Passenger & Immigration Lists - Ontario

Passenger lists were not required in Canada before 1865. Before this date, record keeping was inconsistent. For the earlier time period, researchers will have to rely on a variety of websites, microfilm collections and print material, in hopes of finding an entry. Keep in mind that many of our ancestors arrived in Ontario by means other than a passenger ship. Especially since the big ships were unable to make it down the St. Lawrence River.

Form 30A - 1919-1924: These individual passenger forms were used as early as 1919, yet some passengers still appear on sheet manifests as late as 1922. The information provided can be very helpful.

Online

Ancestry Databases at the library:

• Canadian Passenge Lists: 1865-1935 - searchable by name, port, ship, arrival/departure dates, with digital images of records
  • Canadian Immigration Records:1790-1906 - searchable by name. Transcriptions of records.
  • Border Crossings from Canada to US: 1895-1956 - searchable by name, location, with digital images of records.

Library & Archives Canada. Home page for information on passenger lists land links to resources for ship’s passenger lists (ocean arrivals) as well as border entries.

• Naturalization records 1915-1951
• Upper Canada and Canada West Naturalization Records. 1828-1850

Microfilm

Microfilms for all Canadian incoming passenger lists are available in our Family History Department. The films are organized by port of arrival and date. If neither of these is known, you can search the Canadian passenger list records or Canadian census records on Ancestry. Census records often include the year a person arrived in Canada. For details on the microfilms, see section 3-10 of the library’s guide: Canadian Family History Resources: A Guide to the Materials Held at Cloverdale Library.

• Peter Robinson Papers. This microfilm series relates to Irish arrivals to Canada, specifically to the Peterborough area in the early 1800’s. Some passenger records are included. MS 12, Reels 1-3
• Toronto Immigration Office Records: Hawke Papers. From 1831 -1892 records were compiled by Anthony Bowden Hawke(and his successor J.A. Donaldson), the first specialized emigration agent in Canada. He was responsible for settlement in what was known as Upper Canada. MS 6909-61917
• Colonial Office Records Index: Contains names taken from the correspondence of the British Secretary of State C-4252

Print

There are also numerous books of passenger list arrivals and a variety of books on the topic of immigration to Canada. Browse the bookshelves in the 929.3 area. General books about Immigration are in the 325 area.

Filby, William P., and Lower, Dorothy, compilers. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index (PILI): A guide to published records of more than 1,775,000 passengers who came to the New World between the sixteenth and early twentieth centuries. Detroit: Gale Research 1990-. Library call number GEN 929.3 PAS

McCuaig, Carol Bennett. Peter Robinson Settlers. Renfrew, Ontario: Juniper Books, 1987. Library call number GEN 971.38 EBN 1987