Family tree research
We trace your lineage through centuries of North American records, from colonial-era documents to modern archives, to reveal the ancestors who shaped your family's story.
Serving Toronto & Ontario
Toronto GenealogistUncover your Ontario roots
For Toronto families who want to know where they came from, we offer private, documented genealogical research that uncovers the stories, connections, and heritage behind your name.
Free consultation · $90 CAD per hour
- Experienced team
- Sourced findings
- US & Canada
- Confidential
For Toronto families who value what cannot be replaced
Toronto is one of the most varied cities on earth, and its family histories run in every direction: Loyalist settlers, Irish and Scottish immigrants, and families who arrived from across Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.
We know Canadian records well, and we know how to cross the border and the ocean when your story does.
Local research
Where Toronto family research begins
Ontario civil registration began in 1869, and earlier generations depend on church registers, census returns, and land records. Many Toronto families also have cross-border lines into New York and New England, which we research alongside the Canadian side.
Records & archives we use
- Archives of OntarioProvincial vital records, wills, and land records.
- City of Toronto ArchivesAssessment rolls, directories, and city photographs.
- Toronto Reference LibraryGenealogy and local history collections.
- Library and Archives CanadaCensus, immigration, and military service files.
Our expertise
Research services
Every service is available to Toronto families, wherever the records are held.
DNA analysis & interpretation
We guide you through DNA testing and translate complex genetic results into meaningful insight about your ethnic heritage and biological connections across the continent and beyond.
Immigration & heritage records
Uncover the journeys your ancestors made across North America and from overseas. We locate ship manifests, naturalization papers, and historical documents that bring their voyage to life.
Canadian & US records
Specialized expertise in both Canadian (Library and Archives Canada) and US federal and state records, giving you coverage across the entire continent.
Heirloom family history books
We compile your research into a beautifully written, bound narrative book: a lasting legacy to pass down through generations of your family.
Estate & heir research
Documented kinship research for estates, probate, and inheritance questions, with sourced reports your attorney or executor can rely on.
The process
How it works
Submit your request
Share your research goals and any family details you already know. We'll schedule a personal consultation to understand your vision.
We research your ancestry
Your genealogist works through archives, databases, and historical records on your behalf, and keeps you updated along the way.
Receive your family story
You'll receive a clearly presented report detailing your lineage, complete with documented sources and a narrative of your family.
Your story is waitingto be told
Let us uncover the ancestors, places, and moments that shaped your Toronto family.
Investment
Billed by the hour
Research is billed hourly. Most projects take 10 to 40 hours, depending on how many generations and family lines you want to explore. After your free consultation, we'll recommend a number of hours for your goals, and you approve it before any work begins.
$90 CAD / hour
Most projects: $900–$3,600 CAD
What affects the hours
- How many family lines you want researched
- How far back you want to go
- Whether the records are online or need archive requests
Your first consultation is always free.
About
Meet your research team
Your project is matched with the researcher whose focus fits your family's story, so the person working on your tree knows the records and the places involved.
Claire Donovan
Lead researcher
Claire leads multi-generational family history projects and oversees the final report for each client, making sure every conclusion is backed by sources.
Marc Bélanger
Canadian records researcher
Marc works in Canadian archives and French-language parish registers, tracing families through Quebec, Ontario, and the Maritimes.
Priya Anand
DNA & immigration researcher
Priya interprets DNA matches and follows immigrant ancestors back across the ocean through ship manifests, naturalization files, and overseas records.
Our team works with historical records across North America and overseas. Much of the work is interpreting incomplete records, reconciling conflicting evidence, and explaining findings clearly, so you understand both the conclusions and their limits.
Every project follows recognized genealogical standards: thorough searches, careful evaluation of each source, and full citations you can check for yourself.
Standards we follow
- Genealogical Proof Standard
- FamilySearch research standards
- Library and Archives Canada research guidelines
- Full source citations in every report
Client stories
Voices of discovery
I had been trying to piece together my family's history for years with no luck. Within two months, they connected the dots across three generations spanning Quebec, Ontario, and New England. The detail and care in their research was extraordinary.
They tracked down records I didn't even know existed: land grants, census records, and letters from the 1800s. What I received wasn't just a family tree. It was a story I could finally tell my grandchildren.
After my mother passed, I wanted to understand where our family truly came from. The team uncovered four generations of history I never knew existed, including a great-great-grandmother who immigrated from Ireland in 1889. Holding that ship manifest in my hands was the most meaningful gift I've ever received.
Questions
Genealogy in Toronto: common questions
Can you research United Empire Loyalist ancestry?
Yes. We work through land petitions, militia rolls, and Loyalist claims to document the line for your own records or a lineage application.
Do you research records outside Canada too?
Yes. Most Toronto families have at least one line in the US, the British Isles, or elsewhere, and we follow it.
How does pricing work?
Research is billed hourly, and most projects take 10 to 40 hours. After your free consultation, we recommend a number of hours based on your goals and the records involved. You approve it before work starts, and we check in before going beyond it.
Do I need to live nearby to work with you?
No. Research happens in archives, databases, and record offices, many of them online or reachable by request, so we work with families anywhere in the US and Canada. Consultations take place by phone or video.
What should I have ready before the consultation?
Whatever you already know: names, approximate dates, places, old photos, letters, or DNA results. Even a single name and a town is enough to start.
What if the records I need don't exist?
Gaps happen, especially before civil registration began. We'll tell you early if a question looks unanswerable, and we work around missing records using church, land, court, and newspaper sources.
Areas we serve
We work with families in Toronto and across the surrounding area, including:
- Toronto
- Mississauga
- Oakville
- Markham
- Vaughan
- Richmond Hill
- Scarborough
- Etobicoke
Nearby locations
Researching family in more than one place? We cover the whole continent.
Get started
Begin your journey
Tell us a little about yourself and what you hope to discover. We’ll be in touch within 24 hours.