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  • Ontario genealogy
    • Main contributor: Craig Kanalley
    Location of Ontario, Canada on a map
    Map highlighting Ontario, Canada

    Ontario genealogy relates to the study of family history in the modern-day province of Ontario, Canada, home to approximately 15.9 million people today.[1] It includes Toronto, one of the largest cities in North America, and Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Ontario is bordered by Manitoba to the west, Quebec to the east, the Hudson Bay and James Bay to the north, and the Great Lakes and the United States to the south.

    The province of Ontario was founded in 1867 with the formation of the Dominion of Canada, commonly called the Confederation. From 1841-1867, this land was referred to as Canada West. From 1791-1841, it belonged to Upper Canada, which was a common destination of Loyalist refugees and settlers from the United States after the U.S. Revolutionary War. Before that, from 1763-1791, it was sparsely populated as part of the Province of Quebec.

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    HistoryHistory

    Pre-1763Pre-1763

    Prior to European settlers arriving, the land where Ontario is now located was populated by indigenous peoples known as First Nations, mostly Algonquians and Iroquois. They had a close connection to the land where they lived.[2] An index of tribes, including maps indicating where they lived, are listed at the First Nations Seeker. The Canadian Museum of History has digitized resources dedicated to exploring the histories and cultures of the Aboriginals Peoples in Canada. French and British explorers, traders and soldiers forged alliances and became trading partners with some First Nations groups[3], but they also clashed violently leading up to the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).[4]

    United Empire Loyalist historical plaque in Hamilton, Ontario
    A United Empire Loyalist plaque in Hamilton, Ontario

    Province of Quebec (1763-1791)Province of Quebec (1763-1791)

    The Treaty of Paris signed in 1763 transferred "Canada and all of its Dependencies" from French to British rule, slowly paving the way for British institutions.[5] The Quebec Act of 1774 formally established what is now Ontario as part of an extended colony ruled from Quebec.[6] By 1784, following the American Revolutionary War, it had been settled by approximately 10,000 United Empire Loyalists.[6]

    Upper Canada (1791-1841)Upper Canada (1791-1841)

    The Constitutional Act in 1791, or the Canada Act, divided the Province of Quebec into Upper Canada and Lower Canada (present-day Quebec).[7] Upper Canada was largely settled by Loyalists who moved north from the United States, as the British Crown provided land grants for their loyalty. Upper Canada became involved in the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain, which had a significant impact on the region.[8]

    Canada West (1841-1867)Canada West (1841-1867)

    The Act of Union in 1841 united Upper Canada and Lower Canada to form one government, the Province of Canada.[9] At this time, Upper Canada was renamed to Canada West, and Lower Canada became Canada East.[9] A steady stream of immigration from England, Scotland, Ireland and the United States led to rapid population growth.[9]

    Ontario (1867-Present)Ontario (1867-Present)

    The province of Ontario was formally formed in 1867 when British Parliament passed the Constitution Act, also known as the British North America Act, leading to the birth of Canada itself.[10]

    GeographyGeography

    Toronto skyline along Lake Ontario
    Toronto skyline along Lake Ontario

    Ontario is situated along the Great Lakes, which have played a significant role in its development. A total of 95% of its agricultural lands depend on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin[11].

    The St. Lawrence River is a major waterway that runs along Ontario's border, beginning at Lake Ontario, continuing through Ontario towns like Kingston, Brockville, and Cornwall, and ultimately connects to the Atlantic Ocean after stops in Montreal and Québec City. This is a popular trading route, from fur trade in the 1700s to timber trade in the 1800s.[12]

    The southern part of Ontario is mostly low-level and flat, which has made it attractive to farming, while northern Ontario is known for a vast rocky plateau as part of the Canadian Shield. Ontario is home to abundant wildlife which makes both hunting and fishing popular, and it is home to four forest regions with more than 5 million hectares of parks and protected areas.[13]

    Ontario's top 5 population centers are near Lake Ontario: Toronto, Ottawa, Missassauga, Brampton, and Hamilton.

    DemographicsDemographics

    The population of Upper Canada was about 480,000 in 1841, primarily Indigineous people, British settlers and Loyalists from the United States.[9] Per Canadian census records, the population increased over time as follows:

    Year Population Known As
    1851 952,004 Canada West
    1861 1,396,091 Canada West
    1871 1,620,851 Ontario
    1881 1,924,271 Ontario
    1891 2,114,321 Ontario
    1901 2,182,947 Ontario
    1911 2,523,274 Ontario
    1921 2,933,662 Ontario
    1931 3,431,683 Ontario

    Waves of immigration led to this growth, as Ontario represented a land for opportunities and its easy water access make it a popular destination. Irish immigrants in particular fled to Ontario during the Great Famine in Ireland (1845-52).[14]

    The 2021 Canadian census found the population to be 14,223,942.[15]

    Archives and librariesArchives and libraries

    Archives of OntarioArchives of Ontario

    As the repository for records of the Government of Ontario, the Archives of Ontario houses the registration of births, marriages, and deaths for the province; estate records (wills) and other court records; and land records. It also has an extensive collection of Ontario newspapers.

    Library and Archives CanadaLibrary and Archives Canada

    National Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa
    The Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa

    Located in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, this national archives has a large genealogy collection including for Ontario. Learn about the services they provide to the public, including planning a visit.

    Several collections are now available digitally online:

    Toronto Public LibraryToronto Public Library

    The Toronto Public Library has a robust genealogy collection. It also has excellent resources available online:

    Canadian HéritageCanadian Héritage

    This entirely virtual digital collectionis a rich archive of tens of million pages of Canadian heritage content, including genealogical records. It includes "41 million pages of archival records, the majority of which are handwritten and date from the 17th to mid-20th centuries."[16] Land books, church records, grant registers, and sundry or miscellaneous records are among the collection and they are searchable by name.

    Types of recordsTypes of records

    St. Andrew's Church, historical Presbyterian church in downtown Toronto
    St. Andrew's Church, an historic Presbyterian church in downtown Toronto, constructed in 1876.

    The following records are useful to trace family history in Ontario:

    Ontario ethnicitiesOntario ethnicities

    Ontario is a multicultural province with numerous ethnicities represented. A 2021 census of the population found that these were the most common ethnicities or cultural origins identified by residents of Ontario:[17]

    1. English 16.7%
    2. Irish 14.3%
    3. Scottish 13.8%
    4. Canadian 11.6%
    5. German 7.5%
    6. French 7.4%
    7. Italian 6.5%
    8. Chinese 5.9%
    9. Indian (India) 5.4%
    10. Dutch 3.4%

    Ontario surnamesOntario surnames

    The most popular surnames in Ontario include:


    See alsoSee also

    Explore more about Ontario genealogyExplore more about Ontario genealogy

    References

    1. ↑ Population estimates, quarterly, 2023-2024. Statistics Canada, Government of Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000901
    2. ↑ Pashagumskum, Jamie. Connection to the Land, Canadian Geographic Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada. https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/article/connection-to-the-land/
    3. ↑ First Nations in Canada, Part 2 - History of First Nations - Newcomer Relations. Government of Canada. https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1307460755710/1536862806124#chp2
    4. ↑ Seven Years' War. The Canadian Encycolpedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/seven-years-war
    5. ↑ Treaty of Paris, Government of Canada, The National Battlefields Commission. http://bataille.ccbn-nbc.gc.ca/en/traite-de-paris.php
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 History of Ontario. Britannica encyclopedia. https://www.britannica.com/place/Ontario-province/History
    7. ↑ Constitutional Act, 1791. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/constitutional-act-1791
    8. ↑ The War of 1812. Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery. https://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/1812/index.aspx
    9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Canada West. The Canadian Encyclopedia https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canada-west
    10. ↑ History of government. Ontario. Ontario.ca https://www.ontario.ca/page/history-government
    11. ↑ Protecting the Great Lakes. Ontario. Ontario.ca Protecting the Great Lakes
    12. ↑ St. Lawrence River. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/st-lawrence-river
    13. ↑ Geographic profiles, forest regions. Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/document/forest-resources-ontario-2021/geographic-profiles
    14. ↑ Immigration to Canada. The Canadian Encyclopediahttps://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/immigration
    15. ↑ Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population. Ontario. Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Ontario&DGUIDlist=2021A000235&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0
    16. ↑ Canadian Heritage Project, Canadiana collections. Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN). https://www.crkn-rcdr.ca/en/heritage-content
    17. ↑ Most common ethnic or cultural origins reported in Ontario. Statistics Canada, Government of Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/g-b004-eng.htm


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