-generation parent is not present, will now be considered as a child in the census family of his or her grandparent, provided the grandchild is not living with his or her own married spouse, common-law partner, or child. Prior to the 2001 Census, such a grandchild would not be considered as the member of a census family.

As of 2011, all write-in responses for Question 6 (Relationship to Person 1) are captured on the census form, so that family characteristics can be available for 100% census data.

In the 1996, 2001 and 2006 censuses, the write-in responses for Question 6 (Relationship to Person 1) on the short questionnaire were not coded to the appropriate detailed relationship value, but were classified as 'other' relationships. Only write-in responses from the long questionnaire (20% sample) were fully coded. As a result, family characteristics are available only for the 20% sample for those years.

In censuses prior to 1991, the families of married couples and those of opposite-sex common-law couples together constituted husband-wife families and appeared as such in most census family tables.

The census family and its associated classifications and variables are derived according to responses to the questions on sex, date of birth, marital status, common-law status and relationship to Person 1. In addition, consideration is given to the order in which household members are listed on the questionnaire.

Figure 19 provides an overview of the census family variables.

¹In censuses prior to 1976, published family statistics included families living in private households (including those enumerated outside Canada) and all collective households.

²As of 2001, census families do not include Hutterite collective households, as they did prior to 2001.

2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1971¹

Census families in private households

Derived variable: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Not applicable

In 1971, the concept of 'children' included sons or daughters aged 24 years and younger, and never married. In 1976, the age restriction was removed, and the concept of 'children' was defined as sons or daughters of any age.

Since 2001, the concept of 'children' includes sons or daughters of any age, whether or not they have been married, provided they do not have a married spouse, common-law partner or children living in the household. Grandchildren living in the household with grandparent(s) and no parent(s) present are also considered children in the census family of their grandparent(s).

See Census family for more information on intact families and stepfamilies.

¹In 1971, published family statistics included families living in private households (including those enumerated outside Canada) and all collective households.

2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976¹, 1971²

Population in private households

Derived variable: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Not applicable

Census family status is used when detail is required for persons who are part of a census family.

Common-law partners may be of any marital status other than 'Legally married (and not separated).'

The category of 'children' can be further distinguished as follows:

1. Never-married sons and/or daughters in a census family.
2. Ever-married sons and/or daughters in a census family, that is, who were previously married, were not included in census families according to the pre-2001 concept.
3. Grandchildren living in the same household as their grandparent(s), with no parents present; these grandchildren were not included in census families according to the pre-2001 concept.
4. As of 2011, a child in a couple family can be classified as either a child in an intact family or a child in a stepfamily. A child in a stepfamily, in turn, can be classified as a child in a simple stepfamily or a child in a complex stepfamily (refer to Census family for definition of intact families, stepfamilies, and simple and complex stepfamilies).

¹Between 1976 and 2001, unrelated wards, foster and guardianship children are classified as lodgers rather than as sons/daughters of Person 1 (as had been the previous census practice). As of the 2006 Census, persons reported as foster children are classified as other relatives of Person 1, and are therefore in the same economic family as Person 1, but not the same census family.

²The published data for census family status for 1971, 1976, 1981 and 1986 are comparable, although census family status as defined in the Dictionary of the 1971 Census Terms (Catalogue no. 12-540) corresponds to the definition of Census family structure used from the 1976 to 2006 censuses.

In 1971, published family statistics included families living in private households (including those enumerated outside Canada) and all collective households.

2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1971

Census families in private households

Derived variable: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Not applicable

As of 2001, the term 'couple families' will be used when referring inclusively to families of married couples and families of common-law couples. In censuses prior to 1991, the term 'husband-wife families' used in census products covered both the families of married couples and those of opposite-sex common-law couples. Data on opposite-sex common-law couples have been available only since 1981.

As of 2001, data on same-sex common-law couples are available.

As of 2006, data on same-sex married couples are available.

As of 2011, data on intact families and stepfamilies are available.

See Census family for more information on stepfamilies.

2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1971¹

Population in private households²

Derived variable: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Not applicable

The economic family concept requires only that family members be related by blood, marriage³, common-law³, adoption or a foster relationship⁴. By contrast, the census family concept requires that family members be a male or female married spouse, a male or female common-law partner, a male or female lone parent, or a child with a parent present. The concept of economic family may refer to a larger group of persons than does the census family concept. For example, a widowed mother living with her married son and daughter-in-law would be considered as a person not in a census family. That same person would, however, be counted as a member of an economic family along with her son and daughter-in-law. Two or more related census families living together also constitute one economic family as, for example, a husband and his wife living with their married son and daughter-in-law. Two or more adult brothers or sisters living together, apart from their parents, form an economic family, but not a census family. All census family persons are economic family persons.

The economic family and its associated classifications and variables are derived according to the responses to the questions on sex, date of birth, marital status, common-law status, and relationship to Person 1. In addition, consideration is given to the order in which household members are listed on the questionnaire. Figure 19 provides an overview of the economic family variables.

¹In 1971, published family statistics included families living in private households (including those enumerated outside Canada) and all collective households.

²As of 2001, economic families do not include Hutterite collective households. Prior to 2001, economic families were defined in Hutterite collective households.

³As of 2001, common-law partners may be of opposite or same sex. As of 2006, married spouses may be of opposite or same sex.

⁴As of 2006, foster children are considered economic family members.

2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1971

Population in private households

Derived variable: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Not applicable

Prior to 2011, the male married spouse or common-law partner was designated as the economic family reference person in opposite-sex couples, in order to produce historically comparable low-income statistics.

In 2006, grandchildren of the reference person, in the absence of the mother or father in the household, were considered as children of the reference person. In 2011, all grandchildren of the reference person are considered as children. Foster children are considered as other economic family members as of 2006.

In 1971, published family statistics included families living in private households (including those enumerated outside Canada) and all collective households.

2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986¹, 1981¹

Economic families in private households

Derived variable: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Not applicable

See Economic family status for more information on economic family reference persons.

See also 'Remarks' for Economic family.

¹In the 1986 and 1981 Censuses, economic families of married and common-law (opposite-sex) couples were both considered husband-wife economic families.

2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981

Population in private households

Derived variable: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Not applicable

This variable provides data on household living arrangements at the population level.

This variable should be used when the distinction between persons living in family households or non-family households is important, and/or when further detail is required for persons who are not part of a census family. For more information, see Household type in the Household universe section and Census family status.