Alberta, or the ‘Princess Province’, is a province located in western Canada.[1] Alberta is referred to as the ‘Princess Province’ because it was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta. She was the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and was married to the Marquess of Lorne, who was Governor General of Canada in 1882.[2] When Alberta officially became a province in 1905, it was named in honor of Princess Louise.[1] The province was originally intended to be named Louise, but she preferred to honor her father, Prince Albert.[1] Hence, the name ‘Alberta’ was chosen, and it has since been affectionately referred to as the ‘Princess Province’. It is the sixth largest Canadian province by land area, covering approximately 255,541 square miles (661,848 km²).[3] As of April 1, 2024, Alberta’s population was 4,849,906.[4]
Alberta is known for its large oil industry, with the province leading Canada in oil production. In 2020, Alberta produced 3.79 million barrels per day.[5] Alberta’s GDP in 2023 was CDN $336.3 billion.[6] The most important products of Alberta are crude petroleum oils, natural gas, wheat, ethylene polymers, and refined petroleum.[7] Alberta produces the vast majority of Canada’s natural gas and crude oil and roughly half of its coal.[8] Other mineral resources include sand and gravel, limestone, and salt, but the most valuable is sulphur, most of which is extracted from natural gas.[8] Alberta is renowned for its diverse natural landscapes, which include the Rocky Mountains, prairies, boreal forests, and badlands.[9] Some of the most attractive features of Alberta include Lake Louise in Banff National Park, one of the most photographed lakes in Canada, the town of Banff, known for its historical charm and vibrant culture, Maligne Canyon, and Maligne Lake, known for its crystal clear water, towering glaciers, and picturesque Spirit Island. Alberta also has many other attractions including, the Calgary Zoo, Jasper National Park, and many Provincial Parks.
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History of AlbertaHistory of Alberta
The area now known as Alberta has been inhabited by various Native American (First Nations) groups for at least 10,000 years.[10] European explorers first appeared in the 1750s as the fur trade expanded across western North America.[10] The British were the first European settlers in Alberta, laying claim to the area as part of Rupert’s Land, which belonged to the Hudson’s Bay fur trading company since 1670.[11] French-speaking settlers followed suit and migrated westward to establish their fur trading communities in the early 18th century.[11]
Alberta was made part of the North-West Territories in 1882. Its population grew with the coming of the railroads and the expansion of wheat farming. Alberta officially became a Province on September 1, 1905. The ceremony occurred at noon. The commission appointing George Hedley Vicars Bulyea as Lieutenant Governor was read. He took the oath of office, and Alberta thus became a province.[12]
The industrial, economic, and agricultural development of Alberta has been significant. In the early 1800s, there were large reserves of oil being exploited in Asia and the Middle East, but the few known North American sources were small and of limited commercial value.[13] The 1850s to the 1870s saw Canada become the site of the first important oil boom in North America.[13] The frontier land of southwest Alberta and southeast Saskatchewan were opened to ranching in the 19th century.[14] The coming of the railways in the late 19th century led to a large-scale migration of farmers and cattleman from Eastern Canada, the United States, and Europe.[15] Wheat and cattle remain important, but the farms are much larger now and the rural population much smaller. Alberta has urbanized and its economic base has expanded from the export of wheat and cattle to include the export of petroleum.[16]
Demographics of AlbertaDemographics of Alberta
The demographic distribution of the Alberta population is as follows:[17]
In 2006, the racial and ethnic composition of Alberta was 80.3% white, 13.9% belonging to a visible minority group and 5.8% Aboriginal (3% First Nations, 2.6% Metis, 0.1% other Aboriginal). Visible minority groups include:
- Chinese: 3.7%
- South Asian: 3.2%
- Filipino: 1.6%
- Black: 1.4%
- Southeast Asian: 0.9%
- Latin American: 0.8%
- Arab: 0.8%
- Korean: 0.4%
- West Asian: 0.3%
- Japanese: 0.3%
Most common surnames in AlbertaMost common surnames in Alberta
Researching family history in AlbertaResearching family history in Alberta
The Library and Archives of Canada has a broad range of genealogically valuable collections for the Province of Alberta. The Archives Society of Alberta gives access to collections preserved throughout the province and the site includes Alberta on Record, a portal to archival collections in Alberta. There is a list of online libraries in Alberta. The Alberta Family Histories Society has many genealogical resources. Alberta Genealogical Society has branches Brooks, Camrose, Drayton Valley, Edmonton, Ft. McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, and Wetaskiwin.
Alberta Municipal Districts and Counties ListAlberta Municipal Districts and Counties List
Alberta, Canada has 63 counties and municipal districts, however counties are no longer a municipal status type in Alberta. Counties are now Municipal Districts. Municipalities that were once officially incorporated as counties were continued under the Municipal Government Act as municipal districts and were permitted to retain the term county in their official names.[19] For the purposes of the RRDB, counties and municipal districts (often abbreviated MDs) are essentially the same. The Rural Municipalities of Alberta is an independent association that represents these counties and districts. There are 3 general categories of municipalities in Alberta: urban, rural and specialized. The municipalities are further categorized into different types.[20]
| Acadia | Athabasca | Barrhead | Beaver |
| Big Lakes | Bighorn | Birch Hills | Bonnyvillle |
| Brazeau | Camrose | Cardston | Clear Hills |
| Clearwater | Cypress | Fairview | Flagstaff |
| Foothills | Forty Mile | Grande Prairie | Greenview |
| Kneehill | Lac Ste. Anne | Lacombe | Lamont |
| Leduc | Lesser Slave River | Lethbridge | Minburn |
| Mountain View | Newell | Northern Lights | Northern Sunrise |
| Opportunity | Paintearth | Parkland | Peace |
| Pincher Creek | Ponoka | Provost | Ranchland |
| Red Deer | Rocky View | Saddle Hills | Smoky Lake |
| Smoky River | Spirit River | St. Paul | Starland |
| Stettler | Sturgeon | Taber | Thorhild |
| Two Hills | Vermillion River | Vulcan | Wainwright |
| Warner | Westlock | Wetaskiwin | Wheatland |
| Willow Creek | Woodlands | Yellowhead |
See moreSee more
Explore more about AlbertaExplore more about Alberta
MyHeritage.com has four specific collections of Alberta records including the 1916 Canada Census of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, the 1906 Canada Census of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, Canada, Alberta, Calgary Burial Records, and Canada, Alberta, Edmonton Burials. MyHeritage also has 95 collections of valuable Canadian records that will also assist your research in Alberta.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 65 Interesting Facts About Alberta You Must Know
- ↑ Alberta's Provincial Symbols
- ↑ Alberta
- ↑ Current provincial population estimates | Alberta.ca
- ↑ CER – Provincial and Territorial Energy Profiles – Alberta
- ↑ Government of Alberta
- ↑ Alberta's Top Exports 2022
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Alberta - Oil, Gas, Agriculture | Britannica
- ↑ 10 Reasons Alberta is the Most Beautiful Province in Canada
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Alberta - Canadian Prairies, Rocky Mountains, Oil Sands | Britannica
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Who were the European settlers in Alberta?
- ↑ Alberta becomes a province | Provincial Archives of Alberta
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Early Industrialization and Exploration: 1776-1920s - Conventional Oil - Alberta's Energy Heritage
- ↑ Alberta's ranching evolution (Part One)
- ↑ Plough your Furrows Deep: The Foundations of Agriculture in Alberta
- ↑ History of municipalities in Alberta | Alberta.ca
- ↑ Alberta Population 2024
- ↑ Most Common Surnames in Alberta, With Meanings
- ↑ Alberta Counties
- ↑ About municipalities