2011 Census of Canada: Topic-based tabulations

Census family status

Part A - Short definition
Classification of persons according to whether or not they are members of a census family and the status they have in the census family (a census family is composed of a married couple or two persons living common-law, with or without children, or of a lone parent living with at least one child in the same dwelling). A person can be a married spouse, a common-law partner, a lone parent, a child or a person not in a census family.

Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the classification of the population according to whether or not the persons are members of a census family.
Census family persons refer to household members who belong to a census family.
Census family persons can be further classified into one of the following four categories:
a) Married spouses
Two persons of opposite sex or of the same sex who are legally married to each other and living in the same dwelling.
b) Common-law partners
Two persons of opposite sex or of the same sex who are not legally married to each other, but live together as a couple in the same dwelling.
c) Lone parents
Mothers or fathers, with no married spouse or common-law partner present, living in a dwelling with one or more children.
d) Children
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, those sons and 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).
Persons not in census families refer to household members who do not belong to a census family.