Registrars of Deeds - Nova Scotia

Records of land grants and the transfer of property can be a very valuable source of genealogical information. The Nova Scotia Archives has extensive files on grants and petitions for land. The Library and the Provincial Crown Lands Record Centre operated by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources also have much to offer. The series of county maps drawn by Ambrose Church between 1865 and 1888 showing householder's names by each property is of particular interest.

Land Registration Office Locations

The Registry of Deeds for each county has indexes to grantors and grantees for all the different types of transactions; mortgages, deeds, leases, releases, liens, sheriff's deeds, court orders, and some wills involving real estate. Most of these records have been microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, copies are available at the Nova Scotia Archives and on loan through any LDS Family History Centre.

Records on Microfilm

The county divisions and boundaries have changed over the years, the following table gives details and the years that records are available on film.

CountyNoteDates of Deeds on Film
AnnapolisFormed 1759, was Halifax1763-1910
AntigonishFormed 1784, was Sydney Co. 1784-18361785-1907
Cape BretonFormed 1784, separate to 1820.1786-1910
ColchesterFormed 1835, was Halifax1770-1903
Cumberland, AmherstFormed 1759, was Halifax1764-1904
Cumberland, ParrsboroIncluded in Kings Co. until 18401789-1905
DigbyFormed 1837, was Annapolis1785-1910
Guysborough, GuysboroughFormed 1836, was Sydney Co. from 1784-18361785-1910
Guysborough, SherbrookeFormed 1836, western half of Co.1815-1910
HalifaxFormed 17491749-1903
HantsFormed 1781, was part of Kings Co.1763-1906
InvernessFormed 1835, was part of Cape Breton Co.1825-1910
Kings, AylesfordJurisdiction moved to Kentville1820-1843
Kings, CornwallisFormed 17591764-1903
Kings, HortonJurisdiction moved to Kentville1766-1843
Lunenburg, ChesterFormed 1759, was part of Halifax1879-1908
Lunenburg, LunenburgCentral and western part of county1759-1912
PictouFormed 1835, was part of Halifax1771-1905
QueensFormed 1762, was part of Lunenburg 1764-1920
RichmondFormed 1835, was part of Cape Breton Co.1821-1909
Shelburne, BarringtonFormed 1784, was part of Queens 1854-1913
Shelburne, ShelburneEastern part of county1783-1921
VictoriaFormed 1851, was part of Cape Breton Co.1851-1911
YarmouthFormed 1836, was part of Shelburne1766-1910


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