| This area of Ontario is covered by Lambton County GenWeb. The information presented below is merely an outline of the county and does not include what is available for genealogical research for this area. For information on genealogical research of this area please visit Lambton County GenWeb. |
Lambton County was established in 1850 from Kent County and named for Canada's Governor in 1838, John George Lambton.
Until 1790 the land that is now Lambton County was Indian land. The first European settlement happened sometime prior to 1804. In that year several settlers from Scotland settled in what was called the Selkirk settlement on the Baldoon Tract. Already settled there were French Canadians along the St Clair River.
The land was surveyed in 1829 and laid out in townships but it was the 1830's before great numbers of settlers started to arrive. Most were from the U.K., many were Irish who came following the 1840's potato famines, and some were Canadians trying their luck in the west.
In the 1850's oil was discovered in Lambton County, but it wasn't until the 1860's that the first flowing well was tapped. This brought a rush of new settlers to the area. Oil and salt are two of Lambton's oldest industries.
Lambton County is located in South-Western Ontario.
1788-1792 - part of Hesse District
1792-1847 - part of Kent County
1847-1849 - part of the Provisional District of Kent
More maps of this area
Surnames
Place Names
Books
Links
Questions & Answers
1 Lovell's Gazetteer of British North America 1873
2 Places In Ontario by Nick & Helma Mika, 1977
3 Place Names of Ontario by Floreen Carter, 1984
6 A Statutory Chronology of Eastern Ontario, 1788-1981 by Thomas A. Hillman
