Uncover your heritage and connect with your past through Family Genealogy. Delving into your family’s history is a fascinating journey, and numerous resources are available to guide you in discovering your ancestors’ stories. From census records offering snapshots of past lives to immigration documents detailing journeys across borders, each record type provides a piece of your unique family puzzle. Let’s explore the essential resources that can help you embark on your family genealogy adventure.
Starting Your Family Genealogy Research
Embarking on the path of family genealogy can seem daunting, but with the right approach, it becomes an exciting exploration. Begin by gathering information you already know – family stories, names, dates, and locations. Talk to relatives, explore home archives, and organize your findings. This initial step is crucial in laying the groundwork for more in-depth research into your family’s past.
Census Records: Stepping Stones in Family Genealogy
Census records are invaluable tools in family genealogy, offering a snapshot of households at specific points in time. These records typically list names, ages, places of birth, occupations, and family relationships. Exploring census data across different years can reveal family migrations, generational changes, and provide vital clues for further genealogical investigation.
Birth, Marriage, and Death Records: Cornerstones of Genealogical Research
Vital records—birth, marriage, and death certificates—are fundamental to family genealogy. These documents provide key details like dates, locations, and names of parents or spouses, forming the backbone of your family tree. Accessing these records allows you to confirm relationships, trace lineages accurately, and uncover critical life events of your ancestors.
Immigration Records: Tracing Ancestral Journeys in Family Genealogy
For families with immigrant roots, immigration records are essential for piecing together their family genealogy. These records, including passenger lists and border entry documents, can reveal arrival dates, ports of entry, origins, and even details about the journey itself. Immigration records help connect your family to their ancestral homelands and understand their migration stories.
Military History: Uncovering Service in Your Family Genealogy
Military records are a rich source for family genealogy, especially for understanding ancestors who served in the armed forces. These records can provide details about their service history, units, ranks, and even personal stories from wartime experiences. Exploring military history can reveal significant chapters in your family’s past and honor their contributions.
Citizenship and Naturalization Records: Documenting Ancestral Integration
Citizenship and naturalization records document the process by which immigrants became citizens of a new country. These records are valuable in family genealogy as they often contain information about previous nationalities, dates of naturalization, and sometimes even places of origin. They shed light on your ancestors’ decisions to become citizens and their lives as newcomers.
Exploring Ethno-Cultural Roots in Family Genealogy
Family genealogy extends beyond names and dates to encompass cultural heritage. Exploring ethno-cultural roots involves researching the traditions, languages, and communities your ancestors belonged to. This deeper dive provides a richer understanding of your family’s identity and the cultural influences that shaped their lives.
Employment Records: Insights into Ancestral Occupations
Employment records offer unique insights into your ancestors’ lives by revealing their occupations and work histories. These records can range from government employment documents to company records and professional registers. Understanding what your ancestors did for a living adds depth to your family genealogy, painting a picture of their daily lives and societal roles.
Land Records: Tracing Ancestral Property and Residence
Land records are another valuable resource in family genealogy, particularly for tracing where your ancestors lived and owned property. Documents like land grants, deeds, and tax records can pinpoint locations, reveal migration patterns, and provide details about your family’s connection to specific places over generations.
Research Guides and Resources for Family Genealogy
To further assist your journey into family genealogy, a comprehensive list of research guides and databases is available. These resources are categorized by topic and type, allowing you to filter and find specific information relevant to your research.
Comprehensive Family Genealogy Research Resources
| Title | Guide description | Topic | Sub-topic | Type of guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship and naturalization records | Find resources for researching citizenship and naturalization records. | Family genealogy | Citizenship and naturalisation | Subject guide |
| Canadian genealogy links and resources | Many genealogical societies and other archives hold resources for Canadian family history research. | Family genealogy | Miscellaneous | Index |
| Home children, 1869 to 1932 | Britain sent over 100,00 children to Canada through the Home Children program | Family genealogy | Immigration | Subject guide |
| Deportation | Find out what sources are available for researching deportees. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Subject guide |
| Black Canadians | Find resources for researching the family history and genealogy of Black Canadians. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| German Canadians | Find resources for researching the family history and genealogy of German Canadians. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| Ukrainian Canadians | Find resources for researching the family history and genealogy of Ukrainian Canadians. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| Passenger lists before 1865 – French Regime, 1608 to 1760 | If your ancestors arrived in Canada when it was New France, find out what sources exist and how to access them. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Subject guide |
| Exploring ethno-cultural roots | Find resources for researching people from any ethno-cultural group in Canada. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| Passports | Passports can be useful when researching your ancestors. Find out what sources exist and how to access them. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Subject guide |
| Early census and related documents (1640 to 1945) | Search and access copies of censuses taken before colonies joined Confederation. | Family genealogy | Census | Index |
| Japanese Canadians | Find resources for researching the family history and genealogy of Japanese Canadians. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| Passenger lists before 1865 – British Regime, 1760 to 1865 | If your ancestor arrived during the British colonial regime, check out these sources to learn more about them. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Subject guide |
| Immigration Records | Use these general instructions on using immigration records to do genealogical research. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Subject guide |
| Jewish Canadians | Find resources for researching the genealogy and family history of Jewish Canadians. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| Irish Canadians | Find resources for researching the family history and genealogy of Irish Canadians. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| Appendix to Finding Aid 300 | This is a list of some early local censuses for Nova Scotia, Ontario and PEI. | Family genealogy | Census | Index |
| Acadians | Find resources for researching the family history and genealogy of Acadians | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| Manifest indexes, 1906-1920 | They used passenger lists to create manifest indexes. Sometimes these are the only way to find an immigrant’s arrival information due to gaps in the records. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Subject guide |
| Doukhobors | Find resources for researching the family history and genealogy of Doukhobors. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| Chinese Canadians | Find resources for researching the family history and genealogy of Chinese Canadians. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Subject guide |
| Private companies | Limited resources relating to employment at private companies are available at LAC. Find out what we have in this guide. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Land records | Explore the many types of documents relating to land in our collection, and the different ways to use them in your research. | Family genealogy | Land | Subject guide |
| Public service | Information on records relating to employees of the federal government is available here. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Employment records | General instructions on researching a person’s employment, including those who were self-employed. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Pension records | Pension records can include where a person worked, what they did and where they lived later in life. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Clergy | Research members of the clergy in LAC sources. Most of these sources relate to Christian clergy. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Police | See documents about members of the Dominion Police, military police, provincial and other police forces | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| North West Mounted Police | Information about members of the North West Mounted Police (NWMP), Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Land grants to veterans | Veterans of military conflicts were often granted land after they completed service. See our collection of records relating to these land grants. | Family genealogy | Land | Subject guide |
| Fur trade | Find resources about ancestors that participated in the fur trade. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| First Nations genealogy | Find resources for researching the genealogy and family history of First Nations, particularly in RG10 records. | Family genealogy; Indigenous history | Genealogy; First Nations | Subject guide |
| Métis Nation genealogy | Most of our records relate to the Red River Métis, in Manitoba, as well as Métis in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Learn more about them in this guide. | Family genealogy; Indigenous history | Genealogy; Métis Nation | Subject guide |
| Inuit genealogy | Find family history and genealogy of Inuit in records of federal initiatives like the Family Allowance program, relocations and disc numbers. | Family genealogy; Indigenous history | Genealogy; Inuit | Subject guide |
| Acts of Divorce, 1841-1968 | Search this database for references to names found in Acts of Divorce. | Family genealogy | Births, marriages and deaths | Database |
| Search: Births, Marriages and Deaths recorded in Canada | Find information on family events like births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials. | Family genealogy | Births, marriages and deaths | Database |
| Carleton Papers – Book of Negroes | Trace the history of Black Loyalists and enslaved persons named in the Book of Negroes. | Family genealogy | Loyalists | Database |
| Carleton Papers – Loyalists and British Soldiers, 1772-1784 | See our list of people named in the Carleton papers. These include Loyalists, American and British officials and soldiers, and more. | Family genealogy | Loyalists | Database |
| Home Children Records | See this list of the names and related information of Home Children drawn from our records. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Database |
| Immigrants at Grosse Île Quarantine Station, 1832-1937 | Trace immigrants who passed through the Grosse Île Quarantine Station with these birth, marriage, death and other records. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Database |
| Home Children – Boards of Guardians | Search this database to find names of home children in these registers. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Database |
| Marriage Bonds, 1779-1858 – Upper and Lower Canada | This database is an index to the names on marriage bonds. A bond was needed to get married by licence. | Family genealogy | Births, marriages and deaths | Database |
| Immigrants Sponsored by the Montreal Emigrant Society, 1832 | This database documents the arrival of immigrants in need of poor relief and transportation further west. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Database |
| Immigrants to Canada, Porters and Domestics, 1899-1949 | This index collects the names of domestic servants and Black porters from various archival sources. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Database |
| Loyalists in the Maritimes — Ward Chipman Muster Master’s Office, 1777–1785 | Search this database to discover the names of Black and white Loyalists and British soldiers who settled in the Maritimes. It also includes Loyalist muster rolls and other military lists. | Family genealogy | Loyalists | Database |
| Gaspé Land Commission — names of claimants, 1819-1825 | The records include proceedings, reports, newspaper announcements and land grants. | Family genealogy | Land | Database |
| Naturalization Records, 1828-1850 – Upper Canada and Canada West | Search our collection of names in naturalization records from the Late Loyalists, American immigrants who arrived in the first half of the 19th century. | Family genealogy | Citizenship and naturalisation | Database |
| Passenger Lists, 1865-1922 | View passenger lists from major ports of entry on both Eastern and Western Canada. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Database |
| Passenger Lists and Border Entries, 1925-1935 – Nominal Indexes | Passenger lists were the official record of immigration to Canada. Use this index to search for specific names. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Database |
| Passenger Lists for the Port of Quebec City and Other Ports, 1865-1922 | View passenger lists from major ports of entry on both Eastern and Western Canada. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Database |
| Railway Employees (Employees Provident Fund) | The Employees Provident Fund was a pension fund for employees Railway Employees (Employees Provident Fund) who retired after long service due to old age or injuries on the job. | Family genealogy | Employment | Database |
| Naturalization lists, 1915-1951 | This index collects the names of newly naturalized citizens from published annual reports. | Family genealogy | Citizenship and naturalisation | Database |
| Ukrainian Immigrants, 1891-1930 | Search lists of Ukrainian immigrants pulled from passenger lists and publications. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Database |
| Western Land Grants (1870-1930) | Review land grants and maps issued for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the railway belt of British Columbia. | Family genealogy | Land | Database |
| Citizenship registration records, Montreal Circuit Court, 1851 to 1945 | Locate information about immigrants who applied for citizenship in Montréal. | Family genealogy | Citizenship and naturalisation | Database |
| Immigrants before 1865 | Explore records of immigrants who arrived before the government began keeping official passenger lists. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Database |
| Immigrants from China, 1885-1952 | Find records for Chinese immigrants who came to Canada and Newfoundland. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Database |
| Immigrants from the Russian Empire, 1898 to 1922 | Consular records contain the names from the passport and identify files of the Russian Consular records. These include immigrants from Russia and what is now Ukraine, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania. | Family genealogy | Ethno-cultural groups | Database |
| North West Mounted Police (NWMP) – Personnel Records, 1873-1904 | Search for names of individuals who served with the NWMP and Dominion Police. | Family genealogy | Employment | Database |
| Black Loyalist Refugees – Port Roseway Associates | This database contains references to Black Loyalists who joined the Port Roseway Associates during the evacuation of New York. | Family genealogy | Loyalists | Database |
| Border Entry, Form 30, 1919-1924 | Form 30 was used between 1919 to 1924 record the names of immigrants to arrive by land. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Microform |
| Land Petitions of Upper Canada, 1763-1865 | After the abolishment of Land Boards, requests for land went through a centralized system. Those documents are available in this database. | Family genealogy | Land | Database |
| Land Boards of Upper Canada, 1765-1804 | Land Boards granted lands to Loyalists (and their children) who arrived after the end of the American Revolution. | Family genealogy | Land | Database |
| Border Entries | Border entries record the names of individuals arriving in Canada by land and by sea. The types of form and information collected changed over time. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Microform |
| Ocean Arrivals, Form 30A, 1919-1924 | Form 30A was the equivalent to Form 30, used to recorded the names of immigrants who arrrived by sea. | Family genealogy | Immigration | Microform |
| Censuses – Street Indexes | Use this index to find where a census was taken. It can help you find the exact district, sub-district, street or institution. | Family genealogy | Census | Index |
| Land Petitions of Lower Canada, 1764-1841 | This database includes the petitions and records on land distribution from New France and the province of Quebec. Some information on land records in what is now Ontario is also included. | Family genealogy | Land | Database |
| Newfoundland and Labrador: Census and Enumerations | Newfoundland didn’t become part of Canada until 1949. Before then, it conducted its own censuses. | Family genealogy | Census | Subject guide |
| List of Marriage Licences Issued in Upper Canada (RG 5 B9) and Lower Canada (RG 4 B28) | Though these licences no longer exists, you can view a list of issued marriage licenses on this page. | Family genealogy | Births, marriages and deaths | Database |
| Teachers | Since education is a provincial and territorial responsibility, LAC holds limited employment records for teachers. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Census Search | Search Canada’s census records | Family genealogy | Census | Database |
| Census records | Search and access copies of censuses | Family genealogy | Census | Subject guide |
| General census guide | Help for researchers to learn about different kinds of census records | Family genealogy | Census | Subject guide |
| Pre-Confederation, 1825 to 1867 | Census records taken before Confederation | Family genealogy | Census | Database |
| Dominion of Canada, 1871 to 1931 | National censuses taken after Confederation | Family genealogy | Census | Database |
| Prairie Provinces Census, 1870-1926 | A closer look at the development of the prairies | Family genealogy | Census | Database |
| Merchant Marine | Find information on this page about researching the records of people who served as crew members on merchant ships. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Medical personnel | Find records for researching nurses, doctors and others who worked in the medical field, such as coroners. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Railway employees | Find records of people who worked for the Canadian National and associated railway companies. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| Mining | Find resources to research people who worked in the mining industry. | Family genealogy | Employment | Subject guide |
| How to begin your genealogy research | Learn search strategies, sources and tips to help with your research and create your family tree. | Family genealogy | How to’s | Subject guide |
| Birth, marriage and death records | This page explains what records exist for researching births, marriages and deaths in Canada and which ones Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds. | Family genealogy | Births, marriages and deaths | Subject guide |
| Parish and related birth, marriage and death records | Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds a small collection of church parish registers and other records related to births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials. Some are original records, and some are typed or handwritten transcripts. Others are microfilm copies of collections held in other institutions. | Family genealogy | Births, marriages and deaths | Subject guide |
| Family tree templates | Use our family tree templates to chart your family relationships. | Family genealogy | How to’s | Subject guide |
| Unmarked burials | Use this page for sources and strategies to help identify burial sites associated with Indian Residential schools. It can also help identify names of children who went to these schools and hospitals. | Family genealogy ; Indigenous history | First Nations; First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation records; Genealogy; Indian Residential Schools | Subject guide |
Unlocking your family’s past through genealogy is an enriching experience. Start your journey today and discover the fascinating stories within your family tree.
