Vancouver / Names / A / Asano

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Asanos

In the city directories 1940 · twelve people at six addresses

The directories print twelve people named Asano at six addresses in 1940 in five of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: five Asanos at 233 West 6th in 1940.

Reserve this family's book, freeThe name in every directory we hold from 1901 to 1945, at every address, each line with its page, to read here or save as a PDF. About $29 when orders open.

Where the Asanos lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    666 Alexander Street

    Strathcona, 1940

    • K Asano, a canneryman 1940

    Next door in 1940: Harrock Box Pioneer at 662 and Mrs M Kubota at 668. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    537 Burrard Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Y Asano, proprietor of Colonial Grocery 1940

    Next door in 1940: Marine Garage at 529 and C H Trip at 539. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    2339 Granville Street

    Fairview, 1940

    • K Asano, a salesman at Busy-Bee Market 1940
    • Mrs Mytsuko Asano, proprietor of Busy-Bee Market 1940

    Next door in 1940: W P James at 2335 and Sun Tailors at 2343. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    343 West 5th Avenue

    Mount Pleasant, 1940

    • R Asano, a laborer 1940

    Next door in 1940: A Singh at 335 and H Ohashi at 345. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    233 West 6th Avenue

    Mount Pleasant, 1940

    • M Asano, a cleaner at Peace Cleaners 1940
    • Chiyoko Asano, a maid 1940
    • Juichi Asano, a millworker 1940
    • Sugi Asano, widow of Y 1940
    • Umeko Asano, a maid 1940

    Next door in 1940: R Pasiaud at 227 and O Hill at 237. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    1815 West Broadway

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • K Asano 1940
    • Mrs Kiyoka Asano, proprietor of Circle Cross Cleaners 1940

    Next door in 1940: Burrard Gro at 1811 and Safeway at 1825. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for ten of the twelve: a proprietor (3), a maid (2), a canneryman, a cleaner, a laborer and a millworker, among others. Two of them worked for Busy-Bee Market. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Mount Pleasant (2), Downtown, Fairview, Kitsilano and Strathcona. Each neighbourhood's page shows its trades, its people and every street in it, the way the directory printed them.

The story, address by address

In 1940 the directory lists K Asano at 666 Alexander Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Ken Asano there as the householder, a canneryman. In 1940 the directory lists Y Asano at 537 Burrard Street. The 1940 name section lists Yoshishige Asano there as the householder, proprietor of Colonial Grocery.

In 1940 the directory lists K Asano at 2339 Granville Street. The 1940 name section lists Kaname Asano there as the householder, a salesman at Busy-Bee Market, with Mrs Mytsuko Asano, proprietor of Busy-Bee Market. The 1940 name section lists R Asano at 343 West 5th Avenue, a laborer.

M Asano is listed at 233 West 6th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Masao Asano there as the householder, a cleaner at Peace Cleaners, with Chiyoko Asano, a maid, Juichi Asano, a millworker, Sugi Asano, widow of Y, and Umeko Asano, a maid. K Asano is listed at 1815 West Broadway in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Kenzo Asano there as the householder, with Mrs Kiyoka Asano, proprietor of Circle Cross Cleaners.

Today

233 West 6th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1912 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 666 Alexander, 537 Burrard, 2339 Granville, 343 West 5th and 1815 West Broadway, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 17 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section

The book of the Asanos

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Asano name in each Vancouver directory we hold from 1901 to 1945: everyone printed under it at every address, their work from the name sections, who lived next door, and the page behind every line, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give.

We're opening orders soon. Join the list to be first in line; we expect about $29 a family.

One email, when it's ready. We use your email for nothing else and never share it. Privacy

Another name, or a house

Sources

Henderson's and successor city directories for Vancouver, read by us line by line: the street sections for 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1940 and 1945, and the name section for 1930 and 1940 where we've read it (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories). Names are shown through 1945, as printed. Close spellings are grouped, as on the house pages, since a family's name was often spelled differently from one year to the next; one name can still be several families, and we join lines only where the first names or initials agree. Many Chinese, Japanese and other residents weren't named by the canvassers, so they can't be listed by name: their houses' pages say where. More family names under A. Want a name removed? Tell us.