A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Ontkeans
In the city directories 1940 · seven people at two addresses
The directories print seven people named Ontkean at two addresses in 1940 in West End. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: six Ontkeans at 1209 Jervis 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 Ontkeans lived
- 1
925 Bute Street
West End, 1940
- C Leonard Ontkean, proprietor of Fifth Avenue Millinery 1940
Next door in 1940: G A Robinson at 975. The block, door by door
- 2
1209 Jervis Street
West End, 1940
- A Ontkean 1940
- Mrs Alice Ontkean, proprietor of Helen's Hat Shop 1940
- E Grace Ontkean, a saleswoman at Helen's Dress Shop 1940
- Helen Ontkean, a saleswoman at Helen's Hat Shop 1940
- Michael Ontkean, proprietor of Helen's Dress Shop 1940
- Orville M Ontkean 1940
What they did
The name section prints a trade for five of the seven: a proprietor (3) and a saleswoman (2).
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in West End (2). 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
The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists C Leonard Ontkean at 925 Bute Street, proprietor of Fifth Avenue Millinery. A Ontkean is listed at 1209 Jervis Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists A Ontkean there as the householder, with Mrs Alice Ontkean, proprietor of Helen's Hat Shop, E Grace Ontkean, a saleswoman at Helen's Dress Shop, Helen Ontkean, a saleswoman at Helen's Hat Shop, Michael Ontkean, proprietor of Helen's Dress Shop, and Orville M Ontkean.
Today
925 Bute and 1209 Jervis still have their buildings from before 1946, both on the Vancouver Heritage Register.
Every line as printed
All 8 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Ontkean C Leonard prop Fifth Av Mlnry925 Bute, p. 472
- Ontkean A1209 Jervis, p. 91
- Ontkean A1209 Jervis, p. 472
- Ontkean Mrs Alice prop Helen's Hat Shop1209 Jervis, p. 472
- Ontkean E Grace slswm Helen's Dress Shop1209 Jervis, p. 472
- Ontkean Helen slswm Helen's Hat Shop1209 Jervis, p. 472
- Ontkean Michl prop Helen's Dress Shop1209 Jervis, p. 472
- Ontkean Orville M1209 Jervis, p. 472
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed
The book of the Ontkeans
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Ontkean 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.
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 O. Want a name removed? Tell us.