GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Prince Edward Island Births

This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find birth information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the birth section of the Prince Edward Island Guided Research page.

Civil registration of births in PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND were not required until 1864. Birth records before this date mostly come from church or township book records. From 1867 to 1874 these records are fairly complete. In 1877, birth registration was discontinued and in 2908 it began again.

Additional Databases and Online Resources

 * 1777-1985: Prince Edward Island Church Records, 1777-1985 at FamilySearch (images only)
 * 1780-1983: Prince Edward Island, Canada, Baptisms, Marriages, Burials, 1780-1983 at Ancestry ($)

Additional Records with Birth Information
Substitute records may contain information about more than one event and are used when records for an event are not available. Records that are used to substitute for birth events may not have been created at the time of the birth. The accuracy of the record is contingent upon when the information was recorded. Search for information in multiple substitute records to confirm the accuracy of these records.

Tips for finding births
Successfully finding birth records in online databases depends on a few key points. Try the following search suggestions:
 * Spelling variations. Your ancestor's name may be misspelled. Search with spelling variations for the first and last name of your ancestor.
 * Search parents. Search for the parents, if known, as the child's first name may not be on the birth record.
 * Search given name. Search by given name (leave out the last name) with the approximate date of birth.
 * Add information. For common names, add more information to narrow the search such as approximate birth date or parent's names if known.
 * Date range. Expand the date range of the search by 5 years.
 * Search state. Search using the state name only instead of by county.

Known Record Gaps
Records Start
 * Official registration of births and deaths began in 1906. However, records are more complete after 1920. Most vital records for Prince Edward Island for the before 1906 are available at the Public Archives and Records Office.
 * Most official vital records of birth, marriage, and death for Prince Edward Island must be requested on forms available from the Office of Vital Statistics.


 * Church of England records for British settlers in Halifax began in 1749.
 * Civil registration of births in Ontario were not required until 1864.
 * Birth registration was discontinued from 1877-1908.