Canadian ResearchBy Connie Lenzen, CGSMAn article written for the 7 August 2003 issue of the Vancouver Columbian newspaper. |
My mother was born in Canada when her family was living in a silver mine at Granby Bay, British Columbia. Another ancestor was born in Canada around 1833. I want to know what types of records are available for research.
I don't have to go to Canada to do the research. There is help available, both on the Internet and at a genealogical library.
The National Archives of Canada has added three online searchable databases to their website.
The "Immigrants at Grosse-Ile" database contains information on 33,026 immigrants, mostly Irish, who stayed at the Grosse-Ile Quarantine Station between 1832 and 1937. Grosse-Ile was the Canadian "Ellis Island," and thousands of Irish immigrants made it their point of entry onto the North American continent. The immigrants named in the database are ones who died at sea or who were quarantined for disease. While you may not find your ancestor, you may find the name of a relative, and their information will help you with your research.
The "Immigration Records" database is a list of immigrants who received Canadian naturalization certificates, which were published in the Canada Gazette between 1915 and 1932.
You can search this database by given name, surname, and country. There are two sets of results. The first result gives individual names, the time span when they immigrated, the country of origin, and a link to the immigration listing containing the name.
The second result gives you a large alphabetical list, including names beginning with the first two letters of the name you are searching. Be sure to check those pages. You may find names that weren't returned with the individual search results.
The third database, "ArchiviaNet," includes databases for the 1871 Census of Ontario, 1901 Census of Canada, 1906 census of the Northwest Provinces, Home Children, Immigration Records 1925–1935, Soldiers of the First World War and Western Land Grants 1870–1930.
The National Archives of Canada publishes a free booklet Tracing your Ancestors in Canada, which describes the major genealogical sources available at the National Archives and makes reference to sources in other Canadian repositories. Request a copy by contacting the Genealogy Reference Desk at 1-866-578-7777 (toll free.)
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Connie Lenzen, CGSM
CG, Certified Genealogist, is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by Board-certified genealogists after periodic evaluation, and the board name is registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.