The Notarized Documents collection provides access to 83,000 records from Quebec and Ontario. The documents are indexed by record type, names mentioned, notary, date and location, allowing researchers to perform focused searches within the notarial archives. A digitized image of the original record can also be viewed when available.
Notarial records complement baptism, marriage and burial registers by documenting family relationships, property, estates and agreements between individuals. The collection may include marriage contracts, wills, estate inventories, sales, donations, financial obligations and other legal records that can provide valuable details for family history research.
Notarial records can reveal aspects of an ancestor’s life that do not always appear in parish registers. A marriage contract may describe the property brought into a marriage and identify relatives of the spouses. A will or estate inventory may name heirs, describe possessions and establish family relationships. Sales, donations and financial agreements may also document a residence, occupation, property or connection between individuals.
These details are especially useful for confirming a person’s identity, distinguishing between people with the same name or tracing the transfer of property across several generations. Viewing the digitized document also allows researchers to verify the indexed information and examine the complete original record.
The search engine allows researchers to combine several criteria. You can select a specific document type, enter the name of a person mentioned in the record, search by notary, specify a location or limit the results by date or period. You do not need to know every detail before beginning: start with the information you already have, then add filters if the result list is too broad.
Search results display the indexed information, including names, places, dates and the notary associated with the document. When a digitized image is available, the original record can be opened to review details that may not have been included in the index.