Prince Edward Island, Canada Genealogy

Guide to Prince Edward Island ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.

History

 * Prince Edward Island (PEI) is a province of Canada and one of the three Maritime provinces. It is the smallest province of Canada in both land area and population, but the most densely populated.
 * Since before the influx of Europeans, the Mi'kmaq First Nations have inhabited Prince Edward Island as part of the region of Mi'kma'k.
 * Prince Edward Island was originally a French colony, named Île Saint-Jean, and was settled in the early 18th century by Acadians.
 * Most of the Acadians were deported by the British in 1758 after the battle of Louisburg, but about 300 Acadian families stayed on the island by hiding out in the woods.
 * In 1763, when the Treaty of Paris was signed, the island was officially turned over to the British. The island was divided up into 67 numbered lots and a lottery was held in 1767 to allocate the lots. The proprietors were required to pay quitrents (a tax or land tax) to the Crown and bring in 100 Protestant, non-British settlers within 10 years.
 * In 1769, the Island was renamed St John’s Island. However, the first settlers were Scottish Catholics and arrived in 1772. Subsequent waves of Scottish immigrants, both Catholic and Protestant, and Irish and English immigrants came to the island, largely between 1772 and 1841.
 * In 1799, the Island was renamed to Prince Edward Island.

Prince Edward Island Map




Counties

 * Prince County
 * Queens County
 * Kings County

FamilySearch Resources
Below are FamilySearch resources that can assist you in resourcing your family.
 * Facebook Communities - Facebook groups discussing genealogy research
 * Learning Center - Online genealogy courses
 * Historical Records - databases and record images on FamilySearch
 * Family History Center locator map