Finding a Birth Registration - A Pathfinder

The Archives of Ontario holds birth registrations for the years 1869 to 1910.

An additional year of registrations and indexes is transferred annually from the Office of the Registrar General and microfilmed. The 1911 registrations will be available to the public some time in 2008.

To determine which microfilm reel contains the registration you're searching for, follow the path below.

Click here to see a larger image (82K)
Baby in carrier, Sandy Lake, 1956
John MacFie
Black and white negative
Reference Code: C 330-9-0-0-65
Archives of Ontario, I0000259

The first step is to identify a Registration Number using an Index. To do so, you must know the person's name and the year of birth.

Did the birth occur...

The Province of Ontario did not register births before July 1869. The only documents that might have recorded a birth are christening or baptism records. These are Church records for which you must know:

• The approximate year of the christening or baptism
• The geographical location (i.e. town or township) of the ceremony
• The religion of the ceremony, or more specifically, the parents' religion

The Archives of Ontario holds only a small number of these Church records. Other Church and vital statistics records are scattered in Church, local, and university archives. The Library and Archives Canada/Bibliothèque et Archives Canada also holds a number of vital statistics and church records, many of which are available on microfilm.

The "Microfilm Reference" column in the table will list the reel of MS 931 microfilm that you should order. When you receive the reel, look up the person's name in the appropriate Index. The Indexes are arranged by birth year, then alphabetically by last and first name.

If you find the person's name make a note of the Registration Number and the Registration Year (not the Birth Year), then return to this page to continue your search for the registration.

If you haven't used a birth index before you may wish to consult the document: How to Use the Indexes to Births, Stillbirths and Delayed Registrations (RG 80-4)

The birth registrations for 1911 were transferred to the Archives in the spring of 2007. They are closed for microfilming which takes approximately one year from the date of transfer. They should be available to the public some time in 2008.

The Archives will search for and copy 1911 birth registrations only if the information is required to meet urgent legal or humanitarian needs. Requests for this information must include: the name of the person on record, the year of the birth, the place of birth if known, and the legal or humanitarian reason for making the request.

Please submit your request and contact information to:

An Archives of Ontario staff member will contact you to confirm receipt of your request and to discuss any copying charges that may apply.

Contact:

For 1870-1910 check the Original Index Books to Birth and Stillbirth Registrations - RG 80-12, Appendix A9 to determine what reel of MS 939 you need.

• First, the year of registration, then
• Second, the Liber (volume) number or letter

The "Microfilm Reference" column in the table will list the reel of MS 929 microfilm that you should order. When you receive the reel, find the correct year on the microfilm and look up the registration number.

Is the Registration Number...

To find the registration remove the "0", "00", "2" or "3" from the start of the registration number and then search the table on the document: Registrations of Births and Stillbirths - 1869-1907 - RG 80-2, Appendix A2

Use the table to find:

• First, the year of the registration - (not the year of the birth)
• Second, the volume within that year which contains the registration number.

The "Microfilm Reference" column in the table will list the reel of MS 929 microfilm that you should order. When you receive the reel, find the correct year on the microfilm and look up the registration number.

Use the table to find:

• First, the year of the birth - (NOT the year of the registration)
• Second, the volume within that year which contains the registration number.

The "Microfilm Reference" column in the table will list the reel of MS 930 microfilm that you should order. When you receive the reel, find the correct year on the microfilm and look up the Registration Number.

Use the table to find:

• First, the year of the birth - (NOT the year of the registration)
• Second, the volume within that year which contains the registration number.

The "Microfilm Reference" column in the table will list the reel of MS 933 microfilm that you should order. When you receive the reel, find the correct year on the microfilm and look up the registration number.