Try these helpful hints to start your Canadian genealogy

If you've traced your roots to Canada then you join other notables like Howie Mandell, Alex Trebec and Queen Julianna of the Netherlands.

The following tips and tricks will help you quickly start your Canadian genealogy.

Brush up on your Canadian History

Before you start your Canadian genealogy project its a good idea to develop a general knowledge of the country's history.

Do you know where the former Upper and Lower Canada were located? How about Canada West and Canada East? Your ancestor probably lived in one of these areas, so it pays to brush up on your history.

A great site that will get you quickly up to speed is the online "Canadian Encyclopedia". Click on the following link to launch the site in separate window.

Canadian Encylopedia

If you already know which town or city your ancestor resided in, check out "Our Roots". This amazing site has scanned original copies of Canadian local histories. To visit just click on the following link:

Our Roots

Talk to your folks

As noted in my previous article Getting Started begin your Canadian genealogy project by searching for information within your own family. Interview your parents, grandparents great aunts and uncles, and so on. Search for letters, birth certificates, wills and other family documents that may have been tucked away in the attic or trunks.

Learn about available research resources

Outside of your family the primary resources for building your Canadian genealogy are as follows:

Elsewhere on my site, I will explore these resource in more depth as they relate to specific provinces (i.e. Quebec, Ontario, etc.)

Canadian Census Returns

Although census returns date back to as early as 1666 (New France), the records that will be of most use to your own research cover the years 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1906 and 1911.

Each census return will provide the following information about your ancestor:

You can kick your research up a notch with the 1901 and 1911 returns because they usually include a date of birth, the year your ancestor immigrated to Canada and their street address if they lived in a town or major urban centre.

Free Canadian Genealogy Resources

I'll be adding to this list of free on-line databases. So check back!

Automated Genealogy

This amazing site is staffed by dedicated volunteers and since its free you'll save a bundle of money!

The 1851, 1901 and 1991 Canadian Census records can be searched on-line. Click on your ancestor's name and you'll see an actual copy of the census record.

Automated Genealogy has also provided genealogists with access to the special 1906 census which covers the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Visit this link and start searching! Automated Genealogy Return to Home Page from Canadian Genealogy