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British Columbia is the only province on the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of about four million people. It became a province in 1871. The province is made up of two former British colonies – British Columbia and Vancouver Island. The major cities are Vancouver and Victoria on the coast, and Kelowna, Kamloops and Prince George in the Interior.
British Columbia shortcuts Deaths: B.C. Archives (1872-1991) | FamilySearch (1872-1986) | Ancestry (1872-1990) Births: B.C. Archives (1836-1888) | B.C. Archives (1854-1903) | FamilySearch (1854-1903) | Ancestry (1872-1899) Marriages: B.C. Archives (1859-1872) | B.C. Archives (1872-1936) | FamilySearch (1854-1932) | Ancestry (1872-1935) One search, dozens of databases: That's My Family / Voici Ma Famille 1881 census: Ancestry.ca | FamilySearch | Library and Archives Canada 1891 census: Ancestry.ca | Library and Archives Canada | FamilySearch 1901 census: BCGS | Ancestry.ca | Automated Genealogy 1911 census: Ancestry.ca | Automated Genealogy | Library and Archives Canada Cemeteries: BCCFA | Vancouver – Mountain View | Victoria – Pioneer Square Victoria – Ross Bay | Kamloops – Pleasant Street | Prince George North Okanagan | North Vancouver | Abbotsford | South Okanagan Wills: 1860s-1940 | Stray wills 1860s-1939 (PDF) Land: Crown Land Grant Search 1869-1930 Directories: Victoria 1860 | Victoria 1860 | San Francisco 1860 British Columbia 1863 | B.C. and Victoria 1863 | Victoria 1868 Victoria 1869 | Victoria 1871 | Victoria 1874 | British Columbia 1882-1883 Nanaimo 1882 | Victoria 1882 | British Columbia 1884-1885 British Columbia 1887 | Puget Sound 1887 | Vancouver 1888 Vancouver 1888 | British Columbia 1889 | British Columbia 1889 Vernon 1889-1924 | British Columbia 1890 | Vancouver 1890 Victoria 1890 | New Westminster and Burrard Inlet 1890 Vancouver and New Westminster 1890 | Victoria and Nanaimo 1890 Vancouver and Victoria 1890 | Victoria and Nanaimo 1890 Vancouver and New Westminster 1890 | British Columbia 1891 British Columbia 1891 Part 1 | British Columbia 1891 Part 2 British Columbia 1892 Part 1 | British Columbia 1892 Part 2 British Columbia 1892 | Nanaimo 1892 | Victoria 1892 British Columbia 1893 | British Columbia 1894 | British Columbia 1895 Vancouver 1896 | Vancouver 1896 | British Columbia 1897 Revelstoke 1897 | Rossland British Columbia 1897 | British Columbia 1897-1898 British Columbia 1898 | Revelstoke City Directory 1898 | Revelstoke 1899 British Columbia 1899 | British Columbia 1899-1900 | Vancouver 1899-1900 Nelson Trail Rossland Grand Forks Greenwood 1900 | British Columbia 1900-1901 British Columbia 1901 | Victoria 1902 | Victoria 1920 For links to more directories: British Columbia directories on the Internet View Larger Map The top sites for genealogy in British Columbia British Columbia Archives This is a superb site, with vital events, maps, photos and more. It includes lists of probate documents as well – just search under Textual Records for the person you're looking for. Including: Deaths to 1991, Births to 1903, Marriages to 1936 Textual records search Visual records search Research library search FamilySearch Civil registration documents -- offering more information that you will find on the B.C. Archives site -- plus census indexes. Index to the 1901 census A searchable database provided by the British Columbia Genealogical Society. British Columbia GenWeb Records of note include census indexes, a list of voters from 1898, and much more. Including: Victoria 1871 census Victoria and area 1901 census Victoria divorce and matrimonial causes 1877-1931 Vihistory.ca Searchable database for the 1881 and 1891 census of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. Also includes the 1882 and 1892 directories for Nanaimo and Victoria. Including: Victoria 1871 census Vancouver Island 1881 census Vancouver Island 1891 census Vancouver Island 1901 census Victoria and Nanaimo 1882 directories Victoria and Nanaimo 1892 directories Victoria 1902 directory British Colonist 1858-1910 A searchable archive of more than 100,000 newspaper pages. Southern Interior Census Data Searchable data from various census databases including Yale District 1881 and 1891, Indian Reserve Commission Census 1877 and OMI Census 1877. Okanagan History index Searchable database of entries in the publication of the Okanagan Historical Society. Crown Land Grant Search 1869-1930 An index for grants issued between 1869 and 1930, providing volume, grant and numbers of the microfilm reels at the B.C. Archives. Court Services Online Includes divorce and probate cases from the past two decades. Co-ordinate converter Input the section, township, range and meridian numbers and this handy tool will provide the latitude and longitude. FamilySearch From the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Includes an index to several censuses, civil registration extracts, a guide to the library catalog, submitted and extracted records, and more. Library and Archives Canada A huge amount of information will be found in this superb website. It includes census, immigration and military information – and those are just the highlights. This remarkable website is a key resource for all Canadian genealogists. Canadian Genealogy Centre Part of the Library and Archives Canada collection, with a few unique resources. You can search all the databases at one time. FamilySearch From the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Includes an index to several censuses, civil registration extracts, a guide to the library catalog, submitted and extracted records, and more. Ancestry.ca Ancestry has indexes to the 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1906, 1911 and 1916 censuses, with links to the images on the Library and Archives Canada website. It also has records specific to provinces, and offers genealogists a chance to exchange their work with each other. It's free to search Ancestry.ca, but you will need a subscription to view the results. A free 14-day trial is available. Automated Genealogy Includes free indexes to the 1851/2,1901, 1906 and 1911 censuses. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online Notable people who died between 1000 and 1930. That's My Family / Voici Ma Famille This search tool enables you to check dozens of databases from across Canada at one time. It is free of charge and available in French and in English. It leads to genealogy and family history databases hosted by federal, provincial or territorial archives centres and libraries, or by other partners. British Columbia Cemetery Finding Aid Search through more than 344,000 burials from all areas of B.C. Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver An alphabetical listing from the largest city in the province. Recent obituaries More than 75,000 obituaries from small newspapers around the province. City of Victoria Archives Includes vital statistics database (Ross Bay Cemetery plus marriage notices) as well as references to many documents. Vintage Air Photos of British Columbia Guide to resources in Greater Victoria Compiled by Dave Obee Langley's Cemeteries Enjoy a virtual tour of the Township of Langley's two oldest cemeteries, Fort Langley Cemetery and Murrayville Cemetery. Search more than 10,000 records. Cemeteries in the Vernon area On the website of the Vernon and District Family History Society, including communities such as Armstrong and Enderby. Prince George Cemetery Use the plot search feature to obtain information by date or by name. Pleasant Street Cemetery, Kamloops On the web site of the Kamloops Family History Society. Thompson-Nicola newspaper index Includes obituaries from the Kamloops Daily News since 1987. Cemetery Index – Abbotsford area The Abbotsford Genealogical Society has compiled an index to eight cemeteries in the city of Abbotsford and one in Sumas, Wash. Index to wills 1860s-1960 There are two indexes, both in PDF format, to wills of residents and wills of strays. Provided by the Abbotsford Genealogical Society. R.E.Gosnell's B.C. Year Book, 1901 This excellent work provides a snapshot of the province at the start of the 20th century. Victoria's Victoria Focuses on Victoria during the reign of Queen Victoria, and includes a remarkable transcript of the Daily Colonist from 1858 to the 1920s. British Columbia Geographical Names Information System Searchable database of B.C. place names, including a display of digital maps. Doukhobor Genealogy Website The primary internet source connecting researchers of Doukhobor genealogy. This site is dedicated to the reclamation, discovery, collection, preservation and free sharing of information related to Doukhobor family history. Archives and libraries in British Columbia The British Columbia Archival Information Network A searchable database of fonds and collection level descriptions of records held at 174 publicly-accessible archival repositories. Vancouver Public Library Many resources here, including Northwest history collections, Vancouver building register, historical photographs, indexes and finding aids. Including: Chinese Canadian Genealogy Chinese Canadian Genealogy Wiki Historical photographs City of Victoria Archives With references to many documents. Including: Ross Bay Cemetery search 1872-1980 Death notices 1901-1939 Marriages notices 1901-1939 University of British Columbia Library Digital Collections and Services A vast collection of photographs and documents that represent a superb primary source for researchers. New Westminster Public Library - Genealogy and local history Special sections on genealogy and heritage buildings, with a superb collection of photographs of one of the most important cities in B.C.'s history. Surrey Public Library – Genealogy collection The Cloverdale branch houses the library's extensive collection of Canadian genealogical materials. The website has detailed information on current book and microform holdings. City of Vancouver Archives The City of Vancouver Archives, a division of the City Clerk's Department, is responsible for acquiring, organizing and preserving Vancouver's historical records and making them available to the widest possible audience. Including: Search photograph database City of Richmond Archives Search the full archives database, or follow the links to other resources Saanich Archives The largest municipality on southern Vancouver Island Including: 3,000 photographs online B.C. Legislative Library The core collection consists of political science, parliamentary procedure, law, public administration, economics and Canadian history. Search the collection online. Langley Centennial Museum owned and operated by the Township of Langley, its collections date back to the 1920's. A collection of over 1,200 archival photographs, 8,500 objects, and 500 works of art are searchable online. Including: About 5,000 photographs online Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia Libraries: University of Victoria | Simon Fraser University | University of British Columbia Search the online catalogues to find additional resources that are not available elsewhere. Family History Center, Victoria Centre is at Mann and Wilkinson in Saanich. Genealogical societies in British Columbia British Columbia does not have one society that covers the entire province. It's important to find a society that covers your area of interest. Greater Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Fraser Valley: Abbotsford Genealogical Society British Columbia Genealogical Society Mennonite Historical Society of B.C. Powell River Genealogy Group United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada - Vancouver Branch United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada - Chilliwack Branch Vancouver Island: Campbell River Genealogy Society Comox Valley Family History Group Nanaimo Family History Society Qualicum Beach Family History Society Victoria Genealogical Society Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria Friends of the B.C. Archives United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada - Victoria Branch Interior: Bulkley Valley Genealogical Society Kamloops Family History Society Kelowna and District Genealogical Society Kitimat Family History Society Okanagan Historical Society Prince George Genealogical Society South Cariboo Genealogy Society South Okanagan Genealogical Society Vernon and District Family History Society United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada - Thompson-Okanagan Branch |
Destination Canada By Dave Obee Available at Interlink Bookshop Global Genealogy Family Chronicle |