Welcome to the Ontario County page of the Ontario GenWeb

Have you hit a brick wall with your Ontario County ancestors? Search for your family origins on Ontario County GenWeb. I hope this site will help you find that brick-wall ancestor.

Read about COMPLETE Canadian Census 1851-1916 Coming Online in June!

 

2 Thumbs Up To Library & Archives Canada for putting digitized images and an index online for Soldiers of the South African War 1899 - 1902 Tip of the Month Ontario County Records * Archives, libraries, museums, etc. * Baptism, birth, marriage, and death * Land Records * Court Records * Church Records * Lovell's 1871 Directory * Newspapers * Municipal/Administrative History * Queries * Ontario County Genealogy Links * Ajax Photos of Ajax in the early days Featured Database Death Records Ontario County Death Records 1870 to 1879 [AncestorsAtRest] Quick Links Census Records Canada Naturalization Records Canada Ancestors At Rest Death Records Past Voices: Letters Home Olive Tree Genealogy Brick Wall Help Search Ontario County 1911 Census Indexes [AllCensusRecords.com] Blog Feeds Genealogy Blogs Olive Tree Genealogy Genealogy updates of free records online and tips for finding those elusive brick-wall ancestors The Paper Trail Eclectic mix of old documents - you may just find an ancestor's will, land record or general store receipt here! Past Voices Letters, letters and more letters! Letters from Civil War soldiers, from wives to husbands, sons to mothers, sisters to sisters... Ancestors at Rest - The blog for AncestorsAtRest.com website. Contains death records of all kinds - funeral cards, death notices, cemetery receipts, obits...and more Family Bibles - Another AncestorsAtRest.com blog of Family Bible entries and pictures of the births, marriages and death pages Antique Hunter - If you like antiques or collectibles, this brand-new blog will be one you don't want to miss!

Ontario County GenWeb Municipal/Administrative History Territory - Province: 1667 - 1867 This section indicates how the lands in Ontario County changed hands and names over a 200-year period. 1667 - New France (French) 1763 - Indian Country (not for settlement by Europeans) 1774 - Quebec 1791 - Upper Canada 1840 - Province of Canada. Canada West was commonly used to designate the western part of the Province of Canada. 1867 - Ontario (province) Source: Territorial Evolution of Canada [map], 2nd ed., 1969 (MCR 2306) Districts: 1788 - 1850 Districts not relevant to the area covered by Ontario County GenWeb are not followed. Those names are shown in italics. 1788 - Nassau District created 1792 - Nassau District changed to Home District 1798 - Home District split into three - Home District, Newcastle District, and Niagara District 1816 - Home District split into Home District and Gore District. 1843 - Home District split into Simcoe District and Home District. 1850 - All Districts, including Home District are abolished. Counties replace Districts as the new level of land division. See History of the Settlement of Ontario Counties: 1792 - present Names not relevant to the area covered by Ontario County GenWeb are not followed. Those names are shown in italics. 1792 - York County created. East Riding to contain area later known as Ontario County. 1800 - York County's East Riding includes the townships of Etobicoke, Gwillimbury, King, Markham, Pickering, Scarborough, Uxbridge, Vaughan, Whitby, Whitchurch, and York. This also included an area of land between Durham County and Lake Simcoe. 1821 - York County's East Riding grows to include the townships of Brock, Georgina, Reach, and Scott. Simcoe County includes the townships of Thora [sic], Mara, and Ramah [sic]. 1837 - York County is divided into four ridings. The Fourth Riding has the townships of Mara, Rama, and Thorah added. 1845 - York County's North Riding includes the townships of Brock, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Mara, North Gwillimbury, Rama, Reach, Scott, Thora [sic], Uxbridge, and Whitchurch. The East Riding includes the townships of Markham, Pickering, Scarborough, and Whitby. 1852 - Ontario County is created from York County and includes the townships of Brock, Georgina, Mara, Pickering, Rama, Reach, Scott, Scugog, Thora [sic], Uxbridge, and Whitby. Oshawa (Village) is attached to Ontario County. 1974 - Ontario County dissolved. Lands in the old Ontario County become part of Durham (Regional Municipality). See Ontario DISTRICTS, COUNTIES & TOWNSHIPS in 1846 Regional Municipality 1974 - Durham (Regional Municipality) is created from Ontario and Durham Counties. It includes Oshawa (City), the towns of Ajax, Newcastle, Pickering, Whitby, and the townships of Brock, Scugog, and Uxbridge. Townships Unless otherwise stated, these are Municipal Townships. 1800 - York County's East Riding includes the townships of Pickering, Uxbridge, and Whitby. 1821 - York County's East Riding now includes the townships of Brock, Georgina, Reach, and Scott as well as Pickering, Uxbridge, and Whitby. Simcoe County includes the townships of Thora [sic], Mara, and Ramah [sic]. 1850 - The townships of Brock, Georgina, Mara, Pickering, Rama, Reach, Scott, Thorah, and Uxbridge are incorporated. 1852 - Scugog (Township) is created from the island called Scugog Island which had been part of the townships of Cartwright and Reach in Durham County. 1853 - Georgina (Township) is removed from Ontario County and (re)attached to York County. 1858 - Whitby (Township) divided into two - Whitby (Township) [the western half] and East Whitby (Township). 1869 - Rama (Township) incorporated again. 1968 - Whitby (Township) and Whitby (Town) amalgamate as Whitby (Town). 1974 - Mara and Rama (Townships) are attached to Simcoe County. The Villages of Beaverton and Cannington, the Police Village of Sunderland, and the townships of Brock and Thorah become Brock (Township). Port Perry (Village) and the townships of Cartwright, Reach, and Scugog become Scugog (Township). Uxbridge (Town) and the townships of Scott and Uxbridge become Uxbridge (Township). East Whitby (Township) and Oshawa (City) amalgamate as Oshawa (City). Pickering (Village), parts of Pickering (Township), and Ajax (Town) amalgamate as Ajax (Town). The remainder of Pickering (Township) becomes Pickering (Town). Cities 1924 - Oshawa (Town) becomes a City. 1974 - East Whitby (Township) and Oshawa (City) amalgamate as Oshawa (City). 2000 - Pickering (Town) becomes a City. Towns 1854 - Whitby (Town) incorporated. 1886 - Uxbridge (Village) becomes a Town. 1870 - Oshawa (Village) becomes a Town. 1955 - Ajax (Improvement District) becomes a Town. 1968 - Whitby (Township) and Whitby (Town) amalgamate as Whitby (Town). 1974 - Pickering (Village), parts of Pickering (Township), and Ajax (Town) amalgamate as Ajax (Town). Part of Pickering (Township) was added to Scarborough (Township). The remainder of Pickering (Township) becomes Pickering (Town). Whitby (Town) continues as a Town. Uxbridge (Town) and the townships of Scott and Uxbridge become Uxbridge (Township). Other 1850 - Oshawa (Village) is incorporated. 1871 - Port Perry (Village) incorporated. 1872 - Uxbridge (Village) incorporated. 1878 - Cannington (Village) incorporated. 1885 - Beaverton (Village) incorporated. 1900 - Sunderland (Police Village) established. 1907 - Claremont (Police Village) established. 1909 - Brechin (Police Village) established. 1950 - Ajax (Improvement District) established. 1953 - Pickering (Village) incorporated. 1968 - Claremont (Police Village) becomes part of Pickering (Township). 1974 - The Villages of Beaverton and Cannington, the Police Village of Sunderland, and the townships of Brock and Thorah become Brock (Township). Port Perry (Village) and the townships of Cartwright, Reach, and Scugog become Scugog (Township). Uxbridge (Town) and the townships of Scott and Uxbridge become Uxbridge (Township). East Whitby (Township) and Oshawa (City) amalgamate as Oshawa (City). Pickering (Village), parts of Pickering (Township), and Ajax (Town) amalgamate as Ajax (Town). Sources for Districts to Other Canadian Geographical Names Data Base "A Statutory Chronology of Central Ontario, 1792 - 1984" by Thomas A. Hillman in Canadian Papers in Rural History (Vol. V, 1986)

Ontario County GenWeb is hosted by RootsWeb.com          All rights reserved          I can't answer queries as I don't live in Ontario County but a great place to start is the AskOliveTree blog where you can submit your genealogy challenges and brickwalls to Lorine for help.