I had the very same question for one family I was researching. When I queried the Canadian Archives this was the answer they sent to me: In reply to your inquiry of 21 June 2010 I wish to advise you that in the 1851 and 1861 census of New Brunswick, for the column Race and Where Born, many entries have the word Native. As you suggested, this refers to the term “native born”, meaning the person was born in the province. It does not mean they were a native Indian (aboriginal). There was no column in those New Brunswick census returns to designate if an individual was aboriginal, so there is no means of knowing if a native born individual was aboriginal. I trust you will find this information helpful. Sincerely, Léone Mineault Services de généalogie / Genealogy Services Division des services aux clients / Clients Services Division Bibliothèque et Archives Canada / Library and Archives Canada 395 Wellington, Ottawa ON Canada K1A 0N4 I hope this helps. - Kim On 18 Apr 2011, at 11:44 AM, newbrunswick-request@rootsweb.com wrote: > > > Message: 4 > Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:39:29 -0500 > From: Jim Roaix <jerx42@hughes.net> > Subject: [ NB ] 1861 census clarification? > To: "newbrunswick@rootsweb.com" <newbrunswick@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <C9D1C561.BB9B%jerx42@hughes.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" > > The 1861 census for Wicklow, Carleton, New Brunswick lists an entire > page of > people as being ?Native? and the Ancestry.com transcribed version > interprets > that as ?Native American.? Did it actually mean that, or are they > referring > to ?native to Canada or New Brunswick?? > > Jim > -- > Jim Roaix > 605 W Shawnee Street > Tahlequah OK 74464 > 918-207-0093 > jerx42@hughes.net > http://web.me.com/jerx/Neolithic_Sculpture/About_the_Artist.html > > > > ------------------------------