Colchester County
Census and Vital Statistics Files
The data in these files was transcribed by Don Lewis of Ottawa. It is recommended that the original microfilm be consulted to confirm the information. A searchable index of the Colchester County census files may be found on the web site of the Colchester County Historical Society and Archives. Printed copies are available for sale. A searchable index of the marriage files for both Colchester and Cumberland county may be found on the web site of the Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management.
Cumberland County Census and Vital Statistics
File Structure
The 1871, 1881, and 1891 Census
The files are in text delimited format and compressed with PKZIP. The files can be uncompressed with PKUNZIP.EXE also available here as PKZ204G.EXE
The file structure is as follows:
Field Field Name Type Width Dec
1 SERIAL Character 4
2 DISTRICT Character 20
3 FAMNO Character 3
4 LAST Character 13
5 FIRST Character 11
6 SEC Character 11
7 AGE Character 2
8 OCCUP Character 20
9 OTHER Character 15
** Total ** 100
If you are using dBASE III, the file structure is stored in CENSUS.DBF and the commands to create database files and import the data after uncompressing
the downloaded files are:
.CREATE 1871COL FROM CENSUS
.APPEND FROM 1871COL.CSV DELIMITED WITH "
.CREATE 1881COL FROM CENSUS
.APPEND FROM 1891COL.CSV DELIMITED WITH "
.CREATE 1891COL FROM CENSUS
.APPEND FROM 1891COL.CSV DELIMITED WITH "
The 1901 Census
The file structure is slightly different with additional fields and is available in dBASE III format as CENSUS01.DBF
Field Field Name Type Width Dec
1 SERIAL Character 4
2 DISTRICT Character 20
3 FAMNO Character 3
4 LAST Character 13
5 FIRST Character 11
6 SEC Character 11
7 REL Character 15
8 STATUS Character 1
9 AGE Character 2
10 BIRTHD Character 2
11 BIRTHM Character 3
12 BIRTH Character 4
13 OTHER Character 15
** Total ** 105
The dBASE III commands to create a database file and import the data after uncompressing
the downloaded file are:
.CREATE 1901COL FROM CENSUS01
.APPEND FROM 1901COL.CSV DELIMITED WITH "
Vital Statistics Files
The structure of the index to birth registrations is available in dBASE III format as
BIRTHS.DBF
Field Field Name Type Width Dec
1 BIRTHD Character 2
2 BIRTHM Character 2
3 BIRTH Character 4
4 PAGE Character 3
5 NUMBER Character 3
6 WHEREB Character 17
7 WHEREM Character 17
8 LAST Character 13
9 FIRST Character 11
10 SECOND Character 11
11 THIRD Character 11
12 FATHER Character 11
13 MOTHER Character 11
14 MAIDEN Character 11
15 MARRD Character 2
16 MARRM Character 2
17 MARR Character 4
18 TREE Character 2
19 ID Character 10
20 CODE Character 3
** Total ** 151
The structure of the index to death registrations is available in dBASE III format as
DEATHS.DBF
Field Field Name Type Width Dec
1 CONDITION Character 2
2 BORN Character 17
3 DIED Character 17
4 CAUSE Character 17
5 DEATHD Character 2
6 DEATHM Character 2
7 DEATH Character 4
8 LAST Character 13
9 FIRST Character 11
10 SECOND Character 11
11 AGEY Character 2
12 AGEM Character 2
13 AGED Character 2
14 FATHER Character 11
15 FATHLAST Character 11
16 MOTHER Character 11
17 MAIDEN Character 11
18 SPOUSE Character 11
19 TREE Character 2
20 ID Character 10
21 CODE Character 3
22 REMARKS Character 35
** Total ** 208
The structure of the index to marriage registrations is available in dBASE III format as
MARRIAGE.DBF
Field Field Name Type Width Dec
1 LAST Character 11
2 FIRST Character 10
3 SECOND Character 10
4 AGEM Character 2
5 MSTATUSM Character 1
6 RESHEAD Character 19
7 BORNM Character 19
8 FATHERM Character 10
9 MOTHERM Character 10
10 MAIDENM Character 11
11 OCCUP Character 15
12 TREE Character 2
13 ID Character 10
14 MARRD Character 2
15 MARRM Character 2
16 MARR Character 4
17 LASTNAME Character 11
18 FIRSTNAME Character 10
19 SECNAME Character 10
20 AGEF Character 2
21 MSTATUSF Character 1
22 RESSPOU Character 18
23 BORNF Character 18
24 FATHERF Character 10
25 MOTHERF Character 10
26 MAIDENF Character 11
27 TREEF Character 2
28 IDENT Character 8
29 CODE Character 3
** Total ** 253
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