Canadian patents, 1869-1919
In partnership with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has digitized Canadian patents on microfilm from the years 1869 to 1919.
The search enables the viewing of over 190,000 patents that have been registered in Canada by Canadian citizens or residents.
On this page
The database
- This research tool provides access to 190,000 digitized Canadian patents, from 1869 to 1919, held at Library and Archives Canada.
- Only patents issued to Canadian citizens and residents are available. Canadian patents issued to non-Canadians and non-residents are not included.
- These database entries are in the original language used in the documents and have not been translated.
- Because these patents were microfilmed during the 1970s and 1980s, you may notice preservation inconsistencies such as the appearance of hands or fingers.
- Some of the original documents are difficult to read, so some information in the database may be incorrect or incomplete.
The search screen
The search screen enables you to search by:
- Patent number
- Name of patent holder
- Patent title
- Patent filing year
- City
- Province or State
Notes
- Default operator "AND" is used between fields.
- Keyword searching on the title of the patent must be done carefully. Patent titles do not always precisely describe the nature of the invention. For example, a mouse trap may be listed under the title "animal trap," "vermin trap," or just "trap."
- Some entries include only an initial for the given name. Try searching by surname only.
The search results screens
The search results contains the following fields:
- Patent number
- Patent filing year
- Patent title
- Name of patent holder (surname, and given name or initial) / City, Province or State
Click on a "Patent Number" to access the images of the patent and the full description.