Alien Naturalization Records for Renfrew County

Canada began naturalizing aliens in 1867. At that time the responsibility was handled by the Court of General Quarter Sessions. For Renfrew County, court was held in the County Court House, Pembroke. The first day of court, names were presented, and on the last day, if no objection was raised, they were proclaimed “naturalized”.

The names found on the following pages were transcribed from Renfrew County Registers held at the Champlain Trail Museum Archives. To purchase a certified copy of the entry, contact the Archivist at the Museum giving the date on which the entry occurs. NOTE: The Court Registrar seems to have recorded the names by pronunciation, thus the spelling may be questionable.

The 1867 to 1897 Naturalizations give only the name of the Alien. Wives and children were not listed. The minute book covering the dates 1898 to 1914 is missing from the archives. The 1914 to 1937 Naturalizations occasionally has more information and is included in these transcriptions.

During World War I, aliens from countries at war with Canada were not naturalized. In 1916, a new act came into effect. Information on Aliens was read in court then forwarded to the Department of State, Ottawa, for final decision.

In 1947, Canada began issuing certificates of citizenship to Canadians. Previously, Canadians were considered to be citizens of the British Empire. Visit the Library and Archives Canada website for more information.