Why Your Great-Grandmother’s Ontario Birth Record Isn’t There and Where to Look Instead

Image created by ChatGPT, 2025.

If you’ve been searching high and low for your great-grandmother’s birth record in Ontario from 1892 and keep coming up empty-handed, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common frustrations I hear from researchers digging into late 19th-century Ontario ancestors. Here’s the truth: the birth record may not exist in civil registration at all.

Ontario introduced province-wide civil registration for births, marriages, and deaths in 1869. However, implementation didn’t happen overnight. Especially in the 1870s through the 1890s, birth registrations were inconsistent—particularly in rural communities, among farming families, or among those who didn’t understand the need to file paperwork with the government. Some births weren’t registered until decades later. Others never were.

So, what’s the solution? Church records.

During this period, most families in Ontario belonged to a church, and baptisms were a vital rite of passage. Many churches diligently recorded baptisms, often including the child's birth date, parents’ names, and even details about their residence or occupation.

If your ancestor was Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican, or Roman Catholic, you might have better luck in the church’s baptismal registers than in civil registration. These records were typically kept at the local parish or congregation level and may now be housed in a denominational archive or regional repository.

Here are some steps to help you get started:

• Check FamilySearch – Many Ontario church registers have been digitized and are available for free access. Use the Catalog rather than just the Search function to browse by location and denomination.
• Contact local archives or libraries – Regional institutions often hold microfilmed or original church records that are not yet available online.
• Review denominational archives – For example, the Anglican Diocese of Huron, United Church of Canada Archives, and Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto may hold valuable records depending on where your ancestors lived.
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When civil records fall short, church registers can be a powerful workaround. Sometimes, they even offer more detail than a government form would. Don’t give up—just shift your strategy.

© Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, 2025. All Rights Reserved.

VE Day: Remembering the Liberation of the Netherlands

AI-generated image by ChatGPT, 2025.

On 10 May 1940, the German invasion of the Netherlands started until the surrender of the main Dutch forces on 14 May. It was not until 5 May 1945 that the Dutch people were fully liberated from Nazi occupation when Canadian forces accepted the German surrender in the Netherlands, ending five years of hardship, including the "Hunger Winter", for the Dutch people.

More than 7,600 Canadians gave their lives during the campaign. From the fierce battles in the Scheldt estuary to the final push into the northern provinces, Canadian soldiers, airmen, and medical personnel played a significant role in restoring freedom and dignity in the Netherlands.

The friendship between our two countries has remained strong ever since. In 1945, the Dutch royal family, grateful for Canada sheltering the future Queen Juliana and her family during the war, sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa. Every spring, the Canadian Tulp Festival celebrates the cultural and historical legacy of the Canadian-Netherlands relationship. 

Looking to research your Canadian soldier in World War II? 
Check out my one-page research sheet here.

Sources:
Canadian War Museum, “Liberation! Canada and the Netherlands 1944-1945, (https://www.warmuseum.ca/liberation/).

Government of Canada, “Liberation of the Netherlands,” Veterans Affairs Canada(https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/wars-and-conflicts/second-world-war/liberation-of-netherlands).

Canadian Tulip Festival (https://tulipfestival.ca)

© Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, 2025. All Rights Reserved.

Revolutionary Choices: Exploring Loyalist and Patriot Roots – A Special 250th Anniversary Webinar

2025 marks 250 years since the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, a pivotal moment in American and Canadian history. 

As families chose sides—Patriot or Loyalist—their decisions sent ripples across generations. Many who remained loyal to the British Crown found refuge in what would become Canada, shaping communities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Upper Canada. 

But how do we trace those stories today?

I'm excited to invite you to my webinar, "Revolutionary Choices: Exploring Loyalist and Patriot Roots at 250 Years. " We’ll commemorate this historic anniversary and explore the fascinating—and often complex—research paths of American Revolutionary War ancestors. 

In this webinar presentation, you'll discover: 

• How to identify whether your ancestor was a Patriot or a Loyalist 

• Key resources for researching both groups, including digital archives and lineage society databases 

• Practical tips for proving your lineage and documenting your findings. 

Whether you're starting out or refining a long-standing research project, this presentation aims to provide insights, inspiration, and actionable strategies. 

Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025

Time: 8:00 pm EDT

👉 Don’t miss out! Click to Register Here

 Let’s honour the stories of those who confronted one of history’s greatest crossroads—and discover where our ancestors stood when the Revolution emerged.

© Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, 2025. All Rights Reserved.