• 1667 - 1867
• Districts
• Counties
• Regional Municipality
• Townships
• Cities
• Towns
• Other

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Territory - Province: 1667 - 1867

This section indicates how the lands in Ontario County changed hands and names over a 200-year period.

1667 - New France (French)

1763 - Indian Country (not for settlement by Europeans)

1774 - Quebec

1791 - Upper Canada

1840 - Province of Canada. Canada West was commonly used to designate the western part of the Province of Canada.

1867 - Ontario (province)

Source: Territorial Evolution of Canada [map], 2nd ed., 1969 (MCR 2306)

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Districts: 1788 - 1850

Districts not relevant to the area covered by Ontario County GenWeb are not followed. Those names are shown in italics.

1788 - Nassau District created

1792 - Nassau District changed to Home District

1798 - Home District split into three - Home District, Newcastle District, and Niagara District

1816 - Home District split into Home District and Gore District.

1843 - Home District split into Simcoe District and Home District.

1850 - All Districts, including Home District are abolished. Counties replace Districts as the new level of land division.

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Counties: 1792 - present

Names not relevant to the area covered by Ontario County GenWeb are not followed. Those names are shown in italics.

1792 - York County created. East Riding to contain area later known as Ontario County.

1800 - York County's East Riding includes the townships of Etobicoke, Gwillimbury, King, Markham, Pickering, Scarborough, Uxbridge, Vaughan, Whitby, Whitchurch, and York. This also included an area of land between Durham County and Lake Simcoe.

1821 - York County's East Riding grows to include the townships of Brock, Georgina, Reach, and Scott. Simcoe County includes the townships of Thora [sic], Mara, and Ramah [sic].

1837 - York County is divided into four ridings. The Fourth Riding has the townships of Mara, Rama, and Thorah added.

1845 - York County's North Riding includes the townships of Brock, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Mara, North Gwillimbury, Rama, Reach, Scott, Thora [sic], Uxbridge, and Whitchurch. The East Riding includes the townships of Markham, Pickering, Scarborough, and Whitby.

1852 - Ontario County is created from York County and includes the townships of Brock, Georgina, Mara, Pickering, Rama, Reach, Scott, Scugog, Thora [sic], Uxbridge, and Whitby. Oshawa (Village) is attached to Ontario County.

1974 - Ontario County dissolved. Lands in the old Ontario County become part of Durham (Regional Municipality).

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Regional Municipality

1974 - Durham (Regional Municipality) is created from Ontario and Durham Counties. It includes Oshawa (City), the towns of Ajax, Newcastle, Pickering, Whitby, and the townships of Brock, Scugog, and Uxbridge.

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Townships

Unless otherwise stated, these are Municipal Townships.

1800 - York County's East Riding includes the townships of Pickering, Uxbridge, and Whitby.

1821 - York County's East Riding now includes the townships of Brock, Georgina, Reach, and Scott as well as Pickering, Uxbridge, and Whitby. Simcoe County includes the townships of Thora [sic], Mara, and Ramah [sic].

1850 - The townships of Brock, Georgina, Mara, Pickering, Rama, Reach, Scott, Thorah, and Uxbridge are incorporated.

1852 - Scugog (Township) is created from the island called Scugog Island which had been part of the townships of Cartwright and Reach in Durham County.

1853 - Georgina (Township) is removed from Ontario County and (re)attached to York County.

1858 - Whitby (Township) divided into two - Whitby (Township) [the western half] and East Whitby (Township).

1869 - Rama (Township) incorporated again.

1968 - Whitby (Township) and Whitby (Town) amalgamate as Whitby (Town).

1974 - Mara and Rama (Townships) are attached to Simcoe County. The Villages of Beaverton and Cannington, the Police Village of Sunderland, and the townships of Brock and Thorah become Brock (Township). Port Perry (Village) and the townships of Cartwright, Reach, and Scugog become Scugog (Township). Uxbridge (Town) and the townships of Scott and Uxbridge become Uxbridge (Township). East Whitby (Township) and Oshawa (City) amalgamate as Oshawa (City). Pickering (Village), parts of Pickering (Township), and Ajax (Town) amalgamate as Ajax (Town). The remainder of Pickering (Township) becomes Pickering (Town).

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Cities

1924 - Oshawa (Town) becomes a City.

1974 - East Whitby (Township) and Oshawa (City) amalgamate as Oshawa (City).

2000 - Pickering (Town) becomes a City.

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Towns

1854 - Whitby (Town) incorporated.

1886 - Uxbridge (Village) becomes a Town.

1870 - Oshawa (Village) becomes a Town.

1955 - Ajax (Improvement District) becomes a Town.

1968 - Whitby (Township) and Whitby (Town) amalgamate as Whitby (Town).

1974 - Pickering (Village), parts of Pickering (Township), and Ajax (Town) amalgamate as Ajax (Town). Part of Pickering (Township) was added to Scarborough (Township). The remainder of Pickering (Township) becomes Pickering (Town). Whitby (Town) continues as a Town. Uxbridge (Town) and the townships of Scott and Uxbridge become Uxbridge (Township).

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Other

1850 - Oshawa (Village) is incorporated.

1871 - Port Perry (Village) incorporated.

1872 - Uxbridge (Village) incorporated.

1878 - Cannington (Village) incorporated.

1885 - Beaverton (Village) incorporated.

1900 - Sunderland (Police Village) established.

1907 - Claremont (Police Village) established.

1909 - Brechin (Police Village) established.

1950 - Ajax (Improvement District) established.

1953 - Pickering (Village) incorporated.

1968 - Claremont (Police Village) becomes part of Pickering (Township).

1974 - The Villages of Beaverton and Cannington, the Police Village of Sunderland, and the townships of Brock and Thorah become Brock (Township). Port Perry (Village) and the townships of Cartwright, Reach, and Scugog become Scugog (Township). Uxbridge (Town) and the townships of Scott and Uxbridge become Uxbridge (Township). East Whitby (Township) and Oshawa (City) amalgamate as Oshawa (City). Pickering (Village), parts of Pickering (Township), and Ajax (Town) amalgamate as Ajax (Town).

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Sources for Districts to Other

• Canadian Geographical Names Data Base
• "A Statutory Chronology of Central Ontario, 1792 - 1984" by Thomas A. Hillman in Canadian Papers in Rural History (Vol. V, 1986)

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