Today, Ancestry announced the free availability of more than 500,000 records from the Chinese Exclusion Era - a 60-year period in the U.S. and Canada when laws were enacted to restrict immigration and rights of people of Chinese descent. Beyond discovering potential family connections, these significant records offer the opportunity to look into a complex period and learn about the Chinese Exclusion Era.

We partnered with Linda Yip, an expert in Chinese genealogy, to illustrate how individuals can leverage these records to learn more about their family and the Chinese experience during this chapter in history. The following blog post penned by Linda includes tips to help you get started.

Understanding this complex era in history

When I was young, I found a mysterious document in my dad’s desk. It was dated June 11, 1924. I was drawn to the picture of him at the age of two, but confused by everything else. It's taken me decades to unpack the meaning of that certificate. Now with the free availability of the Chinese Exclusion Era records on Ancestry, Chinese descendents in Canada and the U.S. can gather a better understanding of this complex period.

In the mid- to late-1800s, sparked by the discovery of gold in California and British Columbia, large numbers of Chinese immigrants came to the United States and Canada in search of safety and economic opportunity. At the end of the 19th century, as economies shifted and labor competition grew, anti-Chinese sentiment increased and targeted laws, such as the U.S. Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Canadian Chinese Immigration Acts of 1885 and 1923, were enacted to constrain and prohibit further immigration and to limit the rights and opportunities of existing residents of Chinese heritage.

July 1, 2023 marks 100 years since the Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 was enacted in Canada. Ancestry has indexed images of C.I.44 registration forms and index cards of people impacted by the Chinese Immigration Act, 1923. For 24 years, no new Chinese immigration was permitted, and families in China were separated with little hope of reunion. In addition, Section 18 of the Act required “persons of Chinese origin” to register – that is, as an immigrant – under the penalty of a $500 fine and a year in jail.

If your family was registered as mine was, you may be able to find the stories they couldn’t tell you.

Tip No. 1: Getting started

Everyone can now browse or search the curated collection for free by visiting Ancestry.com/ChineseExclusionEra. As a first step, consider the following:

• Was your ancestor in Canada or the United States during this time?
• Do you know your ancestor’s Romanized Chinese name(s) and alternate spellings?
• Did your ancestors adopt one or more English names?

Once you’re ready to search the free records, go slowly and methodically.

Tip No. 2: Find the index card to get a snapshot of your ancestor.

If your Chinese ancestor was in Canada 1923-1947, they registered under Section 18. The records consist of index cards and the C.I.44 forms. Chinese Immigration Branch clerks organized their files with index cards which provided details including full names, alternate names if known, a C.I. 44 number, age, date of registration, and other identifying certificate numbers.

By exploring these cards, you may be able to find official spelling for your ancestor’s name. For example, below is an index card for LEE Chun Yu, who was 20 years old, C.I.44 no. 35684.

Figure 1 –C.I.44 index card for LEE Chun Yu dated 25 Mar 1924, Ancestry.com

Tip No. 3: Find the corresponding C.I. 44 form.

C.I.44 forms contain a wealth of knowledge and demographic details, sometimes years after initial immigration, including:

• Photos
• Names and alternate names
• Address
• Occupation
• Age
• Marital status and names of children in Canada
• Birthplace
• Arrival ship and date
• Details on physical appearance like height, and more
• Registrar information
• Numbers of related C.I. forms

For example, using the following record, we can learn that LEE Chun Yu was 20 years old, working in the kitchen at the Biltmore Café in Oshawa, Ontario. Born in Yon Toon, Sin Ning, China, he arrived on the Empress of Asia in Vancouver, British Columbia on 14 Apr 1919 when he was 15 years old. Once in Vancouver, BC, he paid $500 and received his head tax certificate and traveled east through five provinces.

Figure 2 – C.I.44 form for LEE Chun Yu, 1924, Ancestry.com

No. 4: Find your ancestor’s relatives.

Chinese people often registered with family members. Using Ancestry navigation tools, you can also scroll between records to look for relatives. In this case, LEE Chun Yu (C.I.44 no. 35684) registered with LEE Chun Wee (C.I.44 no. 35683).

Like LEE Chun Yu, LEE Chun Wee traveled to Vancouver, BC and worked as a cook at the same cafe. Notice that the two boys’ C.I.44 numbers are consecutive, and can be accessed together.

Both records include similar surnames “Lee” and generational names “Chun,” suggesting that they are cousins or siblings. By comparing numbers, photos and index cards, and census records, you can discover more information on their relationship and family members.

Figure 3 – C.I.44 form for LEE Chun Wee, 1924, Ancestry.com

By Linda Yip, Chinese genealogy expert

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