Census family structure (for census family)

Status: This standard was approved as a departmental standard on July 31, 2026.

Definition

Census family structure refers to the combination of relatives that comprise a census family. Classification on this variable considers the presence or absence of married spouses or common-law partners, parents and children.

Census family refers to a married or common-law couple (with or without children) or a one-parent family. All members of a particular census family share a usual place of residence. Persons living with at least one of their biological or adopted parents are children in census families, regardless of their age or marital status, provided they do not live in a couple or with their children. Grandchildren living with at least one of their grandparents and with no parents present also constitute a census family.

Derivation

'Census family structure' is derived from the responses to questions about the relationships among the people who live in the household. Census families that contain a married or common-law couple (with or without children) are classified as couple families. Census families consisting of one parent with one or more of their children are classified as one-parent families.

Conformity to relevant internationally recognized standards

This standard is compatible with the recommendations for censuses contained in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Conference of European Statisticians (UNECE-CES) "Recommendations for the 2030 Round of Population and Housing Censuses", 2025. The UNECE-CES recommendations include a classification (section 16.3.2.7) of type of family nucleus, which distinguishes between couple families (with or without children) and one-parent families.

Classifications

Relation to previous version

  • Census family structure (for census family) July 31, 2026 to current

    The classification name, category definitions, definitions of the concept "census family structure" and of the statistical unit "census family" have been modified.

  • Census family structure (for census family) May 26, 2021 to July 30, 2026

    The definition of the statistical unit and the classification have been modified, as has the definition of the concept in French.

  • Census family structure of census family November 16, 2015 to May 25, 2021

    This is an update of 'Family structure of census family'. The definition and derivation have been simplified by making the concept specific to census families. The concept has been renamed "Census family structure".

  • Family structure of census family October 22, 2007 to November 15, 2015

    'Family structure of census family' is incorporated within the classifications of two previous standards, 'Census family marital structure' and 'Census family parental structure'. The current standards take a more simplified approach, presenting each classification dimension as a separate concept. This approach provides greater conceptual and definitional clarity while simultaneously allowing users more flexibility in constructing whatever more complex, multidimensional classifications meet their needs for data presentation.

  • Census family marital structure July 15, 1998 to October 21, 2007

    'Family structure of census family' replaces the standard 'Census family marital structure' as of October 22, 2007.

  • Census family parental structure July 15, 1998 to October 21, 2007

    'Family structure of census family' replaces the standard 'Census family parental structure' as of October 22, 2007.

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