An Automated Record Linkage System for the Canadian Census, 1871-81

This paper examines labour market transitions in Canada during the turbulent decade of the 1870s. We present new linked census data that permit investigation of career progression from 'first job' for 15-25 yr olds to adult occupation 10 years later and occupational adjustments for those 25+ years old in 1871. We examine these transitions for three samples of the Canadian population: men and women known to be operating industrial establishments in 1871 and their families, people living in a Canadian rural township and a random sample of the Canadian population. This paper shows a greater than anticipated stability in agricultural occupations. A methodological innovation is the HDRU's computer-driven census record linkage system, which vastly reduces the time required to produce datasets of linked individuals for research purposes.