Free Ontario Genealogy Websites to Start Your Family History Research
If your family has been in Canada for at least a few generations, there’s a very good chance that your ancestors will trace back to Ontario. Ontario’s archives and local collections are some of the best in Canada. And thankfully, there are many genealogy websites where you can access these records at no cost! Whether you descend from United Empire Loyalists, post-Confederation immigrants, or pioneering farming families, there are some amazing free Ontario genealogy resources out there for you.
Research tip: Use Ctrl + F to keyword search for relevant cities/towns/regions. E.g. if you’re looking for resources from Oshawa, search “Oshawa” or “Durham”
Vital Records & Civil Registrations
Archives of Ontario’s Vital Stats Indexes – Includes historical registrations and finding aids
https://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/microfilm/vsmain.aspx
City/Regional Directories
Peterborough – City and regional directories dating as far back as 1858
https://archive.org/details/peterboroughcitydirectoriesSee Local Archives & Historical Societies section for more resources that include directories
Land & Property
Ontario Land Registry Access (OnLand) – Search historical land ownership records and township maps
https://www.onland.caHeritage Property Index – Search historical settlements, directories and maps by county and ancestor’s name
https://ontario.heritagepin.com/See Local Archives & Historical Societies section for more resources that include land & property records
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Newspapers & Obituaries
OurOntario Newspapers – Digitized historical newspapers
https://news.ourontario.ca
Norfolk County Newspapers – Historical newspapers for Delhi, Erie, Norfolk, Port Dover, Simcoe, and Waterford
https://norfolkcountynewspapers.andornot.net/See Local Archives & Historical Societies section for more resources that include newspapers & obituaries
Loyalist Records
United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada (UELAC)
https://uelac.ca
Local Archives & Historical Societies
Archives of Ontario – Access vital stats indexes, land petitions, court records, and more for early Ontario ancestors
https://www.archives.gov.on.caOntario Genealogical Society (Ontario Ancestors) – Many branches offer free indexes, webinars, research guides, and more
https://ogs.on.caArnprior & McNab/Braeside Archives – Find records local to these eastern Ontario towns, like historical newspapers and death indexes
https://www.adarchives.orgBrant Historical Society – Access Brant County records like historical directories, township histories, and more
https://brantmuseums.ca/researchChatham-Kent Public Library – Browse local historical directories, municipal documents, historical society publications, and more
https://www.chatham-kent.ca/library/services/localhistory/Pages/CKPL-Digital-Collection.aspxCity of Toronto Archives – Discover your ancestors from Canada’s largest city with historical directories, land assessment rolls, maps, biographies, and plenty more
https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/accountability-operations-customer-service/access-city-information-or-records/city-of-toronto-archives/whats-in-the-archives/Community Archives of Belleville and Hastings County – A fantastic resource for those with Quinte Bay heritage, find historical land assessments, directories, and historical newspapers
https://discover.cabhc.ca/County of Oxford Archives – Access digitized poll books, vital records, and historical directories
https://archives.oxfordcounty.ca/online-resources/Durham Region Area Archives – Find a wide variety of genealogical newspaper & archive resources for Durham region, Clarington region, Markham, and Northumberland
https://durhamregionarchivesgroup.com/Glengarry County Archives – Eastern Ontario’s largest local archive managed by local archivist Allan J. MacDonald. If you have Scottish roots in Ontario, definitely check this one out
https://www.glengarrycountyarchives.caLennox & Addington County Museum & Archives – Historical newspapers, local government records, and maps for the Greater Napanee area
https://countymuseum.ca/explore/archives/#explorearchivesOshawa Museum Archives – A great mix of broad resources like historical newspapers and maps, as well as township census and photograph collections
https://oshawamuseum.org/online-resourcesStratford-Perth Archives – Find newspapers, directories, and atlases for these southwestern Ontario towns
https://www.perthcounty.ca/en/living-here/finding-aids-and-digitized-collections.aspxWellington County Museum & Archives – Browse historical story collections, newspapers, and maps for Guelph and area
https://wcma.wellington.ca/collections-research/search-our-collections
Whether you're just beginning your family history journey or trying to break through a brick wall in Ontario, there are a wealth of free resources available to help you dig deeper. From provincial archives to local collections and digital databases, these tools can reveal the stories behind the names in your tree. Be sure to bookmark this page and stay tuned for more resources. I’ll continue to add them as I find them!
Looking for some free nation-wide Canadian genealogy resources? Check out my post Free Canadian Genealogy Websites to Kickstart Your Research!
