Statistics Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Classification of census family status

This classification was approved as a departmental standard on October 22, 2007.

1
Census family person
 
This class includes persons who are members of a census family. A census family person can be a spouse, a common-law partner, a lone parent or a child.
 
1.1
Member of couple
 
This class includes persons who are members of a married couple or of a couple living common law. Both members of the couple live in the same dwelling. A couple may be of opposite or same sex.
 
1.1.1
Spouse
 
This class includes persons who are members of an opposite-sex or same-sex legally married couple where both members of the couple live in the same dwelling.
 
1.1.2
Common-law partner
 
This class includes persons who are members of an opposite-sex or same-sex couple living common law. A couple living common law is one in which the members are not legally married to each other but live together as a couple in the same dwelling.
 
1.2
Lone parent
 
This class includes mothers and fathers with no spouses or common-law partners present who live in a dwelling with one or more children.
 
1.3
Child in census family
 
This class includes persons who are blood, step- or adopted sons or daughters (regardless of age or marital status), as well as grandchildren in households where there are no parents present. Children do not live with spouses, partners or children of their own.
 
2
Person not in a census family
 
This class includes persons who are not members of a census family.