These two societies had read the Canada Gazette and had made up lists of names from the Gazette, and were prepared in 2003 to hand them over to the CGC so that they could be put online.
When the database was put online, it had some problems - but with this latest version, it is now up-to-date.
There are now 206,731 names of individuals who applied for, and received, status as naturalized Canadians from 1915 to 1932.
Please remember that this covers the people who came to Canada from non-British Commonwealth countries because they were considered British subjects, as were Canadians until January 1, 1947.
This database covers people who came to Canada from such countries as Russia, Italy, Austria, and the United States.
You can put in their surname and given names and the country they came from in the search box, and you will see if he/she is there or not, plus a PDF document of the actual naturalization papers.
If you check the pages on the PDF document, you will see the person's name, country of origin or a name of a wife/child and their relationship to the person being naturalized, the date that the certificate was issued or the date that the oath of allegiance was taken, the person's occupation, the person's residence in Canada, and the certificate number and series.
If there isn't a certificate number listed, check to see if the entry refers to another surname.
Sometimes, when a person changed his/her surname, both of his/her surnames appeared on the list, but only one has the certificate number.
If you search the records and find the person you are searching for, you will have to use the information given in the naturalization database, and then write or visit: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Public Rights Administration, 360 Laurier Ave West, 10th floor, Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1.
There is a fee, but it is relatively small - $5.00.
You can request copies if you are living in Canada, or are a Canadian citizen. Go to http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tbsf-fsct/350-57-eng.asp and ask for the Access to Information Request Form.
The person of which you are inquiring the information must be either deceased for 20 years, or you must receive a signed consent from the person. Proof of death can be a copy of a death record, a newspaper obituary, or a photograph of the gravestone showing name and death date.
The request should include the surname, the given name, date and place of birth, and, if you know it, the number of the naturalization certificate, including the alphabetic series identifier and the "F" suffix (if the papers are in French).
Please tell them that you want copies of the original papers.
The database is available at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/naturalization-1915-1932/index-e.html.