Explore & Community
Tracing Your PEI Roots: Genealogy and Diaspora Resources
PEI's decades of out-migration left large diaspora communities searching for ancestry. Where the actual records live, and how to search them from anywhere in the world.
1. Why So Many People Search for PEI Ancestry
PEI's population history includes long stretches of out-migration, particularly through the 19th and 20th centuries, as Islanders left for work elsewhere in Canada and the United States. That history left large diaspora communities, especially across Ontario, New England, and the western provinces, who now search for PEI family records generations later.
2. The Public Archives and Records Office (PARO) Is the Starting Point
PARO, based at the Atlantic Technology Centre in Charlottetown, holds the largest collection of PEI genealogical material in the province. Its holdings include records formerly held by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation's Genealogy Division, transferred to PARO in 1992.
| Resource | What it covers |
|---|---|
| PARO Collections Database | Searchable online index of vital statistics, census records, and more |
| Memory PEI | Archival finding aids describing roughly 1,200 collections |
| Genealogies of P.E.I. Families collection | Bound, donor-compiled family genealogies, arranged alphabetically by surname |
| Certified Vital Statistics Records | Official ordering process for birth, marriage, and death certificates |
Only a fraction of PARO's total holdings are digitized. For anything beyond a basic name search, an in-person visit or a written research request is usually necessary.
3. Other Resources Worth Checking
- PEI Genealogical Society — volunteer organization founded in 1976, running a quarterly newsletter, workshops, and indexing projects.
- Island Register — an independently run genealogical website with community-contributed PEI-specific records.
- Cemetery Transcript Collection — nearly all PEI cemeteries have been transcribed, covering Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Acadian, Methodist, and Anglican burial grounds, with copies available through PARO.
4. If You Can't Visit in Person
- Submit a specific question to PARO by email or phone; staff can offer source suggestions, though they don't provide full research services.
- Expect a two- to four-week response time for written inquiries, processed in the order received.
- A list of private contract researchers is available through PARO for anyone who needs deeper, paid research support.
5. Before You Dig Into Records
Reading a general history of the Island first, such as standard references held at the Archives, helps place ancestors within the right economic and social context, particularly useful for anyone researching a specific wave of out-migration.