Every year, one additional year of records is made available, but cannot be used until it is microfilmed. Births 1900, marriages 1915, and deaths 1925 were released in 1997. Check the latest edition of the Locality Search in the Family History Library Catalog under ONTARIO - VITAL RECORDS.

There are significant gaps in these records, especially in those dated between 1869 and 1900. The later vital records generally give more complete information than the earlier ones. For example, before 1907 parents' names were not usually included on death certificates, but they are after that date.

For more information write to:

Public Service Section
Attn. Vital Statistics Reference Archivist
Archives of Ontario
77 Grenville Street
Toronto, ON M5S 1B3
CANADA

Registrar General
189 Red River Road
P.O. Box 4600
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6L8
CANADA

Marriage Records

From 1858 to 1869, the province required the counties to keep marriage registers. Clergymen of all faiths were supposed to record information from their parish registers in county marriage books. The available county marriage books are on microfilm at the Family History Library, cataloged under ONTARIO - VITAL RECORDS. A series of indexes is now being prepared for these records:

Britnell, W. E. and Elizabeth Hancocks, eds. County Marriage Registers of Ontario, Canada 1858-1869. Vols. 1-. Agincourt, Ont.: Generation Press, 1979-. (FHL book 971.3 V22m; not on microfilm.)

For a limited period of time prior to 1858, clergymen of faiths other than Anglican and Roman Catholic were asked to record marriage information in district marriage registers. Not all clergymen complied. Microfilms of the available records are at the Family History Library. Consult the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under ONTARIO - VITAL RECORDS.

Marriage bonds were sometimes prepared when the couple were married by license, rather than having banns pronounced in church. Ontario marriage bonds 1803-1845 have been microfilmed and are at the Family History Library, cataloged under ONTARIO - VITAL RECORDS. An alphabetical index to these records is on three rolls, FHL film 1,276,180-82. Most have been extracted and published in:

Wilson, Thomas B. Marriage Bonds of Ontario 1803-1834. Lambertville, N.J.: Hunterdon House, 1985. (FHL book 971.3 V29w; not on microfilm.)

Some Ontarians were married in the United States because requirements were less strict there than in Canada. Names of many who married in the Buffalo, New York, area from 1840 to 1890 are listed in:

Jewitt, Allen E. Early Canadian Marriages in Erie County, New York. 12 vols. Hamburg, N.Y.: Jewitt, 1982. (FHL book 974.796 V2j; fiche 6010977-88.)

Divorce Records

Until 1930 an Act of the Parliament of Canada was required to obtain a divorce in Ontario. The act(s) for a divorce often give detailed genealogical information. Copies are available from the Clerk of the Senate. Provide the names of the spouses and the estimated year of divorce and write to:

The Clerk of the Senate
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A4
CANADA