R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

Ontario
Research Outline
   

Table of Contents
     Records At The Family History Library
     The Family History Library Catalog
     Archives And Libraries
     Biography
     Business Records And Commerce
     Cemeteries
     Census
     Church Records
     Court Records
     Directories
     Emigration And Immigration
     Gazetteers
     Genealogy
     Historical Geography
     History
     Land And Property
     Maps
     Military Records
     Naturalization And Citizenship
     Newspapers
     Periodicals
     Probate Records
     Public Records
     Societies
     Taxation
     Vital Records
     For Further Reading
     Comments And Suggestions

NATURALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIPLook this term up in the glossary.

Until 1947, British immigrants from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland automatically became citizens of Canada. They did not need naturalizationLook this term up in the glossary.. Non-British immigrants, however, were required to make oaths of allegiance before receiving land grants. The oaths and petitions for citizenship for 1817-1846 are in files at the Provincial Archives.

Records created after 1917 are more detailed than earlier records and are found at:

Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Public Rights Administration
300 Slate Street, 3rd floor, section D
Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1
CANADA
Telephone: 888-242-2100 (In Canada only; outside of Canada, write to the above address.)
Ontario did not have a naturalization process until 1828. The National Archives of Canada in Ottawa has microfilm copies of naturalization papers for Upper Canada (Ontario) for 1828-1850. These are not at the Family History Library, but they are available through the interlibrary loan service to public libraries.

This index lists about 3,000 names:

McKenzie, Donald A. Upper Canada Naturalization Records 1828-1850. Toronto: Ontario Genealogical Society, 1991. (FHL book 971.3 P42m; not on microfilm.)

Later naturalization records were maintained on a national basis by the office of the Secretary of State. See the Canada Research Outline (34545) for a detailed discussion on this topic.


NEWSPAPERSLook this term up in the glossary.

The Family History Library has no newspapers from Ontario. The library has a number of published indexes of newspaper obituaries and marriage announcements. A typical newspaper abstract is:

McKenzie, Donald A. Death Notices from The Christian Guardian, 1836-1870. 3 vols. Lambertville, N.J.: Hunterdon House, 1982-1988. (FHL book 971.3 V4m; not on microfilm.)

Many newspaper abstracts of birth, marriage, and death announcements have been indexed and published in volumes of The Ontario Register (see the “Periodicals” section of this outline).

An excellent guide to Ontario newspapers is:

Gilchrist, J. Brian. Inventory of Ontario Newspapers, 1793-1986, First Edition, 1987. Toronto: Micromedia Ltd., 1988. (FHL book 971.3 B33i; not on microfilm.) This is a survey of 345 libraries across Canada and the British Newspaper Library in London, England. It lists their holdings of 2,900 Ontario newspapers (original and microfilm copies).

Available indexes are listed in:

Burrows, Sandra and Francine Gaudet. Checklist of Indexes to Canadian Newspapers = Liste de contrôle des index de journaux canadiens. Ottawa: National Library of Canada, 1987. (FHL book 971 B32b; not on microfilm.)


PERIODICALSLook this term up in the glossary.

For nationwide indexes to the periodicals listed in this section and other family history periodicals, see:

Periodical Source Index (PERSI). Ft. Wayne, Ind.: Allen County Public Library Foundation, 1987-. (FHL book 973 D25per; fiche 6016863 [40 fiche] (1847-1985); fiche 6016864 [15 fiche] (1986-1990); computer number 658308.) Indexes thousands of family history periodicals. Includes Canadian periodicals in French and English. Annual indexes have been published yearly since 1986. For further details, see the PERiodical Source Index Resource Guide (34119).

The major periodicals and magazines helpful for research in Ontario include:

The Canadian Genealogist. 1979-88. 10 vols. Published by Generation Press, 172 King Henrys Blvd., Agincourt, ON, CANADA M1T 2V6. (FHL book 971 D25cg; not on microfilm.) This is more about research in Ontario sources than about other provinces.

Families. 1963-. Published by the Ontario Genealogical Society, 40 Orchard View Blvd., Suite 102, Toronto, ON, CANADA M4R 1B9. (FHL book 971.3 B2f; not on microfilm.) This well-edited journal focuses on research in Ontario sources, but it sometimes includes articles on research in other provinces and in national sources.

Ontario History (formerly Ontario Historical Society Papers and Records). 1899-. Published by the Ontario Historical Society, 34 Parkview Ave., Willowdale, ON, CANADA, M2N 3Y2. (FHL book 971.3 B2o; some volumes on film 105405 and 1,415,255-57.) Cumulative indexes by author and subject. Includes genealogies, history, immigration, land records, and Loyalists.

The Ontario Register. 1968-. Published by Hunterdon House, 38 Swan Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 USA. (FHL book 971.3 B2or; v. 3 on FHL film 908,001 items 3-4.) Irregular. Transcripts of births, marriages, deaths, notices, petitions, and lists in the 1800s. Each volume includes an index of persons and places.

Several branches of the Ontario Genealogical Society have their own publications. A good example is:

Ottawa Branch News, 1971-. Published by the Ottawa Branch, OGS, P.O. Box 8346, Ottawa, ON CANADA K1G 3H8. (FHL book 971.384 B25o; not on microfilm.)

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