District Marriage Registers - 1780-1858

RG 80-27-1, Appendix A18

Go Directly to Microfilm Listings

The table below lists marriage registers from the districts across the province and indexes for these registers. These registrations were compiled by the District Clerks of the Peace under the authority of the 1831 Upper Canada Marriage Act and date predominantly from 1831-1858. They are among the earliest registrations of marriages available at the Archives of Ontario.

This series of records also includes some marriage certificates from the Johnstown District, as well as the personal registers of the Rev. James Harris (Home District) which include baptisms and entries concerning the dispensing of the Eucharist.

Use the table below to identify the reel of microfilm that contains the register that you need. You may then:

• Consult the appropriate reel at our reading room on the ground floor, 134 Ian Macdonald Blvd., Toronto.

• Borrow the reel through the Interlibrary Loan Department of your public library. Quote MS 248, MS 205 or MS 412 and the appropriate reel #. These reels cannot leave the borrowing library, so make sure to request them from a library that has a microfilm reader.

Researchers are cautioned that the District and County boundaries in Upper Canada (1793-1841) and Canada West (1841-1867) were in a constant state of evolution. Many borders were fluid, especially when dealing with Aboriginal or unsurveyed lands. As settlement patterns shifted over time, surveyed townships were also passed between the different counties and districts.

In addition, many of the ministers submitting clergy returns were itinerate circuit riders, visiting a succession of scattered hamlets on each trip into the hinterland. Few ministers had any idea when they crossed the boundary between neighbouring Districts or knew what County they were in. Many ministers simply submitted their returns to the Clerk of the District where they lived or had performed the majority of their marriages.

As a result, researchers are strongly encouraged to search the returns of the neighbouring Districts for registrations that were assigned to the wrong area. Researchers should also consult the indexes published by Dan Walker for the most complete listing of marriages within each District (See Appendix B6).