In May of 2007, the Library and Archives of Canada (LAC) and The Generations Network signed an agreement in which Ancestry.ca would index the Canadian Passenger Lists (1865-1935) in the future on the Ancestry.ca. Now it looks like they will publish it next year - 2009.
If you cannot wait that long and have a need to know right now, the LAC has the microfilm records in the building on Wellington Street in Ottawa. Go to the Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 in the Canadian Genealogy Centre . They explain that the passenger lists were actually the immigration list for those years. There are no immigration applications or files.
The list from 1865 to 1935 are arranged by port and date of arrival, and if you do not know the name of the ship, you must search the unindexed lists by year.
If you go to Nanaimo Genealogical Society page, certain parts of the passenger list has been indexed by the NGS.
Arrivals at the Quebec ports for the periods of the 29 of May, 1907 to 13 October, 1910 and they are starting a list from 1907, working backward to 1900. They have indexed nearly 500,000 records, so it is worth looking there to see if you can find the people you are looking for who came to Canada.
A daily blog about Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
WorldVitalRecords Releases Canadian Jewish Data
Jewish Data has partnered with WorldVitalRecords to release over 500,000 records (including tombstones, school yearbook pages, and Citizen Declarations) from hundreds of Jewish cemeteries across the United States, Canada, Germany, and Israel.
In Montreal, the Back River Cemetery (1876-1934), Berri Street entrance; Back River Cemetery (1901-1934), South Denis entrance; Shearit Israel - Spanish and Portuguese Jews (1825-1999); and a portion of Baron De Hirsch Cemetery on Rue de Savane have been transcribed.
There are 23,000 records listed. You can search by the last name and can receive the last name, the first name, the civil year of record, and the location of the record. There is also a picture of the tombstone.
Avraham Laber, President of Jewish Data, said, "Our goal is to provide a home for Jewish records in order to help people study Jewish history and genealogy. Here we have thousands of hours of research already done for people, and it only takes them a few seconds to access the records. If they would search for the same records on their own, it would cost them much more money and time."
I was at a recent convention where David Lifferth, the president of WorldVitalRecords.com, was giving a talk on "Innovative Family Tools to Connect Families", and "The Fastest Growing Genealogy Resource on the Web!"
He used to be the president of Ancestry.com, so he should know what he is talking about, and it seems that he does, with more than 500,000 monthly visits and over 25,000 subscribers.
WorldVitalRecords was founded in 2006.
In Montreal, the Back River Cemetery (1876-1934), Berri Street entrance; Back River Cemetery (1901-1934), South Denis entrance; Shearit Israel - Spanish and Portuguese Jews (1825-1999); and a portion of Baron De Hirsch Cemetery on Rue de Savane have been transcribed.
There are 23,000 records listed. You can search by the last name and can receive the last name, the first name, the civil year of record, and the location of the record. There is also a picture of the tombstone.
Avraham Laber, President of Jewish Data, said, "Our goal is to provide a home for Jewish records in order to help people study Jewish history and genealogy. Here we have thousands of hours of research already done for people, and it only takes them a few seconds to access the records. If they would search for the same records on their own, it would cost them much more money and time."
I was at a recent convention where David Lifferth, the president of WorldVitalRecords.com, was giving a talk on "Innovative Family Tools to Connect Families", and "The Fastest Growing Genealogy Resource on the Web!"
He used to be the president of Ancestry.com, so he should know what he is talking about, and it seems that he does, with more than 500,000 monthly visits and over 25,000 subscribers.
WorldVitalRecords was founded in 2006.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Ancestry.ca Releases 1891 Canadian Census
I remember it well (because I was there at the 2007 Ontario Genealogical Society Conference in Ottawa) when Tom Sullivan from My Generations.com and the people from the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) said that they had just formed a partnership to share information.
I waited to see what they would put on Ancestry.ca, and late last year, the Drouin Collection appeared, and then some of the U.S./Canada Border Crossings came on board, and now the (searchable) 1891 Canadian Census has been published online.
Taken on April 6th, 1891, the 1891 census contains 4.5 million searchable names and 90,000 images of the original census pages.
Some of the information (online) of each person in the household is -
The census itself was handed over to the LAC in 1985. If you want to find out more about it, you can go to the Canadian Genealogy Centre or pay a visit to the Centre itself and view microfim numbers T-6290 to T-6427 to see it for yourself.
The 1891 Census of Canada is available to Ancestry.ca subscribers, or through a 14-day free trial.
I waited to see what they would put on Ancestry.ca, and late last year, the Drouin Collection appeared, and then some of the U.S./Canada Border Crossings came on board, and now the (searchable) 1891 Canadian Census has been published online.
Taken on April 6th, 1891, the 1891 census contains 4.5 million searchable names and 90,000 images of the original census pages.
Some of the information (online) of each person in the household is -
- name of each person in family or household on April 6, 1891
- relation to head of family or head of household
- sex
- age
- martial status (single, married, widowed, or divorced)
- country or province of birth
The census itself was handed over to the LAC in 1985. If you want to find out more about it, you can go to the Canadian Genealogy Centre or pay a visit to the Centre itself and view microfim numbers T-6290 to T-6427 to see it for yourself.
The 1891 Census of Canada is available to Ancestry.ca subscribers, or through a 14-day free trial.
Monday, July 21, 2008
British Columbia Celebrates 150th Anniversary
I received the June, 2008 newsletter, "The British Columbia Genealogist" (Vol 37, No. 2) from the British Columbia Genealogical Society the other day. They are celebrating their province's 150th anniversary by producing a very lengthy and detailed journal.
Edited by the extremely capable Diane Rogers, it has stories of "Discovery in a Trunk - HAYASHI, UJIMOTO", "59 Mile House, Account Ledger 1911-1913 - RYDER", and "Marine Workers, Vancouver, 1926".
Also, it has two interesting stories called "the most improved genealogies".
One is named "A Sailor Takes A Trip" and the other is "Mary Is A Bad Luck Name". They tell about a recent discovery the writer has made which has made their genealogy more exciting than it was before the "find".
You can contact Eunice Robinson <eunice@dccnet.com> if you wish to put in your story into next year's "Most Improved Genealogist Contest".
They also have the latest news about their society, the trips they have planned, a family research week at the local library, and queries.
You can go to their site at <www.bcgs.ca>, or if you would like to contribute an article to the journal, the email is <editor@bcgs.ca>.
Edited by the extremely capable Diane Rogers, it has stories of "Discovery in a Trunk - HAYASHI, UJIMOTO", "59 Mile House, Account Ledger 1911-1913 - RYDER", and "Marine Workers, Vancouver, 1926".
Also, it has two interesting stories called "the most improved genealogies".
One is named "A Sailor Takes A Trip" and the other is "Mary Is A Bad Luck Name". They tell about a recent discovery the writer has made which has made their genealogy more exciting than it was before the "find".
You can contact Eunice Robinson <eunice@dccnet.com> if you wish to put in your story into next year's "Most Improved Genealogist Contest".
They also have the latest news about their society, the trips they have planned, a family research week at the local library, and queries.
You can go to their site at <www.bcgs.ca>, or if you would like to contribute an article to the journal, the email is <editor@bcgs.ca>.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) Reduces Hours
Canada's national library and archives — located in the nation's capital, Ottawa — has had quite a year with making multiple changes in its open hours.
Back in the early 1990s, it used to be open 24 hours (both the library and archives), but as we inched towards 2000, the hours that it was open to the public began to decrease. This continued until last fall, when the hours took the largest cutback in the hours of operation.
Eventually, it was explained by the LAC that a reduction of monies budgeted did not align, and a lot of the records that genealogists were looking for were already online. Ergo, the cut in hours.
Now on July 7th, they have decided to post the new hours for the consultation rooms and the Canadaian Genealogy Centre, and they are -
Monday, Wednesday, Friday - Open from 9:00 am. to 4:00 p.m. (For the reading room where the microfilm and microfiche reader are located, the hours are 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.).
Tuesday and Thursday - Open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (For the reading room where the microfilm and the microfiche reader are located, the hours are 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.).
Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
One bit of advice, if you are coming to Ottawa from out of town, go to their website first (to check on new security measures and how to get your research card), find out the correct hours, and then come and enjoy your visit.
Their website is <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca>.
Back in the early 1990s, it used to be open 24 hours (both the library and archives), but as we inched towards 2000, the hours that it was open to the public began to decrease. This continued until last fall, when the hours took the largest cutback in the hours of operation.
Eventually, it was explained by the LAC that a reduction of monies budgeted did not align, and a lot of the records that genealogists were looking for were already online. Ergo, the cut in hours.
Now on July 7th, they have decided to post the new hours for the consultation rooms and the Canadaian Genealogy Centre, and they are -
Monday, Wednesday, Friday - Open from 9:00 am. to 4:00 p.m. (For the reading room where the microfilm and microfiche reader are located, the hours are 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.).
Tuesday and Thursday - Open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (For the reading room where the microfilm and the microfiche reader are located, the hours are 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.).
Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
One bit of advice, if you are coming to Ottawa from out of town, go to their website first (to check on new security measures and how to get your research card), find out the correct hours, and then come and enjoy your visit.
Their website is <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca>.
Who is Elizabeth?
I started writing about Canadian genealogy in 1989. A newspaper reporter at that time, I re-discovered genealogy one day as I was going through some family research I had done before and putting my notes together. I was hooked!
I have been on the Internet for fourteen years with various interests in genealogy, but in 2004, I started a website, <GenealogyCanada.com>, as a gathering place for genealogists who had a particular spot in their heart for the latest in Canadian genealogy, history, heritage news, and endeavouring to fulfill that niche.
In 2005, I had a diabetic stroke which left my right side paralyzed, and I had to decide what I should do for the rest of my life. I decided to continue writing (I can't stop now) and today, here I am, writing for genealogy and history magazines (e.g. Everton's), websites (GenealogyToday.com), and am editor of the Ontario Genealogical Society's newsletters, NewsLeaf and its Internet sibling, e-NewsLeaf <OGS.on.ca>.
So, now I have returned to the Internet once again - this time with a blog <GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com>.
If you have a meeting, event, website, or project that you would like publicized, I would love to hear from you!
Until then,
Happy Hunting!
Elizabeth
Sunday, January 6, 2008
New Exhibit at the Museum of Civilization
The Canadian Museum of Civilization has just opened an exhibition where you will meet people who have made Canada what it is today.
It is a permanent exhibit comprised of 27 people and is called, "Face to Face: The Canadian Personalities Hall".
There are five different aspects that the people demonstrate, and they are - those who built; governed; fought; founded; and inspired their fellow Canadians.
Some of the people on the exhibit now are Samuel de Champlain, Joey Smallwood, and Timothy Eaton.
The museum plans to rotate new faces into the lineup starting in 2009, and you are asked to submit the names of Canadians you believe that should be in "Face to Face".
The website is<www.civilization.ca/facetoface>.
It is a permanent exhibit comprised of 27 people and is called, "Face to Face: The Canadian Personalities Hall".
There are five different aspects that the people demonstrate, and they are - those who built; governed; fought; founded; and inspired their fellow Canadians.
Some of the people on the exhibit now are Samuel de Champlain, Joey Smallwood, and Timothy Eaton.
The museum plans to rotate new faces into the lineup starting in 2009, and you are asked to submit the names of Canadians you believe that should be in "Face to Face".
The website is
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