Free Alberta Genealogy Websites to Start Your Family History Research
Tracing ancestors in Alberta is easier than ever with these free online genealogy resources. Start with the vital statistics indexes to confirm key dates, then branch out into homestead records, newspapers, and local histories to build a fuller picture of your family’s life. By combining these Alberta-specific collections with Canada-wide resources like census records, you can uncover the stories of migration, settlement, and community that shaped your family tree.
Vital Records: Births, Marriages, and Deaths
Provincial Archives of Alberta – Historical Vital Statistics
https://provincialarchives.alberta.ca/how-to/find-birth-marriage-and-death-records
The Provincial Archives provides searchable indexes for historical vital records:
Births (over 100 years old)
Marriages (over 75 years old)
Deaths (over 50 years old)
These are essential starting points when building an Alberta family tree. Indexed information is available for free, and copies of original records are available to purchase.
Alberta Genealogical Society—Alberta Records Name Index (ARNI)
https://www.abgenealogy.ca/alberta-records-name-index
This massively impressive database holds over 1 million total records pertaining to historical settlers and residents of Alberta. This is a great place to start your ancestor search.
FamilySearch Alberta Collections
https://www.familysearch.org/search
FamilySearch has free Alberta church registers and civil records. Some are fully indexed, while others require browsing digitized images. Either way, they’re a valuable supplement to official archives.
Census and Population Records
Library and Archives Canada – Northwest and Prairie Provinces Census
https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/index
The 1906 Northwest Provinces census and the 1916 & 1926 Prairie censuses cover Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. They include details on names, ages, immigration, occupations, and farm locations, which are perfect for tracing ancestors during Alberta’s early settlement boom.
Land and Homestead Records
Alberta Homestead Index
https://www.abgenealogy.ca/alberta-homestead-index
Created by the Alberta Genealogical Society, this index covers homestead applications from settlers who claimed land under the Dominion Lands Act. These records can confirm when and where your ancestors established their farms.
Provincial Archives of Alberta
https://provincialarchives.alberta.ca/how-to/explore-paa-research-resources/homestead-records
The Archives has a nice page explaining the process to obtain original copies of homesteading records, as well as how to find information pertinent to non-homesteading lands (e.g. railway, school, government, etc.)
Newspapers and Obituaries
Peel’s Prairie Provinces Collection
https://library.ualberta.ca/peel/newspapers
This University of Alberta collection includes hundreds of digitized newspapers, city directories, and local histories. The newspaper archive is especially valuable for finding obituaries, wedding & birth announcements, and everyday community news.
University of Calgary Early Alberta Newspapers Database
https://guides.library.ualberta.ca/az/early-alberta-newspapers
U of C holds thousands of digitized newspaper pages from Alberta published between 1881-2001, made available through the Our Future, Our Past: Alberta Heritage Digitization Project. This project digitized thousands of Alberta publications, including historic newspapers and local histories. Searching by surname or community can turn up surprising stories.
Alberta Genealogical Society
https://www.abgenealogy.ca/alberta-newspapers-obituaries
The AGS has a great resource guide specific to newspapers and obits throughout the province. Find both viewable digitized pages and indexes.
City and Community Directories
Peel’s Prairie Provinces – City Directories
https://library.ualberta.ca/peel/featured-collections/hendersons-directories
Within Peel’s collection you’ll find digitized Henderson’s city directories for Edmonton, Calgary, and other Prairie communities. Directories list residents, occupations, and addresses, making them useful for tracing families between census years.
Bringing Your Alberta Family History Together
Researching family in Alberta is easier than ever thanks to these free online genealogy websites. Start with vital statistics and census records to establish key dates, then branch out into homestead applications, directories, and local newspapers to fill in the details of your ancestors’ daily lives. Each record type offers another layer of insight, helping you understand not only your family tree but also the broader story of migration and community in Alberta.
If you’re exploring family roots elsewhere in Canada, don’t stop here. Check out my other free genealogy resource guides for Ontario and Canada-wide collections to expand your search and discover even more of your family’s story!
