Halton County, Ontario Genealogy

Guide to Halton County ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.

Boundary Changes
Prior to 1816, Halton County was part of the Home District of Upper Canada. In 1816, the Gore District was formed, comprising of two counties: Halton and Wentworth.

Halton County has seen many changes over the course of the years:


 * In 1816, Halton County contained the following townships: Beverly, Blandford, Blenheim, Dumfries, Flamborough, Nelson (formed in 1806), Nichol, Trafalgar (formed in 1806), Waterloo and Woolwich.
 * In 1821, the Esquesing and Nassagaweya townships were added.
 * In 1840, Halton County is divided into East and West Ridings. The West Riding included Garafraxa, Nichol, Woolwich, Guelph, Waterloo, Wilmot, Dumfries, Puslinch and Eramosa Townships.
 * In 1845 the townships of the West Riding of Halton form Waterloo County and the townships of Blandford and Blenheim become part of Oxford County.
 * In 1849, all Districts including the Gore District ceases to exist.
 * In 1853, the Beverley township was transferred to Wentworth County.
 * In 1854, the Flamborough township was transferred to Wentworth County.


 * In 1973, Halton County was dissolved to form the Regional Municipality of Halton.

Birth

 * 1869 - 1911 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1858 - 1913 - Ontario, Canada Births, 1858-1913 at Ancestry.com--index and images. ($)
 * 1869 - 1912 - Ontario Births, 1869-1912 at --index. ($)

Marriage

 * 1801-1858 - at FamilySearch — index and images.
 * 1801-1928, 1933-1934 - Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928, 1933-1934 at Ancestry.com--index and images. ($)
 * 1858-1869 - at FamilySearch — index and images.

Death

 * 1869-1937, and some 1939-1947 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1869-1938, 1943-1944, and some 1939-1947 - Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938, 1943-1944, and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947 at Ancestry.com--index and images. ($)

Writing for a More Recent Birth, Marriage, or Death Record

 * ServiceOntario, Birth Records is the only government-authorized source for obtaining birth certificates. Go to the section entitled "Order a Birth Search".  This is the most economical, searches the widest time period, and allows searches for people not immediately related. A letter of information is provided rather than a certificate.
 * ServiceOntario, Marriage Records offers a marriage search option and a historical certificate option.
 * ServiceOntario, Death Records offers a death search option and a historical certificate option. Also official death certificates are available to a wider range of relatives than birth and marriage certificates.

FamilySearch Library Microfilmed Records
Some of the church/civil records have been microfilmed by FamilySearch.These microfilms may be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers around the world. To find a microfilm:
 * a. Click on records for Canada, Ontario, Halton County. You will see a list of available records for the county.
 * b. You will also see above the list the link Places within Canada, Ontario, Halton County. This will take you to a list of towns in the counties, which are links to records for the specific town.
 * c. Click on any topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * d. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the microfilm listed for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the microfilm is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the microfilm. Clicking on the microfilm reel will lead to information on how to rent the film. Family history center staff will assist you in ordering the film.

Church Records
Church records can include baptisms, marriages, burials, membership lists, financial business, and other records for a particular congregation. They may be available online or on microfilm, but frequently they are still with the local church or in centralized archives by religion. The Canadian census records asked for the religion of those listed, so you will be able to narrow down which archives to consult. For help with writing a letter requesting copies of records, see Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy.
 * Link to Anglican church archives
 * Link to Baptist church archives
 * Link to Catholic church archives
 * Link to Lutheran church archives
 * Link to Moravian church archives
 * Link to Presbyterian church archives
 * Link to United Church of Canada (including Methodist) church archives

Online Church Records
These records are incomplete. ($).
 * collection includes indexed Ontario church records.
 * Ontario, Canada, Catholic Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1802-1967
 * Ontario, Canada, Catholic Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1802-1967
 * Ontario, Canada, Catholic Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1802-1967
 * Ontario, Canada, Roman Catholic Marriages, 1827-1870, ($).
 * Various individual church records at FindMyPast, ($).

Cemetery Records
See, Ontario Cemeteries for information on cemetery record collections not yet digitized, but available in published sources and on microfilm.

Online Cemetery Records

 * Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid website has a free, searchable database of over 2 million burials in Ontario. It can be searched by name, cemetery, county and town, but its references do not include dates of death.  Although it does not include any gravestone inscriptions, it can be used to locate graves in Ontario.
 * Ontario Cemetery Ancestory Index
 * Ontario Name Index (TONI)
 * The Canadian Gravemarker Gallery
 * The Ontario section of Canada GenWeb Cemetery Project
 * Ontario, Canada Headstones.com
 * Canada, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
 * Canada, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current

Biographies
Thomas Merrick (Oakville)

Colonel William Chisholm and family (founder of Oakville)

Chief Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) - (Burlington) He owned the land which later became Burlington

Also, refer to Biographies in the Province of Ontario Resources - Biography.

Cemeteries
Refer to the follow resources for information regarding cemeteries in Halton:

Transcriptions and online resources:

 * Archives of Ontario Microfilm collection for Halton- provides a list of the cemetery transcriptions available at the archives and through ILL (Interlibrary Loan)
 * Halton-Peel branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society - provides a list of cemeteries transcribed in Halton and available for purchase. Also includes online, historical details about each cemetery and GPS co-ordinates.
 * Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid - online database for names of indivduals interred in various Ontario cemeteries. Searchable by given name, last name, cemetery, township and/or county.
 * Cemetery Ancestor Index and cemetery locator (OGS) - for a list of Halton cemteries in this index refer to this file: ogs.andornot.com/halton%20report.pdf.

Burlington:

 * Burlington Memorial Gardens
 * Greenwood Cemetery
 * Holy Sepulchre - Catholic Cemetery

Oakville:

 * City managed cemeteries - includes Trafalgar Lawn and seven inactive or "pioneer" cemeteries (Bronte, Merton, Munn's, Oakville/St. Mary's, Palermo, St. Jude's and Wedgewood).
 * Glen Oaks

Milton:
Evergreen - includes online search

Halton Hills:

 * Town managed cemeteries - including Greenwood (Georgetown), Fairview (Acton) and seven inactive or "pioneer" cemeteries (Trafalgar Road Pioneer Cemetery ( Georgetown), Pioneer Cemetery
 * (Georgetown), Pioneer Cemetery (Hornby), Acton Pioneer Cemetery (Acton), St Paul’s Anglican Cemetery (Norval), Worden Pioneer Cemetery (Acton), Hornby Presbyterian Cemetery (Hornby))
 * Holy Redeemer - Georgetown Catholic Cemetery

Additionally, please read about Cemeteries in the Province of Ontario Resources - Cemeteries.

Census Records

 * 1841 census for Trafalgar Township - online transcription
 * 1852 census for Halton County - online transcription with original images
 * 1901 census for Halton County- online transcription with original images
 * 1911 census for Halton County - online transcription with original images

Additionally, please read about Census Records in the Province of Ontario Resources - Census.

Church Records
Halton County Marriages - online transcriptions of 1858-59, 1860, 1865-66, 1868, Georgetown Congregational 1858-1872

Halton Marriage records - manual transcription lookups for:


 * Halton Journal 1855- 1858 - Halton Co. Ontario
 * Halton-Peel Marriages performed at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church,
 * Halton-Peel Marriage performed at St. James Anglican Cathedral

Home District - online transcriptions of:


 * 1840-56 (Vol II pg 37)
 * 1831-33 (vol 10)
 * Register of Stephen Howard, Clerk of the Peace, 1803-1830 (Vol 6)
 * Register of Rev. James Harris, Presbyterian Church, 1823 - 1825 (Vol. 7)
 * Register of Rev. James Harris, Presbyterian Church, 1826-1831 (Vol. 8)
 * Brock Parish, Anglican Church records

Also check out: Church Records in the Province of Ontario Resources.

Directories
Halton Historical Directories

Online searchable index of Halton names in the following directories:


 * Canada Directory of Professional and Business Men, Montreal: John Lovell, 1851
 * Canada Directory of Professional and Business Men, Montreal: John Lovell, 1857
 * Fuller's counties of Peel and Halton Directory for 1866 & 1867, Blackburn's City Steam Press, Toronto, 1866
 * County of Halton Directory, 1869-70, Hamilton: A. Lawson and Co., 1869
 * Lovell's Business and Professional Directory of the Province of Ontario for 1882, Montreal: John Lovell & Son, 1871
 * Lovell's Business and Professional Directory of the Province of Ontario for 1882, Montreal: John Lovell & Son, 1882
 * Morrey's Business Directory - Halton, Waterloo and Wellington, Ingersoll: Union Publishing Co., 1896
 * Morrey's Business Directory - Halton, Waterloo, Wellington counties, Ingersoll: Union Publishing Co., 1899

Land and Property Records
Illustrated Historical Atlas

Local Histories
The history of Georgetown (now part of the Town of Halton Hills)


 * http://www.downtowngeorgetown.com/about/history-of-georgetown
 * http://www.georgetownon.ca/index.php/culture/heritage/80-brief-history-of-georgetown-ontario

The history of Limehouse (now part of the Town of Halton Hills)

The History of Oakville


 * Town History - http://virtualwalk.ca/index.php/Oakville-Ontario/History-Geography-Oakville.html
 * Oakville Images collection (searchable) - http://images.oakville.halinet.on.ca/search
 * Oakville Hydro http://www.oakvillehydro.com/ohc/about_history.aspx
 * Oakville Trafalgar High School - http://oth.hdsb.ca/?q=node/6
 * Oakville Trafalgar Hospital - http://www.haltonhealthcare.com/about_otmh_history.php
 * Oakville Masonic Lodge - http://www.oakvillelodge400.ca/history_of_oakville_lodge.html

Newspapers & Obituaries
A Number of Halton County and present day Regional Municipality of Halton newspapers have been digitally scanned, indexed and are searchable online. http://news.halinet.on.ca/search provides a portal to search for birth, marriage and death announcements, article and in some cases, full issue browsing.

Searchable and/or archived Halton newspapers, including publication dates ranges:


 * Acton Free Press, 1875-1984 (HHPL)
 * Acton Tanner, 1992-1997 undefined (HHPL)
 * Burlington Gazette, 1899-1986 (BPL)
 * Burlington Post (BPL)
 * Canadian Champion (MPL)
 * Daily Journal Record
 * Erin Advocate (HHPL)
 * Georgetown Gemini (HHPL)
 * Georgetown Herald, 1867-1992 (HHPL)
 * Georgetown Independent, 1973-1978 (HHPL)
 * Georgetown Leader (HHPL)
 * Halton Hills This Week (HHPL)
 * Hamilton Spectator
 * Independent & Free Press, 1985-present (HHPL)
 * Nassagaweya Country News
 * New Tanner (HHPL)
 * North Halton Compass (HHPL)
 * Oakville Beaver (OPL)
 * Oakville Journal Record (OPL)
 * Oakville News (OPL)
 * Oakville Record (OPL)
 * Oakville Record-Star (OPL)
 * Oakville Star & Independent (OPL)
 * Oakville Trafalgar Journal (OPL)
 * Standard and Halton and Peel Gazetteer

The acronym in brackets after each newspaper denotes the public library that holds archived material for these papers (microfilm, microfiche etc). Library details are listed below:

Societies:

 * Bronte Village Historical Society: http://www.brontehistoricalsociety.ca/
 * Burlington Historical Society: http://www.burlingtonhistoricalsociety.ca/
 * Esquesing Historical Society: http://www.esquesinghistoricalsociety.ca/
 * Milton Historical Society: http://www.miltonhistoricalsociety.ca/
 * Halton-Peel Genealogical Scoiety: http://www.halinet.on.ca/sigs/ogshp/index.htm
 * Oakville Historical Society: http://www.oakvillehistory.org/
 * Trafalgar Township Historical Society: http://www.tths.ca/

Libraries:

 * BPL: Burlington Public Library (www.bpl.on.ca)

Central Branch: 905.639.3611


 * HHPL: Halton Hills Public Library (www.hhpl.on.ca)

Georgetown Branch(note this branch is closed until Fall 2012): 905-873-2681


 * MPL: Milton Public library (www.mpl.on.ca)

Main Street Branch: 905-875-2665


 * OPL: Oakville Public Library (www.opl.on.ca)

Central Branch: 905-815-2042

Websites
The Forebears website will give you an extensive list of websites that could have information for people who lived in this county. Some sites cover just the county, some cover all of Ontario, and some cover all of Canada. Some sites are databases of names and facts about people; other sites cover background information such as maps, history, geography, or genealogy strategies and methods for the region.


 * Forebears, Halton County