View source for Ontario, Canada Genealogy

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Guide to '''Ontario ancestry, family history and genealogy:''' birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records. 
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==History==
*Located in Central Canada, Ontario is '''Canada's most populous province''', with 38.3 percent of the country's population, and is the second-largest province by total area.
*Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, the region was inhabited by '''Algonquian (Ojibwe, Cree and Algonquin) in the northern/western portions''', and '''Iroquois and Wyandot (Huron) people more in the south/east'''.
*The English explorer Henry Hudson sailed into Hudson Bay in '''1611''' and claimed the area for England.
*In 1615, French missionaries began to establish posts along the Great Lakes. French settlement was hampered by their hostilities with the Iroquois, who allied themselves with the British. From 1634 to 1640, Hurons were devastated by European infectious diseases, such as measles and smallpox. By 1700, the Iroquois had seceded from Ontario.
*The British established '''trading posts on Hudson Bay''' in the late 17th century and began a struggle for domination of Ontario with the French. After the French during the Seven Years' War, those lands of Ontario not already claimed by Britain became British. The British annexed the Ontario region to Quebec in 1774.
*The first European settlements were '''in 1782–1784 when 5,000 American loyalists''' entered what is now Ontario following the American Revolution. The Kingdom of Great Britain granted them 200 acres land and other items with which to rebuild their lives.
*The British also set up reserves in Ontario for the Mohawks who had fought for the British and had lost their land in New York state. Other Iroquois, also displaced from New York were resettled in 1784 at the Six Nations reserve at the west end of Lake Ontario. The Mississaugas, displaced by European settlements, would later move to Six Nations also.
*The Constitutional Act of 1791 '''split Quebec into the Canadas: Upper Canada''' southwest of the St. Lawrence-Ottawa River confluence, and '''Lower Canada''' east of it. 
*After the War of 1812, relative stability allowed for increasing numbers of immigrants to arrive from Europe rather than from the United States.  By the end of the century, Ontario vied with Quebec as the nation's leader in terms of growth in population, industry, arts and communications.
*Upper and Lower Canada were merged into the Province of Canada by the Act of Union 1840, with the capital at Kingston, and '''Upper Canada becoming known as Canada West.''' 
*The British North America Act took effect on July 1, 1867, establishing the Dominion of Canada, initially with four provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. The '''Province of Canada was divided into Ontario and Quebec''' so that each linguistic group would have its own province.<ref>"Ontario", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario#History, accessed 26 October 2020.</ref>

==Getting Started ==
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<h3>Getting Started with Ontario Research</h3>
*[[GuidedResearch:Ontario|Guided Research]]
*[[How to Locate Your Ancestor in Canada]]
*[[Step-by-Step Ontario, Canada Research]]
*[http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/tracing/getting_started.aspx Getting Started]


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<h3>Ontario Research Tools</h3>
Links to articles and websites that assist in Ontario research.
*[http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/index.aspx Archives of Ontario]
*[https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx Library and Archives Canada]
*[http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/access/research_guides.aspx Research Guides and Tools]
*[http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/maps/index.aspx A Guide to Boundaries, Names and Regional Governments]
*[https://ontarioancestors.ca Ontario Ancestors]
*[[Canada Online Genealogy Records|Canada Online Genealogy Records]]
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|<div id="fsButtons"><span class="online_records_button">[[Ontario Online Genealogy Records]]</span>
|<span class="community_button">[[FamilySearch Genealogy Research Groups|Ask the <br>Community]]</span></div>
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==Ontario Map==
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[[Image:Ontario-map.png|300px]] 
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== Historical Counties and Districts  ==

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*[[Algoma District, Ontario Genealogy|Algoma District]] 
*[[Brant County, Ontario Genealogy|Brant County]] 
*[[Bruce County, Ontario Genealogy|Bruce County]] 
*[[Carleton County, Ontario Genealogy|Carleton County]] 
*[[Cochrane District, Ontario Genealogy|Cochrane District]] 
*[[Dufferin County, Ontario Genealogy|Dufferin County]] 
*[[Dundas County, Ontario Genealogy|Dundas County]] 
*[[Durham County, Ontario Genealogy|Durham County]] 
*[[Elgin County, Ontario Genealogy|Elgin County]] 
*[[Essex County, Ontario Genealogy|Essex County]] 
*[[Frontenac County, Ontario Genealogy|Frontenac County]] 
*[[Glengarry County, Ontario Genealogy|Glengarry County]] 
*[[Grenville County, Ontario Genealogy|Grenville County]] 
*[[Grey County, Ontario Genealogy|Grey County]] 
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*[[Haldimand County, Ontario Genealogy|Haldimand County]] 
*[[Haliburton County, Ontario Genealogy|Haliburton County]]
*[[Halton County, Ontario Genealogy|Halton County]] 
*[[Hastings County, Ontario Genealogy|Hastings County]] 
*[[Huron County, Ontario Genealogy|Huron County]] 
*[[Kenora District, Ontario Genealogy|Kenora District]] 
*[[Kent County, Ontario Genealogy|Kent County]] 
*[[Lambton County, Ontario Genealogy|Lambton County]] 
*[[Lanark County, Ontario Genealogy|Lanark County]] 
*[[Leeds County, Ontario Genealogy|Leeds County]] 
*[[Lennox and Addington County, Ontario Genealogy|Lennox and Addington County]] 
*[[Lincoln County, Ontario Genealogy|Lincoln County]] 
*[[Manitoulin District, Ontario Genealogy|Manitoulin District]] 
*[[Middlesex County, Ontario Genealogy|Middlesex County]] 
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*[[Muskoka District, Ontario Genealogy|Muskoka District]] 
*[[Nipissing District, Ontario Genealogy|Nipissing District]] 
*[[Norfolk County, Ontario Genealogy|Norfolk County]] 
*[[Northumberland County, Ontario Genealogy|Northumberland County]] 
*[[Ontario County, Ontario Genealogy|Ontario County]] 
*Ottawa City, see Carleton County
*[[Oxford County, Ontario Genealogy|Oxford County]] 
*[[Parry Sound District, Ontario Genealogy|Parry Sound District]] 
*[[Peel County, Ontario Genealogy|Peel County]] 
*[[Perth County, Ontario Genealogy|Perth County]]
*[[Peterborough County, Ontario Genealogy|Peterborough County]] 
*[[Prescott County, Ontario Genealogy|Prescott County]] 
*[[Prince Edward County, Ontario Genealogy|Prince Edward County]] 
*[[Rainy River District, Ontario Genealogy|Rainy River District]] 
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*[[Renfrew County, Ontario Genealogy|Renfrew County]] 
*[[Russell County, Ontario Genealogy|Russell County]] 
*[[Simcoe County, Ontario Genealogy|Simcoe County]] 
*[[Stormont County, Ontario Genealogy|Stormont County]] 
*[[Sudbury District, Ontario Genealogy|Sudbury District]] 
*[[Temiskaming District, Ontario Genealogy|Temiskaming District]] 
*[[Thunder Bay District, Ontario Genealogy|Thunder Bay District]] 
*[[Victoria County, Ontario Genealogy|Victoria County]] 
*[[Waterloo County, Ontario Genealogy|Waterloo County]] 
*[[Welland County, Ontario Genealogy|Welland County]] 
*[[Wellington County, Ontario Genealogy|Wellington County]] 
*[[Wentworth County, Ontario Genealogy|Wentworth County]] 
*[[York County, Ontario Genealogy|York County]]
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===Current Ontario Jurisdictions===
The article, '''[[Current Ontario Counties, Districts, and Municipalities|Current&nbsp;Ontario&nbsp;Counties, Districts, and Municipalities,]]''' shows the most recent government divisions at the county or equivalent level. 

===Extinct Counties and Districts===
[[Addington County, Ontario|Addington County]]{{·}} [[Bothwell District, Ontario|Bothwell District]]{{·}} [[Brant County, Ontario|Brant County]]{{·}} [[Cardwell District, Ontario|Cardwell District]]{{·}} [[Carleton County, Ontario|Carleton County]]{{·}} [[Dufferin County, Ontario|Dufferin County]]{{·}} [[Dundas County, Ontario|Dundas County]]{{·}} [[Durham County, Ontario|Durham County]]{{·}} [[Frontenac County, Ontario|Frontenac County]]{{·}} [[Glengarry County, Ontario|Glengarry County]]{{·}} [[Grenville County, Ontario|Grenville County]]{{·}} [[Haldimand County, Ontario|Haldimand County]]{{·}} [[Halton County, Ontario|Halton County]]{{·}} [[Kent County, Ontario|Kent County]]{{·}} [[Leeds County, Ontario|Leeds County]]{{·}} [[Lennox County, Ontario|Lennox County]]{{·}} [[Lincoln County, Ontario|Lincoln County]]{{·}} [[Monck District, Ontario|Monck District]]{{·}} [[Niagara District, Ontario|Niagara District]]{{·}} [[Norfolk County, Ontario|Norfolk County]]{{·}} [[Ontario County, Ontario|Ontario County]]{{·}} [[Patricia County, Ontario|Patricia County]]{{·}} [[Peel County, Ontario|Peel County]]{{·}} [[Prescott County, Ontario|Prescott County]]{{·}} [[Prince Edward County, Ontario|Prince Edward County]]{{·}} [[Russell County, Ontario|Russell County]]{{·}} [[Stormont County, Ontario|Stormont County]]{{·}} [[Sudbury Regional Municipality, Ontario|Sudbury Regional Municipality]]{{·}} [[Suffolk County, Ontario|Suffolk County]]{{·}} [[Victoria County, Ontario|Victoria County]]{{·}} [[Welland County, Ontario|Welland County]]{{·}} [[Waterloo County, Ontario|Waterloo County]]{{·}} [[Wentworth County, Ontario|Wentworth County]]{{·}} [[York County, Ontario|York County]]

== Migration Routes  ==

[[Ottawa River]]{{·}} [[St. Lawrence River]]{{·}} [[Lake Champlain|Lake Champlain]]{{·}} [[Lake Erie]]{{·}} [[Lake Huron]]{{·}} [[Lake Ontario]]{{·}} [[Lake Superior]]{{·}} [[Addinton Road]]{{·}} [[Bobcageon Road]]{{·}} [[Halifax Road]] or Grand Communication Route{{·}} [[Hastings Road]]{{·}} King's Road{{·}} [[Monck Road]]{{·}} [[Nipissing Road]]{{·}} [[Opeongo Line]]{{·}} [[Provincial Road]]{{·}} [[Talbot Trail]]{{·}} [[Chambly Canal]]{{·}} [[Erie Canal]]{{·}} [[Soo Locks]]{{·}} [[Canadian Pacific Railway]]

==FamilySearch Resources==
Below are FamilySearch resources that can assist you in researching your family.<br>
*[https://www.facebook.com/groups/855993304493098/ Facebook Communy] - Facebook groups discussing genealogy research
*[https://www.familysearch.org/ask/landing?search=Getting%20Started&show=lessons&message=true Learning Center] - Online genealogy courses
*[https://familysearch.org/search/collection/location/1929952?region=Canada&englishRegion=Canada Historical Records] - databases and record images on FamilySearch 
*[https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator?c=ontario,%20canada Family History Center locator map]


 [[Category:Ontario, Canada]] [[Category:Provinces and Territories of Canada]]