Genealogy and Family History

Group portrait in front of a building, VPL #19539, 19--, Philip Timms.

Genealogical research is one of the most popular and fastest growing hobbies in North America. This guide will assist the first time and advanced family history researcher with the ever-growing amount of resources available in print and online.

Overview

This guide is divided into 6 major sections:

Basics

Presents principles and strategies commonly used by genealogists, and explains how to use standard genealogy charts. Printable charts are included.

Resources

Introduces a variety of sources in which information about individuals and families may be found, including civil registration, church records, newspaper announcements, directories, military records, cemetery records, and other sources. Examples are provided, together with information on how to access the actual records themselves.

Special Topics

Covers in more detail topics such as Canadian civil registration, records for specific populations, geneological resources in other countries, and more.

Facilities and Services

Describes the equipment and services that are available at the library and beyond to assist you with your family history research.

A bi-annual newsletter - distributed by email and also available in print at the Central Library - to highlight new genealogical materials at VPL, upcoming workshops and programs, and other information of interest to genealogists.

Genealogy Buzz

A blog about new and interesting developments in the world of genealogy.

New Titles at VPL

You can view a list of genealogy-related titles recently added to the library collection via the library's catalogue.

Program Spotlight

First Nations people in button blankets at Quatsino Sound

Connection to Kith and Kin

Knowing where we come from connects us to land and culture, and empowers us to make changes. At Connection to Kith and Kin Online, experts help Indigenous participants search online records for family documents. Searching can be an emotional experience. The Indian Residential School Survivors Society has provided a Resolution Health Support Worker to join the participants during their journey.

Genealogy Workshops

Learn how to trace your ancestry using the library’s digital and print collections. Our genealogy classes help bring family history to life!

The library also offers Connection to Kith and Kin, a family search program specifically for Indigenous people.

Indigenous Storyteller in Residence

The VPL Indigenous Storyteller in Residence program was created in 2008 in recognition of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and the importance of storytelling as a way to learn about and from Indigenous communities in Vancouver. Through the Storyteller in Residence, we seek to honour Indigenous cultures and to promote intercultural understanding and communication. Storytelling can happen through a variety of mediums and narrative practices, and therefore this residency is open to all Indigenous storytellers who wish to share their knowledge and history.

Digital Library Resources

Ancestry Library Edition

A popular database for genealogical research. Includes census, baptism, marriage and military records.

Access:

At VPL locations only

British Columbia City Directories

British Columbia city directories from 1860 to 1955. Directories include detailed historical information about British Columbian communities.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

British Columbia Historical Newspapers: Province, Vancouver Sun and Times Colonist

Digitized newspaper archives covering The Province (1898 - present), The Vancouver Sun (1912 - present) and The Times Colonist (1884 - present).

Issues from most recent 3 months not available in this collection. See Canadian Newsstream for current issues.

Access:

Everywhere for Vancouver residents

British Columbia Historical Newspapers: UBC Open Collections

Search and view community newspapers from around BC published between 1865 and 1994. This collection makes many of BC's earliest newspapers freely available in digital format

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

British Columbia Index

Finding tool for historical information about BC in books, magazines and newspapers in the Vancouver Public Library collection.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

British Columbia Sessional Papers (UBC Open Collections)

Selected papers tabled in the Legislative Council of British Columbia (2nd to 8th Sessions, 1865-1871) and the Legislative Assembly (1st to 32nd Parliaments, 1872-1982). Contains materials documenting the political, historical, economic, and cultural history of the province. Includes reports, orders of the day, records of land sales, maps, voters lists by district, and more.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

Canadian Historical Newspapers

Explore Canada’s history through the lens of historical newspapers. Fully digitized issues of many major Canadian newspapers back to their first issues. For more recent issues of these newspapers, please see Canadian Newsstream.

Access:

Everywhere for Vancouver residents

Canadian Newsstream

Full-text access to over 500 BC and major Canadian daily newspapers. Some titles go back as far as the 1970s.

Access:

Everywhere for Vancouver residents

Canadiana.ca

Brings together historical holdings from the Canadian Knowledge Research Network, Canadiana.org and The Canadiana Héritage Project.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

Brief biographies of notable Canadians from the years 1000 to 1930.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

The Globe and Mail: Historical Newspapers

Access the full image of the Globe and Mail newspaper from 1844 to 2018.

Access:

Everywhere for Vancouver residents

The Guardian and The Observer Historical Newspapers

This collection features archival back issues of The Guardian (from 1821-2003) and its sister paper, The Observer (from 1791-2003).

Access:

Everywhere for Vancouver residents

Historical Photographs of BC and Yukon

A selection of historical images of Vancouver and British Columbia from the 1880s to the 1980s.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

International Newsstream

Full text access to over 1300 international newspapers, wire feeds, and more.

Access:

Everywhere for Vancouver residents

Local History Collections

Discover signature collections such as the Historical Photographs collection featuring more than 40,000 digitized images, the Vancouver Building Register, and the British Columbia Index.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

Points to the Past

Searchable primary source material dating from as early as the 16th century to modern times. Excellent for historical research. *Also suitable for research at the elementary, high school and post-secondary levels.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

PressReader

Delivers full-page images of 5,000 newspapers and magazines from 100 countries before they appear on the newsstands. Includes titles such as The Vancouver Sun, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist.

Access:

Everywhere for VPL cardholders