1817 – Provides the name of the head of the household, the number of men over 50, the number of men 16 to 49, the number of boys, women, girls the total in the household, and family origin.  Index version available for Sydney County (now Antigonish and Guysborough Counties).

1827 – a nominal census by household head.  The museum has s copy of the version published by the Public archives of Nova Scotia.  This Census includes totals of males and females in the household, male and female servants, and total in the household, occupation of the head of the household, religion, the number of births, marriages, and deaths in the household in the past year.  It also includes data on agricultural output  Index for Sydney County, upper district (now Antigonish County) is available.

1838 – is a nominal census by household head.  The museum has an index published by the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia and a copy of the microfilm of the original.  This Census contains as well as the name of the head of the household, the occupation, number of males and females under 6, number of males and females under 14, number of males and females over 14, and the total in the family.  There is also some agricultural information on the original microfilm.  Index and microfilm versions available for Antigonish and Pictou Counties.

1860-61 – also a census by the head of the household.  There are breakdowns of the family by age and gender but these records are difficult to use because of problems in the order of microfilming.  As well, unlike the 1827 and 1838 Census the names are entered in a more random order.  Therefore, it is unlikely that the families listed next to each other were neighbors.  Microfilm for Antigonish County available.

1871 – this Census is the first Canadian Census following Confederation.  The Census was designed to record the names, gender, ages, province/country of birth, ethnic origin, religion, occupation, and literacy for each individual.  It also indicates those who were married or widowed.  There is also considerable other information on schedules (each schedule is a page) providing data on land ownership, agriculture, industry, lumbering, and fisheries.  Microfilm and index versions available for Antigonish County.

1881 – this Census contains the same information of that of 1871 except that the economic schedules have not survived.  Microfilm and index versions available for Antigonish County.

1891 – this Census contains names, gender, relationship, to the head of the household, ages, marital data, province/country of birth, whether there were French Canadian, province/country of parent’s birth, and occupation.  Index version available for Antigonish and Inverness Counties.

1901 – this Census has two schedules.  The first schedule includes information on the name of various communities in the district and real estate information.  This is linked to families on the second schedule by page and household number.  The second schedule provides the names, gender, whether the person is white or black, relationship to the head of the household, marital status, date of birth (unreliable), age, country of place of birth, whether born urban or rural, year of immigration to Canada, year of naturalization, racial or tribal origin, nationality, religion, occupation, information on income and education.  Microfilm version available for Antigonish County; partial index.