Waterloo County, Ontario Genealogy

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County Courthouse
In Waterloo Region the counthouse does not contain genealogical materials unlike the United States.

Boundary Changes

 * 1837 - The townships of Proton, Luther, Melancthon and Amaranth become part of the County of Waterloo.
 * 1838 - The townships of Waterloo, Wilmot, Woolwich, and some reserved lands west of Woolwich were to become part of the County of Waterloo.
 * 1840 - Halton County is divided into the East Riding and the West Riding. The West Riding contains the townships of Garafraxa, Nichol, Woolwich, Guelp[h, Waterloo, Wilmot, Dumfries, Puslinch, Eramosa, and others.
 * 1845 - West Riding of Halton County designated as County of Waterloo. Waterloo County included the townships of Arthur, Amaranth, Bentinck, Derby, Eramosa, Egremont, Guelph, Glenelg, Garrafraxa [sic], Holland, Luther, Mornington, Minto, Maryborough, Melancthon, Normanby, Nichol, Peel, Proton, Puslinch, Sydenham, Sullivan, Waterloo, Wilmot, Woolwich, and Wellesley. Erin was included for all purposes except Legislative Assembly representation, while Dumfries was included for purposes of Legislative Assembly representation.
 * 1850 - Waterloo County includes the townships of Arthur, Amaranth, Bentinck, Derby, Eramosa, Egremont, Erin, Guelph, Glenelg, Garrafraxa [sic], Holland, Luther, Mornington, Minto, Maryborough, Melancthon, Normanby, Nichol, Peel, Proton, Puslinch, Sydenham, Sullivan, Waterloo, Wilmot, Woolwich, and Wellesley. Land included in Waterloo County included land to the north ot the Townships of Derby, Arran, and Saugeen and between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, that had been known as the Indian Reserve.
 * 1852 - Waterloo County alters in size. Townships within Waterloo County are North Dumfries, Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich. The southern half of Dumfries went to Brant County.
 * 1973 - Waterloo County is dissolved.

Cities


 * 1912 - Berlin became a City.
 * 1915 - Galt became a City.
 * 1916 - Berlin changed its name to Kitchener.
 * 1948 - Waterloo became a City.
 * 1973 - Cambridge (city) is created by amalgamation of the towns of Galt, Preston, and Hespeler, and parts of Noth Dumfries Township and Waterloo Township. Waterloo remains a City, loses a part to Kitchener, and gains a part of Waterloo Township. Bridgeport lost its status and became part of the city of Kitchener, along with parts of Waterloo (city) and Waterloo (township). Parts of the townships of Beverly and North Dumfries and Ayr (village) amalgamate as North Dumfries Township.

Towns


 * 1851 - Guelph became a Town. Annexed to Wellington District in 1852.
 * 1857 - Galt became a Town.
 * 1870 - Berlin became a Town.
 * 1876 - Waterloo became a Town.
 * 1900 - Preston became a Town.
 * 1901 - Hespeler became a Town.
 * 1922 - Elmira (village) becomes a Town.
 * 1966 - New Hamburg became a Town.
 * 1973 - New Hamburg lost its status and became part of Wilmot Township. Elmira and St. Jacobs lost their status and became part of Woolwich Township.

Other


 * 1850 - Galt became a Village.
 * 1852 - Preston became a Village.
 * 1854 - Berlin became a Village.
 * 1857 - New Hamburg and Waterloo became Villages.
 * 1859 - New Hope was incorporated as Hespeler (village).
 * 1883 - Ayr became a Village.
 * 1886 - Elmira became a Village.
 * 1904 - St. Jacobs became a Police Village.
 * 1906 - Hawkesville became a Police Village.
 * 1907 - Bridgeport became a Village and St. Clements and Baden became Police Villages.
 * 1908 - Wellesley became a Police Village.
 * 1915 - Conestogo became a Police Village.
 * 1919 - Linwood became a Police Village.
 * 1962 - Wellesley changed its status to Village.
 * 1973 - Bridgeport lost its status and became part of the city of Kitchener. St. Clements, Wellesley, and Linwood lost their status and became part of Wellesley Township. Conestogo lost its status and became part of Wilmot Township. Ayr lost its status and became part of North Dumfries Township.

Record Loss
Census: in both North Dumfries and Wellesley Townships 1851 Census one Division of each has been lost with time.

Populated Places
Townships


 * North Dumfries
 * Wilmot
 * Waterloo ( 1861 map of township)
 * Woolwich
 * Wellesley Neighboring Counties

Neighboring Counties
Perth | Oxford | Brant | Wellington

Cemeteries

 * Cemeteries of Waterloo County, Ontario full and partial transcriptions at Interment.net

Census

 * 1840 Census - Wilmot Township
 * 1852 Census - Canada West, Waterloo District #38
 * 1901 Census - Waterloo County, OntarioWaterloo, Wellesley, Woolrich, Berlin, Elmira
 * 1901 Census - Waterloo County, Ontario North Dumfries, Waterloo South, Galt, Wilmot, Hespeller, Preston, Ayr, New Hamburg
 * 1911 Census - Waterloo County, Ontario Waterloo, Wellesley, Woolrich, Berlin, Elmira
 * 1911 Census - Waterloo County, Ontario North Dumfries, Waterloo South, Galt, Wilmot, Hespeller, Preston, Ayr, New Hamburg

Church

 * Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide

Maps

 * 1861 Map of Waterloo Township
 * 1885 Map of Waterloo County Townships

Societies and Libraries

 * Waterloo Region Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society

Web Sites

 * Rootsweb/Ancesty.com: Waterloo County, Ontario message board
 * Ontario GenWeb: Waterloo County
 * Family History Library Catalog
 * Waterloo Region People Test Site
 * Ezra Eby Revived Mennonite Genealogy
 * Match and Merge Genealogy Waterloo Perth and Oxford Counties