TRL Humanities and Social Sciences

Guide to British & Irish Genealogy

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 […]

Guide to Census Records

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 […]

Genealogy and Local History moves Downtown

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 […]

Genealogical Biography

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 […]

Making Historical Photographs Accessible Online

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 […]

Guide to City Directories of Toronto: Decoding Abbreviations

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 […]

Military Records

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 […]

Digitized Toronto Newspapers: Globe and Mail and Toronto Star

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, […]

Passenger Lists & Immigration Records & Home Children

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 […]

Guide to French Canadian & Acadian Genealogy

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 […]