The 1861 Census included some minor variations in data collected depending on Province - the following relate to Ontario:
- Column 1 – Names
- Column 2 – Profession, trade, or occupation
- Column 3 – Place of birth
- Column 4 – Married during the year
- Column 5 – Religion
- Column 6 – Residence if out of limits
- Column 7 – Age at next birthday
- Column 8 – Sex, male
- Column 9 – Sex, female
- Column 10 – Married or single
- Column 11 – Widowers
- Column 12 – Widows
- Column 13 – Colored persons, mulatto, or Indian
- Column 14 – Residents, members of family (male)
- Column 15 – Residents, members of family (females)
- Column 16 – Residents, not members of family (male)
- Column 17 – Residents, not members of family (female)
- Column 18 – Members of family absent (male)
- Column 19 – Members of family absent (female)
- Column 20 – Deaf and dumb
- Column 21 – Blind
- Column 22 – Lunatics or idiots
- Column 23 – Children attending school within the year (male)
- Column 24 – Children attending school within the year (female)
- Column 25 – Persons over the age of 20 who cannot read or write (male)
- Column 26 – Persons over the age of 20 who cannot read or write (female)
- Column 27 – Births in 1860 (male)
- Column 28 – Births in 1860 (female)
- Column 29 – Deaths in 1860 (male)
- Column 30 – Deaths in 1860 (female)
- Column 31 – Deaths in 1860, age and cause of death
- Column 32 – Houses (brink, stone, frame, log, etc.)
- Column 33 – Houses, number of stories
- Column 34 – Houses, number of families living in house
- Column 35 – Houses vacant
- Column 36 – Houses being built
- Column 37 – Livestock, etc., of townspeople and persons not farmers (horses)
- Column 38 – Livestock, etc., of townspeople and persons not farmers (cows)
- Column 39 – Livestock, etc., of townspeople and persons not farmers (sheep)
- Column 40 – Livestock, etc., of townspeople and persons not farmers (pigs)
- Column 41 – Livestock, etc., of townspeople and persons not farmers (value of livestock in dollars)
- Column 42 – Livestock, etc., of townspeople and persons not farmers (carriages for pleasure)
- Column 43 – Livestock, etc., of townspeople and persons not farmers (value of same in dollars)
- Column 44 – Livestock, etc., of townspeople and persons not farmers (carriages for hire)
- Column 45 – Livestock, etc., of townspeople and persons not farmers (value of same in dollars)
- Column 46 – Quantity of land attached to tenement
- Column 47 – Name of business or manufacture
- Column 48 – Capital invested in business in real estate and personal estate
- Column 49 – Raw material used, exclusive of fuel: quantities
- Column 50 – Raw material used, exclusive of fuel: kinds
- Column 51 – Raw material used, exclusive of fuel: value
- Column 52 – What motive power or machinery
- Column 53 – Average number of hands employed (male)
- Column 54 – Average number of hands employed (female)
- Column 55 – Average cost per month of male labor
- Column 56 – Average cost per month of female labor
- Column 57 – Annual product of business or manufacture (quantities)
- Column 58 – Annual product of business or manufacture (kinds)
- Column 59 – Annual product of business or manufacture (value)
- Column 60 – Remarks