This document summarizes resources for researching Chinese Canadian genealogy. It begins with an outline and introduction noting challenges researching non-European roots. Key points discussed include understanding Chinese naming conventions, immigration timelines and records like census, city directories, and head tax registers. Additional tips cover newspapers, message boards, and resources in China. The conclusion emphasizes having realistic expectations and using multiple research strategies and tools when researching ethnic genealogy.

1. Chinese
Footprints
Across Canada
Presented by May P. Chan
Prairie History Room, Regina Public Library
Harvest Your Family Tree Conference, Kelowna, BC, -
Sept. 27, 2014
©2014

2. Outline
 Introduction
 Beginning Your Genealogy
Research
Tackling Perceived Challenges
Understanding Key Historical
Events
Where to Look for Genealogical
Information
 Additional Resources
 Conclusion

3. Introduction
 Majority of genealogical resources and services are
geared towards those with British, American and
even Western European roots
 Researching non-European roots can be extremely
“challenging” and frustrating
 As more ethnic-specific resources are becoming
readily available, there is a general lack of
understanding about how to use them or even how
these records were created/maintained
 Purpose: to educate you about these resources (not
always genealogical in nature) and to provide you
with the basic research skills and strategies to tackle
your ethnic genealogy

4. Beginning Your Genealogy
Research

5. Commonly Perceived Challenges
1. Language Barrier – Do I need to know how to read
and speak Chinese before I can begin my research?
2. Lack of Cultural Awareness – Why can’t I find my
ancestor’s name in the genealogical records?
3. Lack of Direction or Guidance – Help! There are no
step-by-step guide or Youtube videos to assist me in
my Chinese Canadian genealogy research.
4. Lack of Genealogical Resources – My great
grandfather helped to build the railway. That is all I
know about him. Where else can I find information?

6. #1: Language Barrier
 Chinese language has 7 major spoken dialects,
including Mandarin (Northern China) and
Cantonese (Southern China) and 4 writing systems,
including pinyin
 Most of the genealogical records you will be using,
such as census records, immigration records and
city directories, are written in English
 However, it will be extremely helpful to recognize
some basic Chinese characters, especially the
character for the family name

7. #2: Lack of Cultural Awareness
Understanding Chinese Family Names
For example, according to In Search
of the Your Asian Roots, the
surname “CHEN” is represented by 5
different characters, each
representing a different geographic
area of China and different time
period
CHEN = CHAN, CHIN, TAN, ZEN,
JIN (Korean) and TRẨN
(Vietnamese)

8. Understanding Chinese Family Names
Western Naming Convention
May CHAN
Chinese Naming Convention
CHAN May (Mie Ping)
Important Tip!!! Like many immigrants, Chinese surnames
were “Westernized” either for them by government officials
or by themselves to fit in better to their new communities.
Remember to record all name variations!
Example: MAK Yut Aung (my paternal grandmother)
MAK Yut Hung
MAI Yuen Ying (Chinese passport)

9. #3: Lack of Direction or Guidance
IMPORTANT TIP!!! Chinese Canadian genealogy is no different from
any other ethnic genealogy. You always begin with the “basic rules of
genealogy” to help guide you as you start to look for and utilize various
genealogical records.

10. Vancouver Public Library’s Chinese-Canadian
Genealogy Website (
http://www.vpl.ca/ccg/index.html) - FREE

11. #4: Lack of Genealogical Records
Most of the genealogical records that we use (e.g.
census and passenger lists) were not originally created
for genealogists, but for the government officials and
agencies that created these records.
One important tip that genealogists need to do
throughout their research process is to read up on the
history of Chinese immigration to Canada as this
history will help to explain why certain records were
created, how these records were organized and
maintained and even, where to begin looking for these
records.

12. Brief Timeline of Chinese Immigration to
Canada – Part 1
1st Arrival of
Chinese
Immigrants to
Canada
Chinese
Settlements
Chinese and the
Canadian
Pacific Railway.
1st Chinese
Head Tax
Chinese in
Saskatchewan
Increased
Chinese Head
Tax
1788 1858 1880 to 1885 1885 1889 1903
50 Chinese
carpenters and
craftsmen first
arrived in
Canada as part
of John Meare’s
crew.
The first Chinese
gold-miners
arrived in British
Columbia from
San Francisco.
Almost all of the
early Chinese
“pioneers” settled
in British
Columbia.
The construction
of the western
section of the
Canadian Pacific
Railway employs
thousands of
Chinese workers.
Many of these
workers came
from Guangdong
province in
Southern China.
After the
completion of the
CPR and the lack
of need for
Chinese workers,
the Canadian
Government
introduced the
first head tax to
stem the
immigration tide.
The tax forced
Chinese
immigrants to
pay a tax of $50
per person.
First Chinese-owned
and
operated
business in
Moose Jaw was
Mr. [Tim or Him]
Lee’s Lee Kee’s
Chinese
Laundry. By
1910, Moose
Jaw was home to
the largest
Chinese
settlement in
Saskatchewan.
To stem the
ever-increasing
Chinese
immigration to
Canada, the
federal
government
raised the head
tax to $500 per
person. Those
exempt from
paying the tax
included
diplomats,
merchants,
students,
teachers and
missionaries.

13. Brief Timeline of Chinese Immigration to
Canada – Part 2
Chinese
Immigration Act
(the Exclusion
Act)
Repeal of the
Chinese
Immigration
Act.
Right to Vote.
Introduction of
the “Chinese
Adjustment
Statement
Program”
Increased
Immigration
from Hong
Kong
Increased
Immigration
from China
Federal
Government
Officially
Apologizes for
the Head Tax
1923 1947 1960 1996 2000 2006
The act
effectively
prohibited
Chinese
immigrants from
entering Canada.
Many wives and
children in China
were unable to
join their
husbands/fathers
in Canada. This
act essentially
created a forced
“bachelor
society” for many
Chinese men.
The Chinese
Immigration was
officially repealed
by the federal
government on
May 14, 1947.
Chinese
Canadians were
also given the
right to vote in
federal elections.
By 1959, there
was a growing
concern about
the number of
illegal Chinese
immigrants in
Canada. The
federal
government
introduced a
program that
eventually
granted amnesty
to over 12, 000
paper “sons” and
“daughters”.
With the hand
over of Hong
Kong to China in
1997, many
Hong Kong
residents opted
chose to
emigrate to
Canada.
Between 1991-
1996, it is
estimated that
20, 000 Hong
Kong residents
immigrated to
Canada annually.
According to the
2002 Statistics
Canada,
immigration from
Mainland China
accounted for
15% of all
immigrants to
Canada.
After decades of
Chinese groups
lobbying the
federal
government, on
June 22, 2006,
Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
offered a public
apology and $20,
000
compensation for
those who paid
the head tax.

14. Where to Look for
Genealogical Information

15. Vital Records
(Births, Marriages and Deaths)
Vital records are a provincial jurisdiction so check with the appropriate provincial
agency. Because many early Chinese immigrants settled in British Columbia,
one important and recommended resource is the British Columbia Vital
Events Index: http://tinyurl.com/bc-vitalevents

16. Census Records
Recommended resources:
Canadian Genealogy Centre’s Census Page
(1871-1911 federal census as well as 1906 &
1916 Prairie census; http://tinyurl.com/lac-census)
– FREE
Automated Genealogy (1901 and 1911 federal
as well as the 1906 Prairie census;
www.automatedgenealogy.com/) – FREE

17. City Directories
British Columbia City Directories 1860-
1955 (http://www.vpl.ca/bccd/index.php)
- FREE
Peel’s Prairie Provinces (Alberta &
Manitoba directories;
http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/index.html
) - FREE

18. Tip!!!
Some communities published
their own Chinese directory &
telephone book. So be on the
lookout for these books!

19. Immigration Records
Recommended Resources:
Immigrants from China database 1885 to 1949 (
http://tinyurl.com/immigrantsfromchina) – FREE
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (post 1936;
helpful guide to obtaining the files:
http://tinyurl.com/lkgw9tt)
Canadian Genealogy Centre’s Naturalization
Records 1915-1951 (
http://tinyurl.com/lac-naturalization) – FREE

20. Chinese Head Tax (1885-1923)
 Tax fixed on all Chinese entering Canada. The Chinese
were the only ethnic group to be taxed in this manner
 Exemptions to the tax were given to Chinese students,
teachers, merchants and diplomats
 Between 1885-1923, there were 10,000 Chinese listed
as having paid the head tax (source:
http://tinyurl.com/kvr6bn2). The federal government
collected approx. $23 million in head taxes (source:
http://tinyurl.com/kwe2sg8)
 Note: Canada was not the only country to impose a
head tax on Chinese immigrants. New Zealand
implemented their head tax in 1881 and officially
repealed it in 1944 (source: http://tinyurl.com/olfaywj)

21. Chinese Head Tax Registers

22. Concept of Paper “Children”
 Even after the Exclusion Act was repealed in 1947,
restrictions on Chinese immigration continued and led
to a growing black market for illegal birth documents
 Immigrants (paper “sons” or “daughter”) would
purchase these bogus documents stating they were
children of Chinese already living in Canada
 Between 1960 and 1973, over 12,000 “sons” and
“daughters” were granted amnesty by the federal
government and naturalized as citizens
 Note: bear in mind that family members maybe
reluctant to admit that this “practice” may have
occurred

23. Cemetery Records
CanadaGenWeb’s Cemetery Project (
http://cemetery.canadagenweb.org/) - FREE

24. Newspapers
Recommended Resources:
British Columbia Historical Newspapers (
http://historicalnewspapers.library.ubc.ca/) - FREE
The British Colonist 1858-1920 (
http://www.britishcolonist.ca/) – FREE
Peel’s Prairie Provinces
(http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/index.html) – FREE
Google Newspaper Archives
(http://news.google.com/newspapers) – FREE
OurOntario Newspapers Portal
(http://news.ourontario.ca/results?q=+) - FREE

25. Multicultural Canada
http://multiculturalcanada.ca - FREE
The site offers Chinese
language newspapers,
newsletters and association
records.

26. Additional Resources

27. Military Records
 Due to racism, the majority of
Chinese Canadians were barred
from enlisting in the Canadian
military during the World Wars.
However, a couple hundred did
manage to enlist and serve for
Canada.
 Military records are held by
Library and Archives Canada
and Department of National
Defence (post WWII). Read this
helpful guide about accessing
service files:
http://tinyurl.com/qxylbwv)
Chinese Canadian Military Museum
(honour roll, oral history & exhibits;
http://www.ccmms.ca/) – FREE

28. Resources for China
FamilySearch.org (www.familysearch.org) - FREE
Cemetery Records 1820-1983
(http://tinyurl.com/og9he37) - FREE
Collection of Genealogies 1239-2013
(http://tinyurl.com/nt6cqag) - FREE

29. Message Boards
Chinese Genealogy (http://siyigenealogy.proboards.com/) –
FREE

30. Message Boards Continued
Chinese/Siyi Genealogy (forums as well as language lessons &
village database; http://legacy1.net) - FREE

31. Conclusion

32. Purpose: to educate you about these resources (not
always genealogical in nature) and to provide you with
the basic research skills and strategies to tackle your
ethnic genealogy
 Researching Chinese genealogy is no more challenging than
researching any other ethnic roots
 Accept the fact that records have been “lost” or “destroyed” over
time.
 Employ more than one research tool and more than one
research strategy
 Be prepared for the roadblocks and challenges ahead – e.g.
Trying to trace your roots back to China when you do not know to
read the Chinese script
 Discover what resources are available in your community – e.g.
Chinese association group or language school
 Genealogy is both a personal and a collaborative project – e.g.
don’t be afraid to ask for help and do utilize resources such as
message boards

33. Thank-you
Contact:
Email: maychan@reginalibrary.ca
For a copy of this powerpoint and an
updated bibliography, go to:
www.slideshare.net/maychan