Enquiries | Hiring a Professional Genealogist

Enquiries

OGS does not do genealogical research for you. We do help you do your own research by identifying some of the resources you need to find the information you want.

Before sending a request for help consider some of the things you can do:

• Our Conducting Research section of this website will give you a start if you are just beginning to search for your Ontario roots. We have two books that will help: The Beginner's Guide to Genealogy starts at the very beginning, while The Beginner's Guide to Ontario Genealogy is the reference book for Ontario genealogy. For more resources visit the OGS Store.
  
  
• Peruse all parts of our website - there is much that can help your research efforts. In particular, look at OGSPI, our provincial index and our Cemetery Index. It is also worthwhile checking our on-line library catalogue to see if potential books are there.
  
  
• A membership in the Ontario Genealogical Society will give you access to many resources. One of them is the opportunity to put your query in "the Name Game" in our quarterly journal Families. Membership in one or more of our 30 branches gets your query in the branch newsletter as well. Join now.
  
  
• Join the OGS Branch for that locality if you know the parts of Ontario where your ancestors were from, and seek local advice and/or research information. Learn through Branch courses, their newsletter, and networking with Branch members. Many of our members do not live in Ontario but benefit from Branch activities. Each Branch will have a wealth of information about their local libraries and archives. Tap this invaluable resource - the Society Branches.

Hit a Brick Wall? Need another opinion?

We do provide limited advice, particularly to beginning genealogists. If you phone the Provincial Office (416-489-0734), you may be able to have a short conversation with a genealogist (this is a volunteer position and is not always staffed). We also deal with simple queries by e-mail (provoffice@ogs.on.ca) or by mail (40 Orchard View Blvd, Suite 102, Toronto ON M4R 1B9).

The OGS Research Service

We can help you locate specific information about a specific person. We do look-ups in common indexes and photocopy material from our library and from the Archives of Ontario, such as birth, marriage, and death records. We charge $25 an hour for this (most queries do not take more than an hour). Contact us to find out what we can do and how much it is likely to cost.

We will research, on your behalf:

• OGS Library
• OGS Pedigree collection
• OGS Family History Collection - 2800 family histories
• Vital Statistic records - birth 1869-1909, marriage 1873-1924 and death 1869-1934
• 1851-1911 Canadian census records & the 1906 Canadian Western census records
• City Directories
• Index to OGS Publications

What family information to send us
Names are rarely sufficient by themselves. Dates (even estimated dates) and places are very important for locating records. Names of relatives can help confirm identities. Send what you can, for the more information the greater the chance of success.

Private Researchers

The Ontario Genealogical Society does not do detailed genealogical research. For that you should hire a professional genealogist. We do not make recommendations - we suggest that you visit the website of the Ontario Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

It is wise, especially when working with a researcher for the first time, to agree on the work and the payment in advance. Family history research is an open-ended task, and finding a simple fact can take a lot of research time. Professional genealogists can advise on how much particular searches may cost, and how long they may take. Be clear about your limits both in how much you want and what you will pay. Different researchers may have different fees, and different work loads.