Biography

Biographical Sources and Indexes

The library acquires biographies of notable and not-so-notable people. Collected biographies, such as "Who's Who" publications, provide short but detailed entries on people from a specific geographic area, religious or ethnic group. Canadian Who's Who and Who's Who Among Black Americans are good examples.

Collected biographies are in the Main Reference Centre of the Toronto Reference Library, where you'll also find indexes to biographical sources.
Examples include:

• Biography Index - biographical articles in popular magazines and other periodicals as well as biographical books
• Biography and Genealogy Master Index - standard reference resources as well as works covering specific subjects, such as art and the law.
  This is not an index of purely genealogical works.
  
  

In addition, the Special Collections, Genealogy and Maps Centre maintains an index of references to biographical information in works about Toronto and the surrounding area. The index also refers to obituaries of prominent Canadians appearing in Toronto newspapers.

Directories of Nobility and Social Registers

The most famous publication in this field is Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, which claims to be "the only work to give the complete family history of every Peer and Baronet from their earliest recorded male ancestor."

The Toronto Reference Library has an extensive collection of Burke's Peerage and related publications. Some list the aristocracy of various European countries, often with detailed genealogies and illustrations of coats of arms.

The Special Collections Centre has social registers for Toronto and Montreal, including Dau's Society Blue Book of Toronto, Hamilton and London, etc., published between 1900 and 1920. We also have some British social registers, such as Boyle's Fashionable Court and Country Guide and Town Visiting Directory.

Professional Directories

Members of professions - such as lawyers, doctors, the clergy and military officers - are listed in professional directories. These contain varying amounts of information, usually more professional than private, and are often limited to individuals in a specific geographic area. Examples include:

• Crockford's Clerical Directory, listing Church of England clergy
• Canadian Legal Directory
• Hart's Annual Army List of officers in the British army

Most professional directories are in the Main Reference Centre. However, business-related directories are in the Business Centre on the third floor. You'll find selected military directories in the Special Collections Centre.

About Genealogy & Local History / Genealogy: Family Histories / Genealogy: Lists of Persons / Genealogy: Research


Updated on: July 12, 2007