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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.

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.

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

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.

RECORD SOURCES CREATED IN CANADA

Records That May Fall Under The Privacy Act

• Prior to 1916
  • provides name, date and place of the birth, the names of the parents, name and signature of the informant and the date of the registration..
• Starting 1916
  • provides name, date and place of the birth, tells which child this is, how many children the mother has had and how many are still living, gives the names of the parents, including the mother's maiden name, the parent's ages when the child was born, their racial origin, occupation and the date and place of parent's marriage.

Note: Who gave the information, who wrote it down, who signed the document and how they signed their name.

Some Alternates: Baptismal record, birth announcement in the newspaper, family bible.

Marriage Registration - began in 1878

• Prior to 1916
  • provides names of the bride and groom, ages, places of birth, whether they were a spinster/bachelor or widow/widower, or divorced, the occupation of the groom, the names of their parents, whether married by license or banns, the date and place of the marriage, the religious denomination of the bride and groom and the officiating clergy plus the names and addresses of the witnesses.
• Starting 1916
  • added the ages of the bride and groom, their place of birth, the place of birth of their fathers, and their racial origin, and the maiden name of their mothers.

Note: Who gave the information, who wrote it down, who signed the document and how they signed their name.

Alternates: Family bible, newspaper write-up, subsequent anniversary write-ups especially the silver or golden wedding celebrations.

Death Registration - began in 1878

• Prior to 1916
  • provides name, date and place of death, sex, age, whether single or married, place of birth, religion, name of the physician and the name and signature of the informant.
• Starting 1916
  • provides racial origin, widowed or divorced, date of birth and age in years, months and days, name and birth place of the father, maiden name and place of birth of the mother, name and signature of the informant, address and relationship to the deceased, place of burial, cremation or removal, date of burial, undertaker's signature or person acting as such along with their address.
  • some years they asked for the length of residence in Canada, in the province where they lived and the place where they died.
• Starting in 1947
  • added the name of the husband or wife using the wife's maiden name.

Note: The name of the informant because that person may have known few details about the deceased.

Alternates: Church records, prayer card given at the funeral, obituary/ newspaper announcement, cemetery, funeral home or monument company records. You can also check the SGS Cemetery Index.

Naturalization Records

Before 1917 and from 1977 - 1985, one had to be in Canada for three years before one could be naturalized. From 1917 - 1977 and from 1985 to the present, on had to have been in Canada for five years.

• Pre 1917
  • the original records between 1854 and 1917 have been destroyed but a nominal card index survives. The information on the cards provides the present and former place of residence, former nationality, occupation, date and place of naturalization.
• 1917 to the present
  • these records give the name, address, date and place of birth, former citizenship, whether married, single, widower/widow, name of wife is sometimes given, citizenship of parents, physical description, names, birth dates and places of birth of minor children and the date and place of naturalization
• 1932
  • from 16 January, married women had to make a separate application for naturalization.

Information Found in a Naturalization File

In addition to the application form for naturalization, there is a Royal Canadian Mounted Police Report, an Affidavit Proving Petition and an Oath of Allegiance. Other documents could show why they wanted to be naturalized, information about their husband or wife and children and who vouched for their character and reputation.

Indexes

An index of those who were naturalized, along with their addresses and countries of origin, was published in the Canada Gazette. Although naturalization indexes ended in 1947, the lists continued to be published until 1951. From 1917 to April 1921, the lists are in numeric order. After this time, they are listed in alphabetical order.

Copies are found in the National Library of Canada or on microfilm or fiche in the legislative or university libraries in each province. The Saskatchewan Legislative Library has microfilm copies from 1910 to the present.

Destination Canada: A Guide to 20th century immigration records. Victoria British Columbia, self-published 2001.

This finding aid enables you to locate which issues and pages in the Canada Gazette contain Naturalization Indexes. Copies of the book are available for sale from the SGS.

How to Obtain Copies of Naturalization Records

Copies are available if submitted on an Access to Information Request Form by a Canadian citizen or a resident of Canada. There is a $5 fee payable to the Receiver General. Send to: Department of Citizenship and Immigration, Public Rights Administration, 300 Salter Street, 3rd Floor, Section D, Ottawa, Ontario K1A lL1. The request must be accompanied by a signed consent from the person concerned or proof that he/she has been deceased twenty years. The request should include the following information: full name, date and place of birth and, if possible, the number of the Canadian Citizenship or naturalization certificate. The Access to Information Form is available at some public libraries or Federal Government Offices. Copies of the form and information about the Access to Information Act are available on the Internet at the National Archives of Canada.

Alternate Source: Copies of the Naturalization Certificate may be found in your family papers or may be found in the Homestead Papers. From 1918 - 1938 the lists of those who were granted or refused citizenship were printed in the Canada Gazette, the official paper of the Canadian parliament. Copies are found in the National Library of Canada or on microfilm or fiche in the legislative or university libraries in each province. The Saskatchewan Legislative Library has microfilm copies from 1910 to the present.

There was compulsory registration in Canada during World War Two. Everyone over the age of 16 was to fill in a detailed questionnaire that asked for their name, date and place of birth, names of parents, date of immigration, religion, occupation plus many other details. The form was sent to Ottawa and each individual was issued with an identification card which they were required to present whenever they were stopped by a member of the constabulary. Not all questions were always answered. These forms still survive.

Available from: Census Operations, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6. You need to show proof that the individual is dead. Fee: $48.15 including GST. If no record is found $5 will be retained and the remainder of the fee returned.

Homestead Records

Canada needed farmers to settle the west so immigration agents were sent throughout the British Isles and Europe to let people know that the Canadian government was offering homestead grants of 160 acres for "free". There was a $10 registration fee to make it legal.

To qualify for the homestead grant the farmer had to:

• be a male, 21 years of age or a woman who was the sole support for family
• had to live on the homestead at least 6 months in each of the three years
• had to crop at least 30 acres, build a substantial house, have a barn and animals
• be or become a naturalized British subject

Pay attention to:

1. The date of entry. Families generally arrived in the country within a three month period of this date. This date could help you with when to begin your search for a passenger list. Check the date to see if they were here in time to be included in the 1901 or earlier census. The census was generally taken in early April.
2. The family size and date listed on the application form and sworn statement. Note if the family has increased or decreased during this period of time. Unfortunately, not all application forms have survived but Sworn Statements are part of the homestead file.
3. The date of naturalization. Remember the homesteader had to live in Canada for three years before they could be naturalized.
4. The signature. Is it the same as you have seen on other documents?
5. The names of the people who gave the supporting statements. The years they swear they have known the applicant refers to the years they have known them in Canada.

Available from:

1. All homestead files are located in the archives of the province where they were located.
2. The Saskatchewan homestead index and records were microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah and are available at the Family History Library or through a Family History Centre.
3. The National Archives of Canada, at their ArchiviaNet web site have a database of those who received Patents only. If you order a copy of the file, you will receive a certificate to indicate that the homesteader did receive a Patent. All the original homestead files are in the Saskatchewan Provincial Archives.
   Hint: Use the database to find a homestead location. If you know the location, you can use this information to find the names of the neighbours. If you do not find an entry for the name you are searching, but do know the location or approximate location, you can use the database to see who received the Patent for that particular quarter section. You will also see what name the homesteader used to acquire the homestead.
4. For a list of those who purchased land from the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), check the CPR Database at the Glenbow Archives web site. The initial grant is found at Glenbow Archives,130 9th Avenue South East, Calgary, AB, T2G 0P3. The subsequent records are found at the Land Titles Office for that location.

The SGS can help by providing you with research assistance. See our Research page for details.

Passenger lists or ship's manifests are lists of people who traveled on a ship to Canada that sailed into an official port of entry. These lists generally give the name of the person, their age, sex and occupation, where they were from and where they were going to in Canada. Sometimes they show if someone died at sea or was denied entry into Canada.

Passenger Ship Lists are available for the following Declared Ports of Entry:

• Quebec/Montreal, PQ - 01 May 1865 - 1935 (closed during winter months)
• Halifax, NS - January 1881 - 1935
• North Sidney, NS - November 1906 - 1935
• St. John, NB - January 1900 - 1935
• Vancouver, BC - April 1905 - 1935
• Victoria, BC - April 1905 - 1935

There are also passenger lists for people who landed at the following U.S. ports and stated they were coming directly to Canada:

• New York, NY - July 1905 - 1931
• Boston, MA - July 1905 - 1928
• Portland, ME - December 1905 - 1928
• Baltimore, MD - July 1905 - 1928
• Philadelphia, PA - July 1905 - 1928
• Providence, RI - July 1911 - 1928

From 1921 - 1924 there are individual forms for each person rather than passenger lists. These forms contain important genealogical information and a physical description about the passenger plus the name, relationship and complete address of their nearest relative in country they came from. From 1925 - 1935 there are modified passenger lists.

The records from 1919 to 1935 have been transferred to the National Archives. The 728 reels of microfilm are being processed. As they are processed the microfilm copies are available through interlibrary loan. The reel numbers are being posted on the National Archives of Canada Internet site.

Note: Names are spelt like they sounded to the purser. Ages may not be correct. Country of origin will fall into the categories used at the time. For example: Austria included the Austrian Empire but Bukovina could be identified as Buk and Galicia as Gal, Ruth - Ukrainian. Some Eastern Europeans are also identified as Germans. Often people coming from the British Isles were shown by country and county.

Tip: It is easier to find people if you scan the "where from" and "where to" columns first, then check names that match. Look for family and community groups traveling together.

Available: On microfilm only through interlibrary loan at your local library. The microfilm numbers are found in the Finding Aid: Ships' Lists and Border Entry Lists. The reel numbers are also posted on the National Archives of Canada web site. The passenger lists are also found in some provincial archives and public libraries. The Family History Library has the records for Quebec and Halifax to 1900.

Indexes for 1925 - 1935

There are indexes for 1925 - 1935 on the National Archives of Canada web site at ArchiviaNet. Check the database Immigration Research Records (1925 - 1935). The database provides the name of the passenger, their age, country of origin, date and port of arrival, the name of the ship, the microfilm number and page you will fin the information on.

Records of immigrants arriving at Canadian land and sea ports from 1 January 1936 onwards remain in the custody of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Request for copies of landing records should be directed to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Check the section on Naturalization Records in this article for complete details about the correct procedure.

Border Crossing Records - 1908 - 1935

Records have been kept for those people entering Canada from the United States from April 1908. These records are for designated ports of entry, particularly immigrant trains, and often do not list arrivals by road or foot. Organized by province and by port of entry from west to east. Provide name, age, sex, occupation, country of birth, country of citizenship, place coming from and going to, how much money and remarks. From 1925 on, they are indexed alphabetically by name of immigrant. There are index for 1925-1935 on the National Archives of Canada web site at ArchiviaNet. Check the database Immigration Records (1925 - 1935). The database provides the name of the passenger, their age, country of origin, date and port of arrival, the microfilm number and page you will find the information on.

Scattered throughout the records could be lists of those who were refused entry.

Available: On microfilm through interlibrary loan from the National Archives of Canada. The microfilm number for 1908 - 1919 are found in the Finding Aid: Ships' Lists and Border Entry Lists. The list of microfilm reel numbers for 1908 - 1935 are listed on the National Archives of Canada wet site. Copies of the Border Crossing records may also be found at provincial archives or major libraries in Canada.

Census Records For Western Canada 1881 - 1901

Census records provide one with the list of people who were living together on census day. Nominal census data was been taken in the years that end in 1. The 1901 census is the last one released in Canada. An agricultural census was taken at the same time but only the one for 1901 survives. The 1901 census is particularly useful because it asks for date and place of birth, age, relationship to head of household, religion, racial origin, occupation, year of immigration and year of naturalization. The 1891 census asks for birth place of the individual and the birth place of their father and mother.

Note: Names are spelt the way the census taker wrote them. Ages may not be correct but families tend to be listed in chronological order. Pay attention to where each person was born. This could show you a migration pattern. Note the religion but remember they may be listing the only available church in the community.

There was a census taken in Manitoba for 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1838, 1840, 1843, 1846, 1849 and 1870. The 1870 census is particularly valuable because it lists the names of the father for each individual.

Indexes: have been prepared for 1870, 1881, 1891 and are being prepared for sections of the 1901 census.

Available: Through interlibrary loan from the National Archives of Canada. Also available at many archives, major libraries, and genealogical society libraries. The 1881 and 1891 Census are available through the Family History Library or the American Genealogical Lending Library (AGLL).

Visit our Supplies web page to obtain the supplies that will help you in performing and documenting your research.

For information about how SGS can do a basic search for you visit our SGS Research page.

Burrows, Sandra and Franceen Gaudet. Checklist of Indexes to Canadian Newspapers. Ottawa, Ontario: National Library of Canada, 1987.

Chamberlain, Rae and D'Arcy Hande and Debbie Moyer. Changes of Name. The Saskatchewan Gazette, 1917-1950. Regina, Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, 1993.

Condon, Eileen P., editor. Index to the 1891 Census for Canada 1891 for Assiniboia East; Assiniboia West; District of Saskatchewan; District of Alberta. Regina, Saskatchewan: Regina Branch Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, 1988 - 1998.

Ecker, Glen. "Genealogical Information in Canadian Naturalization Records." Generations (Journal of the Manitoba Genealogical Society), Vol. 20, No.3, September 1995.

Edmonton Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society. Alberta Formerly the Northwest Territories: Index to Registration of births, Marriages and Deaths 1870-1905. Volume 1. Edmonton, Alberta: Alberta Genealogical Society, 1995.

Hanowski, Laura M. "Canadian Census Records." THE IRISH At Home and Abroad Vol. 3, No. 4, (Winter 1995/1996).

Hillman, Thomas A. A Catalogue of Census Returns on Microfilm 1666-1891. Ottawa, Ontario: National Archives of Canada, 1987.

Hillman, Thomas A. A Catalogue of Census Returns on Microfilm 1901. Ottawa, Ontario: National Archives of Canada, 1993.

Main, Lorne William. Index to 1881 Canadian Census of North West Territories and Algoma, Ontario. Vancouver, British Columbia: privately printed, 1984.

Manitoba Library Association. Manitoba Newspaper Checklist with Library Holdings 1859 - 1986. Winnipeg, Manitoba: Manitoba Library Association, 1986.

McCardle, Bennett. "Canadian Immigration Records of Entry in Genealogical Research." Seminar Annual. OGS Seminar '85 Toronto Meeting Place. Chester, Len, editor, Toronto, Ontario: Ontario Genealogical Society, 1985: 84-96.

McDonald, Christine. Historical Directory of Saskatchewan Newspapers, 1878 - 1983. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Archives Board, 1984.

Spry, Irene and Bennett McCardle. The Records of the Department of the Interior and Research Concerning Canada's Western Frontier of Settlement. Regina, Saskatchewan: Canadian Plains Research Centre, University of Regina, 1993.

Stotyn, Keith. "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Homestead Records (But Were Afraid to Ask)." Relatively Speaking, Alberta Genealogical Society. Vol. 23, No.2 (May 1995).

Union List of Canadian Newspapers Held By Canadian Libraries. Ottawa, Ontario: National Library of Canada, 1991. Microform.