RESEARCH HINTS
Using Canadian Records to Trace Your British and European Ancestors in Western Canada
by Laura Hanowski, Past SGS Librarian
Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, Inc.
Telephone: 306-780-9207
Fax: 306-780-3615
Tracing your British and European ancestors can be a real challenge. It can be made much easier if you develop a research plan that begins with you and works back to the first ancestor who came to North America. This will enable you to track records that have been created in Canada about the family. These records will provide the clues you need to find to their country and village or city of origin.
Purpose
1. To learn what we need to know in order to find the records we need.
2. To learn what the record sources are, how to use them and how to access them.
Strategies
Set down what you "know" about the first ancestor(s) who came to western Canada using the following format:
Who came from the British Isles or Europe?
"Is who we are looking for who we are looking for?"
Look for documents your ancestors signed themselves. Homestead, land, school district records, marriage registrations for themselves and birth registrations for their children are a few examples of the records you should look for.
Beware of name changes. Some name changes were made informally by the ancestor themselves because their European names were hard to spell and pronounce. Or, there were too many people with the same name in their community making it difficult to differentiate between individuals. During World War II many people changed their names because of ethnic discrimination. Name changes often were direct translations of the name into English or changing the spelling to how it was pronounced.
Other name changes were made by others. Examples of this were the purser on the ship, the census taker, land agents, teachers or clergy. The immigrant often adopted these spellings of their name thinking this was how their name was spelt "in English".
Formal name changes were registered with the provincial government. These legal name changes were then published in the provincial gazette and the local newspaper. The Gazette is the official journal published by each provincial government to make or place statements that are legally required by law. Copies are found in provincial archives or legislative libraries. Documentation about the name change is available from Vital Statistics in the province where the legal name change took place.
Hint: Check the records for ALL family members who came to Canada. Keep a list of all the spelling variations you encounter.
When did your ancestors come to North America?
This date will help you determine which was the last event to take place in the Old Country. The date will also help you determine the political/religious boundaries when these events took place.
Where did your ancestors come from/to?
You need a geographical location for where the family lived and where they left from in the Old Country.
Note: where the family said they were living when they told you the family story. Sometimes this was the political name at the time rather than the name of the country when they left. Check to see if there are documents that they brought with them to trace this migration.
What did they do when they came to Canada?
Did your ancestors carry on with the same occupation they had in the Old Country or were they now farmers, tradesmen, or labourers?
What language did they speak in the Old Country? Did they learn to speak English in Canada? Were they able to read and write? What language(s)?
What religion did they practice in the Old Country and here in Canada?
Why did they come to Canada?
Knowing why an ancestor came to Canada can often help you find records created by your ancestor. Ask yourself the following questions. Did the ancestor come
· because immigration agents told them about the "free" land
· to escape oppression or religious persecution
· after living in the United States for a period of time
· to join a family member
· as a displaced person after a war
Develop The Research Plan
1. Fill in a pedigree chart, starting with yourself, to show your relationship to the first ancestor who came to Canada.
2. Use civil, church and other public records that have been created to document each event and relationship shown on the pedigree chart.
