Getting Started This guide has had minor revisions in Sept 2013. The Toronto Reference Library houses research material for genealogists and local historians, including books, microforms, pamphlets, maps, government documents, periodicals and online databases. Collection highlights: Extensive collection of British Isles city and county directories Ireland's Griffith’s General Valuation of Rateable Property Earlier Tithe Applotment Books […]
Getting Started Census: an official enumeration of populations that can help you discover birth dates, the names of paren’ts and siblings, immigration details and much more. Searching the Library website census handbooks for background and tips on using the censuses of various countries Add location and year to the word "census" or "census index" e.g., Manitoba census […]
The genealogy and local history collection housed in the Canadiana Department at the North York Central Library was recently transferred downtown to the Toronto Reference Library’s Humanities and Social Sciences Department (HSS).This included a variety of materials in different formats: genealogical periodicals church and parish histories historical atlases city directories yearbooks indexes to births, marriages […]
Getting Started Could your ancestors have been prominent in their community? Did they belong to a group or association, or were they members of a profession or trade? They may well appear in publications produced by these organizations. The Humanities and Social Sciences Department at the Toronto Reference Library holds numerous examples of such resources, ranging from […]
The Toronto Public Library Digital Archive is a rich source of Toronto history. From the time an item in the collection is selected for digitization to when it is available in the Toronto Public Library Digital Archive, it undergoes an in-depth process to ensure it is accessible to everyone searching the Digital Archive. As a […]
This updated guide was originally posted in 2011. This guide provides explanations of many abbreviations for personal names, occupations and other words used in 19th-century Toronto city directories. A ab aboveacct accountantadv advertisementag implts agricultural implementsagt agental alleyAlbt AlbertAlex Alexanderapp apprenticeappr appraiserarch/archt architectArchd Archibaldassce assuranceassn associationasst assistantattdt attendantav/ave avenue B b boardsbarr barristerbdg boardingbdg h boarding housebds boardsBenj Benjaminbet betweenbg buildingbgemn baggagemanbkbndr bookbinderbkkpr/bkpr bookkeeperbkr bakerbkslr booksellerbld/bldg buildingbldr builderblksmith blacksmithbr branchbrklyr bricklayerbrkmn brakemanbrmkr boiler makerbtchr butcher btlr bottler C c cornerc h custom housecabt mkr cabinet makerCan Canadiancarp/carpr carpentercarr carriagecash cashierChas Charleschauf chauffeurchkr checkerclk clerkclnr cleanerCo companycol coloredcoll collectorcom commissioncom mer commission merchantcomp compositorcomr/commr commissionercond/condr conductorconfr/conftr confectionercontr contractorcor cornerCorp corporationcres crescentct courtctr cutter D d gds dry goodsDanl Danieldept departmentdepy deputydlr dealerdo same place or same streetdom domesticDom Dominiondrftsmn draftsmandrsmkr dressmakerdsgnr designer E e easte s east sideEdwd Edwardelect electricianelectro electrotyperelev oper elevator operatorEliz Elizabethemp employeeeng/engr engineerengr engraverest estateexamr examinerexp express F fcy fancyfnshr finisherFrdk Frederickft foot […]
Getting Started When searching for ancestors in earlier military records such as muster rolls or pay lists, you may only find lists of names. However, in later periods, personnel records which include date and place of birth, next of kin, and occupation may be available. The Toronto Reference Library collects resources on Canadian and British military records, including […]
Getting Started August 2015 – The Obituaries tab has been deleted from both databases. The ProQuest Historical Newspapers Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail are two databases that allow users to search for words and phrases in complete issues of these newspapers. These databases display images of the newspapers as they were originally published, […]
Getting Started This guide was reviewed August 2014. Ship passenger lists contain useful information such as a person's age, country of birth, last place of residence, and occupation. However, there are no comprehensive lists of names of immigrants arriving in Canada before 1865. A few surviving early lists are at Library and Archives Canada. Research on […]
Getting Started The Toronto Reference Library has resources in English and French and in print, microfilm, and online to help you research French Canadian and Acadian genealogy. Searching the Library Website Suggested Subject and Keywords Acadians genealogy French Canadians genealogy Registers Acadian [location or parish] genealogy e.g. Sacré Coeur genealogy Suggested Titles English Acadian church records […]