![]() | British Columbia |
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.
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See also British Columbia newspapers | British Columbia directories Census records 1881: Library and Archives Canada | FamilySearch Ancestry.ca | FindMyPast | MyHeritage 1891: Library and Archives Canada | FamilySearch Ancestry.ca | FindMyPast | MyHeritage 1901: Library and Archives Canada | FamilySearch Automated Genealogy | Ancestry.ca | FindMyPast | MyHeritage 1911: Library and Archives Canada | FamilySearch Automated Genealogy | Ancestry.ca | FindMyPast | MyHeritage 1921: Library and Archives Canada | Ancestry.ca | MyHeritage 1931: Library and Archives Canada | Ancestry FamilySearch FindMyPast MyHeritage 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. Birth, marriage and death records Births: B.C. Archives (1836-1888) | B.C. Archives (1854-1903) | FamilySearch (1854-1903) | Ancestry (1872-1903) Marriages: B.C. Archives (1859-1872) | B.C. Archives (1872-1946) | FamilySearch (1854-1932; 1937-1938) | Ancestry (1872-1935) Deaths: B.C. Archives (1872-2002) | FamilySearch (1872-1986; 1992-1993) Ancestry (1872-1990) | FindMyPast (1872-1992) Cemeteries: B.C. Cemetery Finding Aid | Vancouver - Mountain View Victoria - Pioneer Square | Victoria - Ross Bay | Kamloops - Pleasant Street Prince George | Vernon - North Okanagan | Burnaby North Vancouver | Abbotsford | South Okanagan 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. Find a Grave British Columbia cemeteries A great finding aid by Bruce Gordon makes searching for burials much easier. Billion Graves International cemetery site includes British Columbia. Canadian Headstones A national cemetery site. Recent obituaries More than 116,000 obituaries from Black Press newspapers around the province. Victoria Daily Times birth, marriage and death notices, 1901-1939 Vancouver Island births, marriages, deaths - Ancestry Thompson-Nicola newspaper index Includes obituaries from the Kamloops Daily News after 1987. Wills: 1860s-1940 | Stray wills 1860s-1939 (PDF) | FamilySearch 1859-1949 FamilySearch Civil registration documents -- offering more information that you will find on the B.C. Archives site -- plus census indexes. Court Services Online Includes divorce and probate cases from the past two decades. Geography and land records 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. FamilySearch browse images 1851-1874 FamilySearch browse images 1860-1971 FamilySearch browse images 1869-1930 FamilySearch browse images 1885-1949 British Columbia Geographical Names Information System Searchable database of B.C. place names, including a display of digital maps. Vintage Air Photos of British Columbia Other sites for genealogy Newspapers on microfilm at B.C. Archives British Columbia Archives 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 1998, Births to 1903, Marriages to 1943 Colonial Correspondence Pioneer Medallion Application Forms Transcription site Directories: Victoria 1860 | Victoria 1860 | San Francisco 1860 British Columbia 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 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 British Columbia 1891 British Columbia 1891 Part 1 | British Columbia 1891 Part 2 British Columbia 1892 Part 1 | British Columbia 1892 Part 2 Nanaimo 1892 | Victoria 1892 British Columbia 1893 | British Columbia 1894 | British Columbia 1895 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 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 Okanagan History index Searchable database of entries in the publication of the Okanagan Historical Society. Naturalization records 1859-1926 Browse images on FamilySearch City of Victoria Archives Includes vital statistics database (Ross Bay Cemetery plus marriage notices) as well as references to many documents. Guide to resources in Greater Victoria Compiled by Dave Obee 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. 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 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 - Family History 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 archives database City of Richmond Archives Search the full archives database, or follow the links to other resources New Westminster Funeral Home Records 1932-1956 From Bowell's Funeral Home, courtesy the New Westminster Public Library Saanich Archives The largest municipality on southern Vancouver Island Including: More than 7,000 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 to the 1920s. A collection of more than 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 Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery Boundary Historical Society Boundary Museum & Interpretive Centre Greater Vernon Museum and Archives Vernon Historic O'Keefe Ranch The Chinese Canadian Artefacts Project Includes 1948 Chinese Directory of Vancouver, Okanagan and New Westminster, 1960 Chinese Directory of Vancouver and New Westminster, 1965-1966 Chinese Yearbook B.C. Mainland Edition Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre Oliver and District Heritage Society Fernie Museum Trail Museum and Archives Creston Museum Kelowna Public Archives Revelstoke Museum and Archives Peachland Museum Naramata Heritage Museum Westbank Museum 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 Centre, 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 Loyalists' Association of Canada - Chilliwack Branch Vancouver Island: Campbell River Genealogy Society Comox Valley Genealogy 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 Loyalists' Association of Canada - Thompson-Okanagan Branch Nation-wide sites worth checking Library and Archives Canada (Free) A huge amount of information, including census, immigration and military information. A key resource for all Canadian genealogists. FamilySearch (Free) 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. Canadiana (Free) Quick access to about millions of documents held in Canadian libraries, museums and archives, compiled into one resource for convenient searching. This site has many resources not found elsewhwere. Ancestry.ca (Commercial) Ancestry has an extensive collection drawn from census indexes, immigration sources, and other material from different provinces. FindMyPast (Commercial) A collection of sources that is still being developed. FindMyPast includes census indexes, birth indexes, and many scanned books, as well as newspapers. MyHeritage (Commercial) The Canadian arm of a site known for its strong European material. It includes the major resources found on other sites. Automated Genealogy (Free) Includes free indexes to the 1851/2, 1901, 1906 and 1911 censuses. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online (Free) Notable people who died before 1930. |
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