tracing your ancestors in canada- library & archives canada

7/28/2019 Tracing Your Ancestors In Canada- Library & Archives Canada

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Tracing

your ancesTorsin canada

Librar and Archives CanadaCanadian Genealog Centre



FRONT COVER PHOTOS

The famil, John Pearson Morris,ca. 1928 (PA-126728)

Polish immigrants (?),ca. 1890 (PA-148056)

Dtch immigrants arrive at Qébec,Jne 1947 (PA-129829)

West Indian stdents in Montréal,ca. 1958–1960 (C-045104)

The Gibson famil(PA-030000)

Init woman and child, Richard Harrington,1949–1950 (PA-138027)

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealog



TABLE OF CONTENTS

IntroductIon 1

HoW to AccESS

LIBrArY And ArcHIVES

cAnAdA rEcordS 3

HoW to BEgIn Your gEnEALogY 6

gEnEALogIcAL SourcES 9

Bih, Maiae a deah res 9

cess res 11 Immiai res 13

ciizeship anaalizai res 16 1940 naial reisai 16 Miliay res 17

La res 21

Wills 21

Emplyme res 22

Abiial Peples 23

TRACING yOuR ANCESTORS IN CANADA



Sergeant-Major Stevens,1914–1919 (PA-007787)

A Rssian immigrant familon a farm in Saskatchewan,1922 (PA-019079)

Scottish immigrant mother and child pon arrival,ca. 1911 (PA-010151)

Father Joseph Hgonnard, Principal, with staff and Aboriginalstdents of the Indstrial School, Ma 1885 (PA-118765)

Roal Mail Ship Metagama, Canadian Pacic Steam Ship Lines,Jne 1927 (PA-166332)

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealog



The “Vancover Express,” ca. 1920–1930 (PA-149059)

IntroductIon

Libay a Ahives caaa

Librar and Archives Canada provides allCanadians with access to the docmentarheritage of Canada and strives to make knownthat heritage.

It acqires and preserves private papers,pblications, maps, photographs and other docments in all forms; it receives pblicationsthrogh legal deposit; and as the permanentrepositor for all Government of Canada records,

it serves as or contr’s contining memor.

A sorce of endring knowledge, Librar and Archives Canada contribtes to the cltral,social and economic advancement of Canadaas a free and democratic societ. It promotes

and facilitates cooperation among librar andarchival commnities involved in the acqisition,preservation and diffsion of knowledge.

Visit the website of Librar and Archives Canada atwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca to learn more abot

its collections.

TRACING yOuR ANCESTORS IN CANADA 1



the caaia geealy cee

The Canadian Genealog Centre is the location for

accessing the services that Librar and ArchivesCanada provides to genealogists and familhistorians. It encorages the discover of or rootsand or famil histor as ke elements of Canadianheritage. It also promotes genealog and resorcesavailable at archives and libraries.

The Canadian Genealog Centre is located onthe third oor of Library and Archives Canada at395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario. Or consltants there can assist o with qestionsabot or sorces and direct o to other services.

We will answer genealog inqiries receivedb mail, telephone, email and fax. yo canalso access the website of the Centreat www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealog.

This booklet describes the basics of genealogical

research and the most sefl sorces. We inviteo to access or website to learn more on “howto begin” or genealog and to obtain a completedescription of these sorces, available in differentformats, nder What to Search: Topics. Be sre toconslt nder Search for Ancestors the databases

and their online help screens, which containinformation abot the records, the databases andhow to conslt the archival records. AVITuS, theDirector of Canadian Genealogical Resorces, andthe Genealog Links section allow o to discover other sefl websites. under Where to Search:

Places, you will nd resources specic to eachprovince and territor.

yo will notice that, in this booklet, we freqentlrefer to websites; these are nderlined. Certainterms and expressions are also nderlined.

For sers who do not have a compter at home, wesggest that o visit or local librar to access theInternet.

2 www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealog



In the Jasper Hose Valle looking west,Janar 15, 1872 (PA-009149)

HoW to AccESSLIBrArY And ArcHIVES

cAnAdA rEcordS

We invite o to visit or website atwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealog for more details abot the records nder Searchfor Ancestors and What to Search: Topics. For records held b other instittions and governmentdepartments, you must contact the relevant ofce.

You can access a specic record held by Libraryand Archives Canada b one of the meansdescribed below. More detailed information abotor services can be fond nder What to Search:Topics: How to Access Librar and Archives CanadaRecords.

csl he res osie

yo are welcome to visit Librar and ArchivesCanada at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa.

Archival records on microlm, such as census andpassenger lists, and man genealog referencebooks, are available on a self-serve basis.

csl he res olie

Librar and Archives Canada has digitized manarchival records, sch as maps and some censsand militar records. These scanned images can beviewed online on or website. More digitized recordswill be added in the ftre.




Bw Maeial thhIe-isiial La

Man archival and pblished records (e.g.,newspapers) have been microlmed. Most microlmreels and pblished sorces ma be borrowed for or se b instittions, sch as libraries, archivesand resorce centres within and otside Canada.The borrowing instittion, on or behalf, mst

sbmit reqests for loans.

Consult Microflm at Other Institutions

Man libraries and archives, inclding the Famil

Histor Librar, available at www.familsearch.org,hold microlm copies of our archival records suchas censs and passenger lists.

Hie a Feelae reseahe

If o cannot visit Librar and Archives Canada, andthe material of interest to o is not available for loan, o can hire a local researcher to search therecords for o.

oe cpies f dmes

If you have identied a specic page or le of interest, o can reqest photocopies. Note that omst provide an exact reference and orders mst be

prepaid.

Se a Iqiy

Canadian Genealog Centre staff can answer

specic questions about our records; however, wecannot do or famil tree for o. yo can send aninqir b email, mail or fax.




German immigrants, ca. 1911 (PA-010254)

Aess Canadian Genealog CentreLibrar and Archives Canada

395 Wellington StreetOttawa, Ontario K1A 0N4CANADA

telephe613-996-7458 or 1-866-578-7777

(Monda–Frida, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. EST) ttY

613-992-6969 or 1-866-299-1699

Fax

613-995-6274

Email inqiries shold be sent throgh or websiteat www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealog, singthe online form accessible nder Ask a Qestion.




HoW to BEgIn Your gEnEALogY

Genealog is a science that researches therelationships of families and individals fromgeneration to generation, or in other words,researches or ancestr. To trace or ancestors,o start with orself and go back in time as far aspossible.

yor genealogical research starts with or relatives(parents, grandparents, ncles, ants, etc.).

Ask older family members specic questions aboutyour ancestors. Try to nd out the date and placeof birth, marriage and death (if applicable) of or

mother, father, grandfathers and grandmothers,and if possible, or great-grandparents. Gather information on their occpation, where thelived, important events in their lives, religiosdenomination, etc. Record all this informationon famil grop sheets and on a pedigree chart.

Samples of sch charts are available on or websiteat www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealog nder How to Begin: Organizing Information: MakingCopies, using Tools.

Next, visit archives, libraries and genealogical

societies, where you will nd many genealogicalresorces. yo can locate relevant instittionsand societies b conslting the Genealog Linkssection and b searching AVITuS, the Director of Canadian Genealogical Resorces, nder Searchfor Ancestors.

Pblishe Ses

The following pblished sorces are a valable

resorce for genealogists:

• indexes and transcripts of chrch records andcemeter recordings

• famil histories• local histories (towns, townships and conties)

• cit directories• jornals and newsletters of genealogical societies• gazetteers• biographical dictionaries




Pblished sorces are cataloged in AMICuS,an online cataloge available nder Search for

Ancestors. If o want to borrow a pblication,

contact or local librar for information abot inter-instittional loan.

yo can also conslt newspapers. Death notices andobitaries often provide details abot the deceased.Librar and Archives Canada holds an extensive

collection of Canadian newspapers on microlm,which are available for loan.

Pviial a teiial Ahives

Each provincial and territorial archives holds recordscreated b its own government. The also hold seflrecords for genealogists sch as parish registersand land records. All archives have websites andoffer online genealogical gides. A detailed list of

provincial and territorial archives is availablender Genealog Links.

geealial Sieies

There are hndreds of provincial, territorial, contand local genealogical societies in Canada. Theoffer information seminars or conferences, collectresorces and tools for research in the area, pblishnewsletters and periodicals, create websites and

undertake volunteer indexing projects. You can ndsocieties nder Genealog Links and in AVITuS,the Director of Canadian Genealogical Resorces,nder Search for Ancestors.




Immigrants waiting to go ashore, ca. 1911 (PA-010235)

Iee reseah

In onl a few ears, the Internet has becomeone of the most valable tools for genealogists.Most libraries, archives, government departments

and genealogical societies maintain websites toprovide information abot their organizations andtheir holdings. Websites hosted b individals andorganizations share indexes, famil trees or other information abot their research. Some websitesserve as portals or gatewas to link sites of common

interest. yo can learn more abot Internet researchnder How to Begin.

the Family Hisy Libay

The Famil Histor Librar based in Salt Lake Cit,Utah, has microlmed genealogical records fromarond the world and makes them accessible to allresearchers throgh local Famil Histor Centers.It has microlm copies of many vital records,parish registers and other genealogical sorcesheld b varios Canadian instittions, in particlar an extensive collection of Roman Catholic parishregisters for the provinces of Qebec and Ontario.Visit its website at www.familsearch.org whereo can search free databases and conslt thelibrary catalogue to identify microlm collectionsfor Canada, the united States, the British Isles andman other contries.




gEnEALogIcAL SourcES

Once o have completed or initial research inpblished sorces, o can frther or searchb conslting archival records. The most poplar sorces are described in the following pages and canbe fond at Librar and Archives Canada, in other archives and in provincial and federal government

ofces. Archival sources held by Library and ArchivesCanada are identied by Record Group (RG) or Manscript Grop (MG) references. More details areprovided, including lists of microlm reel numbers,nder What to Search: Topics.

Bih, Maiae a deah res

These events are ke elements of genealogicalresearch. From earl times to the present, baptisms,marriages and brials have been recorded inparish registers. Please note that there is no centralrepositor for parish registers in Canada. Manare held b individal chrches, chrch archives,and provincial or territorial archives; others havedisappeared. Librar and Archives Canada holds onla small collection of parish registers, none of whichis comprehensive for an region. Most are transcriptsrather than originals and are available on microlmand listed in the gide Checklist of Parish Registers.

Some genealogical societies, particlarl those inthe province of Qebec, have ndertaken projectsto index entries from parish registers, mostl for marriages. These volmes are called “chrchindexes” or more commonl “marriage repertoires.”

Among marriage indexes covering extensivegeographical areas are the Fichier Loiselle, DroinCollection, Fichier Histor and the Jacqes-HenriFabien Collection (MG 25 G231). These indexesare available at Librar and Archives Canada and inman genealogical societies, archives and librariesthroghot Canada.




Library and Archives Canada also holds microlmcopies of some Acadian parish registers. The Centred’études acadiennes in Moncton, New Brnswick,

holds the most comprehensive collection of Acadiansorces.

In the late 1800s and earl 1900s, the provinces andterritories began keeping civil registration of births,marriages and deaths, often called vital statistics.

Toda, civil registration is a provincial and territorial jrisdiction. Librar and Archives Canada does nothold civil registers and does not issue certicates.Inqiries concerning access and fees mst beaddressed to the appropriate ofce. A list of theseofces is available under What to Search: Topics:

Births, Marriages and Deaths: Civil Registration.

Maiae Bs

Librar and Archives Canada holds a smallcollection of marriage bonds for Lower Canada(Qebec), 1779–1858 (RG 4 B28), and for upper Canada (Ontario), 1803–1865 (RG 5 B9); thesemarriage bonds can be searched on or websitender Search for Ancestors. For New Brnswick and

Nova Scotia marriage bonds, contact the provincialarchives.

Api

Librar and Archives Canada does not hold adoptionrecords becase adoption falls within the jrisdictionof provincial and territorial athorities. Access tothese records is restricted to protect thecondentiality of the information they contain.

To trace a biological parent, sibling or child, o arebest advised to work throgh provincial and privateassociations, sch as Movement Retrovailles,Canadian Adoptees Registr Inc. and ParentFinders.




dive

From 1867 to 1968, divorce in Canada was handled

throgh private acts of the Parliament of Canada.You can nd these Acts of Divorce in Governmentof Canada pblications available at Librar and

Archives Canada and other major libraries. Thedatabase Divorce in Canada (1841–1968) providesan index b sposes’ names to these pblications.

Proceedings were also handled b the provincialcorts. Some provincial archives inclde informationpages abot divorce records on their websites.

cemeeies

Tombstones and headstones serve as an historicalrecord of the people bried in cemeteries acrossthe contr. Dates of birth and death are sallinscribed on the stones and provide descendants

with crcial links to their ancestors. Mangenealogical societies and genealogists in Canadahave ndertaken projects to cop the informationfrom tombstones in cemeteries. The tombstoneinscriptions are transcribed and compiled in indexedpblications or in databases.

cess res

Census returns contain the ofcial enumeration of the Canadian poplation. Censs retrns before1851 are rarel complete for an geographical areaand most list onl the head of each hosehold. For most provinces, the retrns of 1851, 1861, 1871,

1881, 1891, 1901, 1906 and 1911 list each personb name, with details sch as age, sex, contror province of birth, religion, occpation, maritalstats, and racial or ethnic origin, for example, Irish,French, Indian.

For each censs, the records are arranged in aspecic order. Consult What to Search: Topics:Censs and Enmerations.




Man genealogical societies and individalstranscribe and index censs retrns b name and

make them accessible on the Internet or pblishthem as books or on CD-ROM. For example, the1881 censs is indexed on the Famil HistorLibrar website available at www.familsearch.org.The 1871 Censs of Ontario was indexed b theOntario Genealogical Societ and can be searched

on or website nder Search for Ancestors.

Census returns are available on microlm at Libraryand Archives Canada and at other libraries andarchives in Canada. The database Cataloge of Census Returns on Microlm, 1666–1901 allows

you to identify the microlm reel numbers for specic places and counties. The 1901 Censsof Canada, the 1906 Censs of the NorthwestProvinces and the 1911 Censs of Canada havealso been digitized and can be viewed online.

Since Newfondland did not become a provinceof Canada ntil 1949, it was not inclded in theCanadian censs retrns of 1851 to 1911.

A censs was taken in Newfondland in 1921, 1935and 1945. These records are in the cstod of theProvincial Archives of Newfondland and Labrador.

Microlm copies are also available at Library and Archives Canada.

Censs retrns after 1911 are still closed nder theStatistics Act , which contains strict condentialityprovisions to protect personal information. There

are no exceptions in the legislation that permit thedisclosre of personal information from the censswithot the individal’s written consent.




Immiai res

Befe 1865

There are no comprehensive nominal lists of immigrants arriving in Canada before 1865.Few of these lists have srvived. Librar and

Archives Canada holds some passenger lists for

the French Regime, (MG 1 F5B) (1717–1760, 1778and 1786), althogh the are not indexed b name.

For the British Regime, a nmber of lists have beenidentied and indexed by name in our MiscellaneousImmigration Index . These records concern mainlthe immigrants from the British Isles to Qebec andOntario, between the ears 1801 and 1849. An onlineversion of this index is available on the inGeneaswebsite, www.ingeneas.com, nder Free Database.

Passee Liss, 1865–1935

Librar and Archives Canada holds the passenger lists (RG 76) that are the ofcial record of immigrationdring this period. The lists contain information schas name, age, contr of origin, occpation andintended destination. The are arranged b port and

date of arrival, with the exception of some earsbetween 1919 and 1924, when an individal Form30A was sed. The passenger lists from 1865 to1922 have been digitized and can be viewed onlinender Search for Ancestors.

The records before 1925 are not indexed b name.yo will have to do an extensive search nless oknow the month, ear and port of arrival. The nameof the ship and the port of departre are also helpflcles.

For the ears 1925 to 1935, the databaseImmigration Records (1925–1935) provides thenames of the passengers, and the volme, pageand microlm reel numbers for the actual records.

Conslt What to Search: Topics: Immigration andCitizenship to know the extent of the collection.

Microlm copies of our passenger lists are alsoavailable for consltation at man libraries andprovincial archives in Canada.




Be Ey res, 1908–1935

Man immigrants to Canada came from the united

States or sailed from Erope to American ports ontheir wa to Canada. Prior to April 1908, peoplewere able to move freel across the border from theunited States into Canada, therefore no record of immigration exists for these individals.

Lists from 1908 to 1918 (RG 76) are arranged bborder port and date of entr. If o do not knowthese details, o mst search the nindexed listsport b port and month b month for the appropriateregion. These records contain genealogicalinformation abot each immigrant, sch as age,

contr of birth, last place of residence, occpationand destination in Canada.

From Janar 1919 to the end of 1924, individalforms (Form 30) were sed to register immigrants toCanada arriving from the united States. In 1925, the

se of border entr lists was reinstated. Indexes areavailable for 1925 to 1935 onl.

Immiai res afe 1935

Records of immigrants arriving at Canadian landand seaports from Janar 1, 1936, onwards remainin the cstod of Citizenship and ImmigrationCanada. Information on how and where to appl

for a search can be fond nder What to Search:Topics: Immigration and Citizenship: After 1935.




Hme chile

Between 1869 and the late 1930s, over 100,000

jvenile migrants were sent to Canada from GreatBritain dring the child emigration movement.Crrentl, members of the British Isles FamilHistor Societ of Greater Ottawa are indexing thenames of jvenile migrants fond in passenger listsand other records. These names can be searched

in the database Home Children (1869–1930), nder Search for Ancestors, on or website.

Immias fm he rssia Empie

Librar and Archives Canada holds the Likacheff-Ragosine-Mathers (LI-RA-MA) Collection(MG 30 E406), which consists of docments createdby the Imperial Russian Consular ofces in Canada

dring the period from 1898 to 1922. The Passport/Identit Papers Series consists of abot 11,400les on immigrants from the Imperial RussianEmpire who settled in Canada, inclding Jews,Ukrainians and Finns. The les include documentssch as passport applications and backgrond

questionnaires. The les have been digitized andcan be viewed online nder Search for Ancestors.

Immias fm chia

Librar and Archives Canada holds the GeneralRegisters of Chinese Immigration, 1885–1949(RG 76 D2a). The entries are arranged nmericallb serial and declaration nmber, in approximate

chronological order. The registers incldeinformation sch as age, place of birth, occpation,date and port of arrival in Canada, head tax (entrfee) paid, etc.




ciizeship a naalizaires

From 1763 ntil the Canadian Citizenship Act came into force on Janar 1, 1947, people born inCanada were all British sbjects. Since immigrantsborn in Great Britain and the Commonwealthwere alread British sbjects, the had no need to

become natralized or to obtain British citizenshipin Canada.

Before 1947, aliens (non-Canadians) cold petitionfor natralization. Librar and Archives Canadaholds a few natralization registers for upper

Canada (Ontario), from 1828 to 1850 onl. Theupper Canada and Canada West NatralizationRegisters (1828–1850) have been digitized and canbe viewed online.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada holds records

of natralization and citizenship from 1854 to thepresent. More information abot these records canbe fond nder What to Search: Topics: Immigrationand Citizenship: Citizenship.

Lists of natralized Canadians were pblished in

parliamentar pblications. These lists have beenindexed and digitized, and can be viewed in the1915–1932 Canadian Natralization database.

1940 naial reisai

The 1940 National Registration reslted from the

complsor registration of all Canadian residentsover age 16 from 1940 to 1946. The recordscontain details abot each individal, sch as dateand place of birth, ear of entr into Canada (if animmigrant), occpation, previos militar service,etc. The records are in the cstod of Statistics

Canada. Information abot how to reqest a searchcan be fond nder What to Search: Topics: Censsand Enmerations: 1940 National Registration.




Miliay res

Man earl records relating to militar service

consist onl of lists of names on a mster roll or pay list. For later periods, service les usuallyexist, which can provide researchers with personalinformation abot an individal, sch as date andplace of birth, name and address of next of kin,previos militar service and occpation.

Feh reime

At the beginning of the colon, commercial

monopolies were responsible for its defence.Starting in 1665, permanent forces and local militiaswere responsible for defending all French coloniesin North America. It shold be noted that throghotthe ears, soldiers who served in North Americawere encoraged to settle in the colonies after

discharge.

Few records relating to militar service in NewFrance have srvived. The remaining sorces macontain a few nominal rolls of soldiers, bt most listsconcern only the ofcers.

Biish Fes

The British Government stationed British Arm

regiments in Canada for its defence from the endof the Seven years’ War (1763) ntil 1871. Britishmilitar and naval records for that period are heldb the National Archives of the united Kingdom atwww.nationalarchives.gov.k, formerl known asthe Public Record Ofce (PRO), in the War Ofce

and Admiralt Series. Librar and Archives Canadahas acquired microlm copies of some of the recordsrelating to regiments that served in Canada. Someconcern German and Swiss troops who foght inCanada nder British command.




The British Militar and Naval Records Collection(RG 8, C Series) covers the period from the

American Revoltion to the mid 1800s. It incldes

a wide range of docments on the British Arm inCanada, Loalist regiments, the War of 1812, theCanadian militia, among others. A nominal andsbject card index is available.

Lyaliss

The term “Loalists” refers to American colonistswho remained loal to the British Crown. Man of them served nder the British Forces dring the

American Revoltion (1775–1783). Loalists settledin what are now the provinces of Nova Scotia,New Brnswick, Prince Edward Island, Qebec andOntario. The archives in each of these provinceshave records relating to Loalists.

Librar and Archives Canada holds a variet of sorces on the Loalists who settled in Canada after the American Revolution (1775–1783). You will ndmore details nder What to Search: Topics: Militar:Loalists.

caaia Fes Befe 1914

Militia nits were emploed for most of the historof British North America and post-ConfederationCanada. In 1871, British garrisons in Canada were

replaced b a newl formed Permanent ActiveMilitia. The defence of Canada was spplementedb the Volnteer Militia (Non-Permanent ActiveMilitia).

Service les for the Canadian military were not

created before the First World War, except for theSoth African War. Earlier records consist mainlof muster rolls, pay lists and registers of ofcers,which contain little or no personal information.

As most records are not indexed, the regimentmst be known before o can attempt a search.




If o know or ancestor’s place of residence, omight nd references to his service in the militia rollsfor that cont. Most of these lists are fond within

the Department of Militia and Defence Series (RG 9).

A variety of records exist for major conicts, suchas the War of 1812, the Rebellions of 1837–1838,the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870, the Red River Rebellion of 1870 and the North-West Rebellion of

1885. The database Soldiers of the Soth AfricanWar (1899–1902) provides references to serviceles, medal registers, land applications and other records.

Fis Wl Wa

Librar and Archives Canada holds the personnelles for more than 600,000 Canadians who servedwith the Canadian Expeditionar Force dring

the First World War (1914–1918). The databaseSoldiers of the First World War incldes digitizedimages of the attestation papers and informationon how to order copies of the complete les. Inaddition, the database War Diaries of the First WorldWar allows o to research troop movements and

activities of specic army units, and to consult thedigitized diaries online.

Service les for the Royal Newfoundland Regimentare available for onsite consltation at Librar and

Archives Canada or on microlm through the Family

Histor Librar.

Librar and Archives Canada also holds the servicerecords of the Roal Naval Canadian Volnteer Reserve.

Records for Canadians who served with the BritishForces, inclding the Roal Nav and Roal Air Force, are held at the National Archives of theunited Kingdom, available atwww.nationalarchives.gov.k.




Miss Minnie Afeck, nursing sister, with soldiers of the 1st Canadian Contingent,1900 (C-051799)

Afe 1918

Military personnel les for each soldier include

docmentation abot enlistment, discharge andmilitary units. The les of individuals who died inservice dring the Second World War are now opento the pblic.

Restrictions appl to the release of personal

information from most service les after 1918.under What to Search: Topics: Militar: CanadianForces after 1918 (inclding Second World War),you will nd complete details on how to obtaincopies of documents from a le.

Wa gaves

The following online databases contain informationabot individals who died while in militar service

and the cemeteries where the are bried:

• Veterans Affairs Canada: Canadian VirtalWar Memorial(from the First World War to the present)

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission:

Debt of Honor Register (First and Second World Wars)




La res

The British North America Act of 1867 established

Crown Lands as a provincial responsibilit. Librarand Archives Canada onl holds land petitions for upper and Lower Canada (Ontario and Qebec).Names of petitioners in Qebec can be searched inthe database Lower Canada Land Petitions that alsoincldes digitized images. The provincial archives in

Nova Scotia and New Brnswick hold their own landpetitions, and provide online databases.

With the acqisition of Rpert’s Land in 1869,western lands came nder federal control. In 1930,responsibilit for Crown Lands was transferred

to the provincial governments of Manitoba,Saskatchewan and Alberta. Librar and ArchivesCanada holds copies of the original patents issedfor these lands, which are indexed in the WesternLand Grants database. The actal homesteadapplications and les relating to grants were

transferred to the provincial archives.

Records of sbseqent land transactions are in thecstod of provincial or territorial archives, or withland registry ofces. You will nd relevant addressesfor each province or territor nder What to Search:

Topics: Land: Provincial Land Records.

Wills

Wills and estate records are a provincial andterritorial responsibilit. Inqiries concerning access

and fees mst be addressed to the appropriateofce. A list of these ofces is available under What to Search: Topics: Births, Marriages andDeaths: Wills.




Emplyme res

Genealogists often expect to be able to search for

employment records and to nd personnel leslled with background details about their ancestors.unfortnatel, in the past, most emploers andcompanies did not keep emploee records. usall,the onl records created regarding staff were paledgers that listed names, the nmber of das

worked and the salar paid. There is no centralrepositor for srviving records.

Librar and Archives Canada holds personnelles of former federal government public servants;

however, the les are destroyed after an individual’s80th birthday, with the exception of a few lesdeemed to be of historical signicance (RG 32).Librar and Archives Canada also holds serviceles for the North West Mounted Police (RCMP)from 1873 to 1904 (RG 18) and registers of marine

certicates issued to masters, mates and marineengineers (RG 12).

Canadian Railway Records: A Guide for Genealogists, b Althea and J. Creighton Doglas

and pblished b the Ontario GenealogicalSociet, provides comprehensive information abotCanadian railroads, bibliographies, historical societaddresses and more. It incldes a detailed otlineof the records held at Librar and Archives Canadarelating to emploees of the Canadian National

Railway Company and afliated railway companies.

The Hdson’s Ba Compan Archives, located atthe Archives of Manitoba in Winnipeg, holds recordsand indexes for Hdson’s Ba Compan emploees.

Other sorces of emploment records are describednder What to Search: Topics: Emploment.




Grop of Dakota (Siox) Indians at Trtle Montain,1873–1875 (PA-074652)

Abiial Peples

In order to determine if one of or ancestors was

of Aboriginal origin, you should rst compile a familytree, sing standard genealogical sorces. Identifor ancestor b name, date of birth, marriage anddeath, and place of residence. A censs record isoften the onl sorce that indicates if a person wasof Aboriginal origin.

Librar and Archives Canada holds federalgovernment records of the Department of Indian

Affairs (RG 10) dating mainl from the late 1800s.

Most RG 10 les are arranged either by band,agenc or district or b dates. Ver few of theserecords have been indexed b name.

To learn more abot this extensive collection andhow to access the records, conslt the gide

Researching Your Aboriginal Ancestry at Library and Archives Canada, available nder How to Begin:Gides.




Researchers interested in proving Aboriginalancestr for legal prposes shold contact their

local Indian and Northern Affairs Canada ofceor conslt the section called “Stats—Most oftenasked qestions” on the Indian and Northern AffairsCanada website.

Ii

The photograph collections at Librar and ArchivesCanada contain hndreds of images from differentInit commnities in Canada. The objective

of Project Naming , available nder Search for Ancestors, is to identif Init people represented insome of these collections.

Méis

Government records exist onl for Métis peoplefrom Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.There were no records created b the Governmentof Canada relating to Métis people in other

provinces and territories.

Mch legislation was established to settle the landclaims of the Aboriginal peoples of western Canada.The Manitoba claims cover the period from 1870to 1885. Those for the Northwest Territories, which

inclded present-da Saskatchewan and Alberta,cover the period from 1885 to 1906.

Man of the records generated b the Departmentof the Interior (RG 15) and the Claims Commissionscontain genealogical information abot the

claimants. References can be searched singMétis Scrip Records, available on or website nder Search for Ancestors.

tracing your ancestors in canada- library & archives canada

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