Methodologies
The important thing to remember is that the information varies over time and within each location. Later records nearly always contain more information. You will never know what is available unless you find the record itself. Some records in Canada will be in French. If you do not read French, be sure to have someone translate the record carefully and pull out all the clues available. Births are known in French as naissances, marriages as mariages, and deaths as dècés.

As with all vital records, it is important to first obtain the later record before the earlier records because clues are provided in the death records, for example, to the earlier record groups, such as marriage and births, involving that same person that could prevent you from wasting time looking in the wrong locality.

If you don't know the place or date of death, you'll have to use other record groups such as census, land, probate, and history resources to point you in the correct direction. See the previous lesson for how to order the civil registrations of Canada.

Once you have located the record, study the information carefully. If the religion is provided, search local church records of that denomination in the locality specified. Local histories provide much information on these denominations. If the spouse's name is provided, search for them as well. If military service is indicated, search military records. If a funeral home is listed, contact that home and see if they have additional information. Every clue points to another record group which could provide more information.