Family structure of census family

Status: This standard was replaced by the 'Census family structure of census family' as of November 16, 2015.

Definition

Family structure refers to the combination of relatives that comprise a family. Classification on this variable considers the presence or absence of: legally married spouses or common law partners; children; and, in the case of economic families, other relatives.

Census family refers to a married couple and the children, if any, of either or both spouses; a couple living common law and the children, if any, of either or both partners; or, a lone parent of any marital status with at least one child living in the same dwelling and that child or those children. All members of a particular census family live in the same dwelling. A couple may be of opposite or same sex. Children may be children by birth, marriage or adoption regardless of their age or marital status as long as they live in the dwelling and do not have their own spouse or child living in the dwelling. Grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present also constitute a census family.

Note: When information displays, such as tables, combine information on census families and persons who are not living in census families, the population is called: Census families and persons not in census families.

Derivation

'Family structure of census family' is derived from the responses to questions about the relationships among the people who live in the household. To determine the structure of economic families, a family reference person must first be identified. The family is then classified according to the presence or absence of this reference person's spouse or partner, child(ren) or other relative(s). The economic family reference person is determined through procedures specific to the particular survey. Census families that contain a married or common-law couple (either with or without children) and economic families where the reference person has a legally married spouse or common-law partner in the family (regardless of whether or not the reference person also has children) are classified as couple families. Census families consisting of one parent with his or her child(ren) and economic families where the reference person has no spouse or partner but does have a child or children in the family are classified as lone-parent families. Economic families where the reference person does not have a spouse or partner, nor a child in the family, only other relatives, are classified as other economic families.

Conformity to relevant internationally recognized standards

This standard is compatible with the recommendations for censuses contained in the United Nations' Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, Revision 2, 2007. The UN recommendations include a classification of nuclear households (those consisting entirely of a single family nucleus) which includes the distinction between families containing a couple (either married or in a consensual union) and those with one parent, which is the focus of this standard.

This standard is also compatible with the Conference of European Statisticians Recommendations for the 2010 Censuses of Population and Housing, 2006 which recommended classification distinctions similar to those in the UN recommendations.

Classifications

Relation to previous version

  • 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 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.

  • 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.

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