Digital Resources - Ontario
A large part of family history research involves searching within databases. The Family History department has several databases for you to use at the library. The main databases we will refer to are the following:
- Ancestry Library Edition: International genealogy resource with the largest online Canadian family history collection, searchable by surname. It is available at all Surrey Libraries branches. Many digitized records are available for viewing, printing, and saving. A list of resources within Ancestry, relevant to Ontario, can be found by following these steps:
- Click TWICE on the Search Tab
- Under “explore by location” select Ontario
- Family Search Affiliate Library Access. A large, free database available anywhere that is administered by the Church of Latter-Day Saints and has many digitized collections not found elsewhere. Surrey Libraries has Affiliate Library status with Family Search, allowing users at the library to access many digital images of original documents that would otherwise be locked to home users. Available at all Surrey Libraries branches.
- FindMyPast. An international genealogy resource with a large collection of Canadian records, searchable by surname. Many digitized records are available for viewing, printing, and saving. Available only at our Cloverdale branch.
Contains over 20 billion records from more than 80 countries, is the largest international online genealogy database, and has the largest Canadian collection. Available in-branch only.
FamilySearch.org provides free online access to records containing over 4 billion names from many countries. Using FamilySearch at an affiliate library allows users to access many digital images of original documents that would otherwise be locked to home users. Available at Cloverdale branch.
International collection with a strong UK focus. Contains over 2 billion records from around the world, with the largest online collection of Irish records, millions of historical newspaper pages, emigration records, census, vitals, military, apprenticeship and more. Includes free access to 1921 Census.
Available at Cloverdale branch.
- The Genealogist. A key site for British research, this database contains over 800 million records and includes collections not found in other databases. Its international holdings include emigration and military records for Canada, Australia, South Africa, and India, and Scottish directories from the 15th to 19th Century. The majority of its records are independently transcribed – useful for addressing indexing errors in other databases.
- Points to the Past. This is a gateway to a world-class collection of primary sources, made up of nearly 200 million pages of digitized historical content – maps, photos, newspapers, manuscripts, pamphlets, portraits, and much more. Large Canadian content. Includes a solid collection of UK historical newspapers from the 17th to 19th Centuries.
- American Ancestors. This database provides access to more than 1.4 billion records covering the United States, eastern Canada, the British Isles, continental Europe, and beyond. Many Canadian ancestors either emigrated from the US, or through the US from Europe, and had family on both sides of the border. This database includes one of the most extensive online collections of early American genealogical records, and the largest collection of US Catholic records online. Available at Cloverdale branch only.
A key site for British research, this database contains over 800 million records and includes collections not found in other databases. International holdings include emigration and military records for Canada, Australia, South Africa, and India, and Scottish directories from the 15th to 19th Century. Available at Cloverdale branch.
A gateway to a world-class collection of primary sources, with nearly 200 million pages of digitized historical content – maps, photos, newspapers, manuscripts, pamphlets, portraits, and much more. Includes a solid collection of UK historical newspapers from the 17th to 19th Centuries.
Access to more than 1.4 billion records covering the United States, eastern Canada, the British Isles, continental Europe, and beyond. It includes one of the most extensive online collections of early American genealogical records, and the largest collection of U.S Catholic records online. Available at Cloverdale branch.