Canada, Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927 - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection covers marriages from 1869 to 1927. Registration of marriages began as early as 1801 in various districts and in counties formed from those districts. Province-wide registration by civil authorities of births, marriages, and deaths officially began in Ontario on 1 July 1869. A significantly complete registration was reached by 1930. Some people in Ontario were married in the United States because requirements were less strict there than in Canada. Civil authorities requested local clergy to turn in copies of their marriage records to local governments. Copies of these copies were then made and forwarded to district or county authorities. Those copies were then copied into register books. Therefore, the register books are a copy of a copy of a copy of the original church records. For more information about Ontario Marriages, see the article Ontario Vital Records.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Marriage • 2

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The name of a relative or date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This can help you find possible relatives
 * Search the records of nearby areas
 * Check for other names. An individual might appear under an unexpected name for a variety of reasons:
 * They might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name
 * A woman may have returned to her maiden name after the death of her husband

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in Ontario.
 * Ontario Record Finder
 * Canada Research Tips and Strategies

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Sharon L. Murphy, Researching Canadian vital statistics records -- : births, marriages and deaths 2nd ed. Toronto, Ontario : Heritage Productions, c2000-2003 FS Library 971 V27m 2003

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Canada, Ontario County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.