Alberta Jurisdictions

Alberta Wiki Topics

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Alberta Background
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Cultural Groups
Cultural Groups	First Nations
Local Research Resources
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Background

Alberta was organized by administrative districts, towns, and municipalities. The boundaries have changed over the years, and a town may have been included in different districts and municipalities at various times.
To help locate records for the area, search for:

Information about boundary changes over the years
Maps of various years which show the boundary changes or census districts

Steps

The following step will help you learn where to find records that may mention your ancestor.

Find the place where your ancestor lived using maps and gazetteers.

The maps and gazetteers listed in the following table gives creation dates, boundary changes, and other information about boundaries over the years.

Electoral Atlas of the Dominion of Canada: As Divided in the Revision of the Voters' Lists Made in the Year 1894. Ottawa, Ontario: National Archives of Canada, 1998.	This atlas has maps showing the electoral districts and voting precincts of all provinces. These districts and precincts often match the census districts and subdistricts of the 1901 census.
Gazetteer of Canada. Alberta. 3rd ed. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names, 1988.	This gazetteer contains the names and locations of modern and some historical populated places, rivers, lakes, and geographic features.
Holmgren, Eric J. Over 2000 Place Names of Alberta. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Western Producer Prairie Books, 1976.	This is an alphabetical list of places in Alberta with a description and history of the location, municipality, town, or village. It also contains a map showing the districts and towns.
Place Names of Alberta. 4 vols. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Press, 1991-1996.	This gazetteer contains maps of the districts and towns in Alberta and includes a description and history of the location, municipality, town, or village.
Supplementary Index to Canadian Records: Vol. 1 Canada General and Western Provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) Provinces. Salt Lake City: FamilySearch Library, 1985.	This lists county names, county seats, creation dates, and parent counties. It includes recent township maps.
Schindler, Marc A. Administrative Atlas of Canada. Vol. 4: Prairie Provinces. Gloucester, Ont.: Schindler-Spring Family Organization, 1990.	Maps of 1988 township, county, district, and other civil boundaries. A gazetteer of major towns which gives the township and county for each.