Library and Archives Canada
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca
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Canadian Naturalization 1915-1951
Search Help
- Database
- Search by Name (1915-1936)
- Search by Date (1936-1951)
- The Digitized Pages
- Some Tips
- What If Your Ancestor's Name Is Not Listed?
- Credits
- Other Resources
Database
The database is one of the few Canadian genealogical resources specifically designed to benefit those researchers with roots outside of the British Commonwealth. References located in the database can be used to request copies of the actual naturalization records, which are held by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
This research tool provides access to two sets of records.
The first set covers the years 1915 to 1936 and contains 298,095 references to names that occurred:
- in the 1915 to 1936 lists that were published in order of certificate number; and
- in all supplementary lists of special cases that were added at the end of the normal annual lists for all years from 1915 to 1936.
Information on these people has been entered and is searchable by name, given name and country.
The second set covers the years 1936 to 1951 and contains the digital images of the lists published in the Canada Gazette during those years.
Information has not been entered and is not searchable by name, given name and country. It is searchable only by month and year of publication in the Canada Gazette.
The database entries reflect the original language used in the documents. This information was not translated.
Search by Name (1915-1936)
The search screen allows you to search by:
- Surname
- Given name
- Country
To search the database, enter one or more of the above items in the appropriate field.
Expect spelling variations. Use the wildcard character *, for example, Sm*th for Smith/Smyth, Fred* for Fred/Frederick/Fredrick.
This multi-fielded search screen offers a larger number of variables on which you can search the database, all of which can be used in combination. To use the fields in combination you should note that the default Operator is "AND."
You can narrow the search by including additional search terms but keep in mind that if your request is too specific you may rule out possibilities of which you are unaware.
When you have entered your search terms, click on "Submit query." The number of hits found will be shown at the top of the results screen.
How to Interpret the Search Results
Your search results will be displayed in a summary list that contains identification elements that will allow you to rapidly assess how relevant are the names retrieved.
TThe results list contains the following fields:
- Surname
- Given Name
- Year
- Country
You may view a PDF image, in low or high resolution, of the page on which the name occurs by clicking on the corresponding link for each page.
Search by Date (1936-1951)
The search screen allows you to search by:
- Year
- Month
To search the database, enter one or more of the above items in the appropriate field.
The Month field also includes erratum and supplementary lists published each year. If you don't find the name that you are looking for in a list published for a specific month (e.g. June 1947), we suggest that you also search for erratum or supplementary lists published the same year.
This multi-fielded search screen offers a larger number of variables on which you can search the database, all of which can be used in combination. To use the fields in combination you should note that the default Operator is "AND."
When you have entered your search terms, click on "Submit query." The number of hits found will be shown at the top of the results screen.
Your search results will be displayed in a summary list that contains identification elements that will allow you to rapidly assess how relevant are the names retrieved.
The results summary list contains the following fields:
- Year
- Month (including erratum and supplementary lists)
You may view a PDF image, in low or high resolution, of the page on which the name occurs by clicking on the corresponding link for each page.
The Digitized Pages
Most pages will include the following information:
- Name
- Country of origin or for a wife/child, the relationship to the person being naturalized
- Date that the certificate was issued, or the date that the oath of allegiance was taken
- Occupation
- Residence
- Certificate number and series
If no certificate number is listed, check if the entry refers you to another surname. Sometimes, when a person changed his surname, both names are listed, but only one entry includes the certificate number.
Some Tips
It is possible, for example, to search for alternative spellings of names using the wildcard characters, as explained above under "Search screen." Also consider variations of given names, for example, Jan, Ivan, Johan and Johannes for John.
For names that would include a space such as Von Edeskuty, enter only Edeskuty.
To be naturalized in the period covered by the database, a person must have lived in Canada for five years.
By giving a location, the naturalization list allows researchers to consult information found in other resources such as local histories, the 1940 National Registration, directories, voters lists, vital records, and of course, the naturalization documents. Consult What to Search: Topics for information about those records.
What If Your Ancestor's Name Is Not Listed?
Perhaps this person was naturalized before 1915 or after 1951. You can request that a search be done by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Try searching for the names of the spouse or children.
If the person was a British subject by birth, he or she had no need to be naturalized.
Many immigrants lived in Canada without applying for naturalization, as it was not mandatory.
Credits
Library and Archives Canada gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal [http://jgs-montreal.org/] and its volunteers, without which this project would not have been possible. Additionally, we acknowledge the support of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Ottawa [www.jgso.org/] in the original digitization of the images from 1915 to 1932.
Other Resources
Some provincial and territorial archives also hold citizenship and naturalization records. Records from 1854 are still in the custody of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Consult Immigration and Citizenship to obtain more information on additional resources to find naturalization and citizenship records.
