Free Canadian Genealogy Websites to Kickstart Your Research
Researching your Canadian ancestors doesn’t have to be expensive. Whether you’re just starting your family tree or looking for new records to explore, there are plenty of free Canadian genealogy websites that can help you discover valuable information. From census records and immigration databases, to historical newspapers and land records, these online resources provide can helpful clues about your ancestors’ lives.
To help you get started, I’ve compiled a list of the best free genealogy websites for Canadian research. These platforms offer access to historical records, family documents, and archives that can bring your ancestors’ stories to life—without costing a cent.
Free Canada-Wide Resources
Many different organizations offer a variety of genealogical resources online for free. Some websites include digitized archival material so you can view exact records, while others are simply transcriptions or indexes of record sets.
Library and Archives Canada
The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) website holds full search catalogs and indexes for the entire Government of Canada’s archives, as well as hundreds of thousands of digitized images of collection items. There are plenty of genealogical records that are very useful for family historians, such as:
Canadian/pre-Confederation Censuses from 1825-1931, including Prairie censuses
Immigration records including ship passage and border crossing records
Military records including WWI Personnel Records and WWII War Dead Personnel Records
Land records and links to other land record collection
digitized microfilm reels viewable through Héritage with finding guides available through LAC
FamilySearch.org
FamilySearch is a free genealogy website offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with resources which are very comprehensive for those with heritage across the globe regardless of religion. Its tree builder tool works differently than other genealogy websites like Ancestry or MyHeritage — FamilySearch uses a collaborative shared tree amongst all users.
FamilySearch also features research guides with links to thousands of other resources, including a comprehensive table of available Canadian genealogical records.
Home Children Canada
Home Children Canada is a research organization dedicated to preserving the history of the British Home Children. Over 100,000 orphaned or impoverished children were sent to Canada from the United Kingdom through the Home Children migration schemes to serve as farm and domestic labour for Canadian families. The Home Children Canada website provides an index of most children who came to Canada through the program, as well as additional resources for further research.
The Ancestor Hunt
The Ancestor Hunt is a free database that links you to free historical newspapers, obituaries, yearbooks, and various other record collections. You can filter by record type, or view the list of all Canadian and American resources available.
Peel’s Prairie Provinces
Provided by the University of Alberta Libraries, Peel’s Prairie Provinces provides a variety of resources specific to the modern-day prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Available digitized historical records include city and provincial directories, newspapers, maps, and can be searched using Archive.org.
Nanaimo Family History Society - Passenger List Project
Before air travel became popular, most immigrants came to Canada via passenger ships. The Passenger List Project by Nanaimo Family History Society (NFHS) is an index of the names of 750,000 individuals who came to Canada this way during the early 20th century. You can contact NFHS for exact document viewing options.
Start Building Your Family Tree for Free
Using these free Canadian genealogy resources, you can start to research your ancestors without spending a loonie. The best way to start visualizing your family history research is by using a tree building tool.
Most major genealogy websites like Ancestry and MyHeritage allow you to create a tree for free, but you need to purchase a subscription to access records in their collections. You can upload information and documents found in your research from other places, which I strongly suggest to make sure you have evidence to support the facts in your tree.
FamilySearch’s family tree tool is free but relies on collaborative research supported by documentation. This is a great tool to use as you start your research since facts are typically supported, but still ensure you consult linked records to ensure their accuracy.
Whether you’re just starting your family research journey or you’re already the family genealogist, there are millions of Canadian genealogy records available for free online to keep discovering more about your ancestors. Are there any free resources you love that I missed? Let me know in the comments below!
