Library and Archives Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Institutional links

Watercolour of a sailing ship with two masts and raised sails traversing rough water

Sailing Ship
Artist unknown, ca. 1840
Library and Archives Canada,
Acc. No. R9266-518V,
Peter Winkworth Collection of Canadiana
Source

Immigrants to Canada

Introduction

In 1803, the British Parliament enacted legislation to regulate vessels carrying emigrants to North America. The master of the vessel was required to prepare a list of passengers. Unfortunately, few such lists have survived and therefore, there are no comprehensive nominal lists of immigrants arriving in Canada before 1865.

Some lists have been identified and indexed by name in this database. It also includes other types of records such as declarations of aliens and names of some Irish orphans.