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Early English settlements (1692 to 1749)

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As a result of the discontinuation of E-STAT, some of the links to the tables available in the publication 98-187-X Introduction to Censuses of Canada, 1665-1871 were broken. The tables can be requested via the Statistics Canada’s Data Liberation Initiative (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/dli/dli). For the convenience of users, the tables are also available on the Queen’s University website: (http://library.queensu.ca/data/census-1665-1871). The website is in English as Queen’s University is not subject to the Official Languages Act.

Newfoundland — 1698
The statements of population for the years 1736 and 1737

1692--English settlements in Newfoundland : 377 men.
(Archives de Paris.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

The sailors of the numerous fishing vessels and merchant ships which at this period frequented the island, are not included in the statements relating to the population of Newfoundland. It will be observed that the number of English vessels, in 1692, amounted to 110. The fact of there being a resident and a floating population explains the singular coincidences and variations from year to year of the figures furnished by these documents.

1692--Population of New France : 12,431.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1 & 2.)

1693--Population of Acadia : 1,009.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1 & 2.)

1695--Population of New France : 13,639.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1 & 2.)

1695--Population of the St. John River : 49.
(Archives de Paris.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1696--English population of Newfoundland : 2,321.
(De La Potherie, Edition 1753, Vol. 1, page 53 and onwards.)
(See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1698--Population of New France : 15,355.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1 & 2.)

1698--Population of a portion of Acadia : 789.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1698--Resident population of Plaisance, Newfoundland : 188.
(Archives de Paris.)

Newfoundland — 1698

Census of Residents of Plaisance, on the Island, in 1698. Opens a new browser window.

Census of Residents of Plaisance, on the Island, in 1698

Note: These Censuses were compiled in Paris. The settlement of Beaubassin, in Acadia, was sacked and burned in 1696. The English population of Newfoundland, according to the work called The British Empire in America (edition of 1744, vol I., p. 14), was estimated in 1698 to be 1500 souls.

1698--English population of Newfoundland : 1,500.
(The British Empire in America, Vol. 1., page 14.)

1701--Population of the North of the Peninsula of Acadia : 1,134.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1702--Resident French population of Newfoundland : 466.
(Archives de Paris.)

1703--Population of the North of the Peninsula of Acadia : 1,244.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1705--French population of Newfoundland : 520.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1706--Population of New France : 16,417.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1 & 2.)

1707--Population of New France : 17,204.
(Archives de Paris.)

1707--Population of the North of the Peninsula of Acadia : 1,484.
(Archives de Paris.)

1711--French population of Newfoundland : 225.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1712--Population of New France : 18,440, made up as follows : Married.--Men 2,786, women 2,588. Unmarried.--Males 6,716, females 6,350.
(Archives de Paris.)

1713--Population of New France : 18,119, made up as follows : Married.--Men 2,868, women 2,930. Unmarried.--Males 6,189, females 6,132.
(Archives de Paris.)

1714--Population of New France : 18,964, made up as follows : Married.--Men 3,042, women 2,931. Unmarried.--Males 6,680, females 6,311.
(Archives de Paris.)

1714--Population of the North of the Peninsula of Acadia : 1,773.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1716--Population of New France : 20,531, made up as follows : Married.--Men 3,318, women 3,340. Unmarried.--Males 7,059, females 6,814.
(Archives de Paris.)

1718--Population of New France : 22,983, made up as follows : Married.--Men 3,662, women 3,926. Unmarried.--Males 7,911, females 7,484.
(Archives de Paris.)

1719--Population of New France : 22,530.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1720--Population of New France : 24,434.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1720--Population of St. John Island : 17 families, about 100.
(Archives de Paris.)

1721--Population of New France : 24,951.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1722--Population of New France : 25,053, made up as follows : Married.--Men 4,529, women 4,126. Unmarried.--Males 7,973, females 8,425.
(Archives de Paris.)

1723--Population of New France : 26,479, made up as follows : Married.--Men 4,778, women 4,323. Unmarried.--Males 8,793, females 8,585.
(Archives de Paris.)

1724--Population of New France : 26,710, made up as follows : Married.--Men 4,787, women 4,352. Unmarried.--Males 8,912, females 8,659.
(Archives de Paris.)

1726--Population of New France : 29,396, made up as follows : Married.--Men 4,906, women 4,691. Unmarried.--Males 10,123, females 9,676.
(Archives de Paris.)

1727--Population of New France : 30,613, made up as follows : Married.--Men 4,855, women 4,852. Unmarried.--Males 10,605, females 10,301.
(Archives de Paris.)

1728--Population of St. John Island : 330.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1730--Population of New France : 33,682, made up as follows : Married.--Men 6,050, women 5,728. Unmarried.--Males 11,314, females 10,590.
(Archives de Paris.)

1731--Population of the North of the Peninsula of Acadia : 6,000.
(Estimated from information in the Archives de Paris.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1732--Population of New France : 35,164, made up as follows : Married.--Men 6,174, women 5,926. Unmarried.--Males 11,902, females 11,162.
(Archives de Paris.)

1733--Population of St. John River (New Brunswick) : 111.
(Archives de Paris.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1734--Population of New France : 37,716.
(Census.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1735--Population of St. John Island : 541.
(Archives de Paris.)

1736--Population of New France : 39,063, made up as follows : Married.--Men 7,062, women 6,631. Unmarried.--Males 12,908, females 12,462.
(Archives de Paris.)

Note: The statements of population for the years 1736 and 1737 give the figures inscribed in the following small table :--

The King's troops were composed of 28 captains, 28 lieutenants, 28 ensigns en pied, 28 ensigns en second, 28 cadets à l'aiguillette, and 784 soldiers.

Years. Males. Women. Boys. Girls. Totals.

1736

7,062

6,631

12,908

12,462

39,063

1737 7,378 6,804 13,330 12,458 39,970

A Memoir deposited among the Archives of Paris gives a Census of the Indian population in the territories now comprised in the following geographical divisions :--

In British America.--Part of the Territory drained by the River St. John, in New Brunswick ; the Province of Quebec, from Quebec Westward ; the Province of Ontario ; the Province of Manitoba and part of the North-West Territory.

In the United States.--The States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Western Virginia, and part of Virginia and Maryland, with the Territory of Dakota.

The Indians of this vast extent of territory were estimated to number 15,875 warriors, which supposes a total population of about 79,375.

1737--Population of New France : 39,970, made up as follows : Married.--Men 7,378, women 6,804. Unmarried.--Males 13,330, females 12,458.
(Archives de Paris.)

1737--French population of the North of the Acadian Peninsula : 7,598.
(Archives de Paris.)

1739--Population of New France : 42,701.
(Archives de Paris.--See summary tables in E-STAT 1.)

1739--Population of River St. John, parish of Ekoupay : 116.
(Archives de Paris.)

1741--English population of Newfoundland : 6,000.
(The British Empire in America, Vol. 1., page 14.)

1749--British immigrants brought by Governor Cornwallis to Nova Scotia : 2,544 persons, thus divided : Married.--men, 509 ; women 509. Unmarried.--men, 660 ; women, 3. Children--boys, 228 ; girls, 216. Servants--men, 277 ; women, 142.
(Halifax Archives.)

1749--French population of the whole of the Acadian Peninsula : 13,000.

1749--French population of Ile Royale (Cape Breton) : 1,000.

1749--French population of the Acadian Mainland (New Brunswick) : 1,000.

1749--French population of St. John Island (Prince Edward) : 1,000.