R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

Nova Scotia
Research Outline
   

Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Research Strategy
Archives And Libraries
Cemetery Records
Census Records
Church Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration Records
Genealogy
History
Land And Property Records
Military Records
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Taxation Records
Township Records
Vital Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

LAND AND PROPERTY RECORDSLook this term up in the glossary.

Land recordsLook this term up in the glossary. up to about 1900 in Nova Scotia are available at land registry offices and at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia. Records after 1910 are only found in the registry offices. There are also some indexes available. DeedsLook this term up in the glossary. found in the registry offices generally mention dates, names, locations, occupations, and so forth.

The Public Archives of Nova Scotia has an alphabetical file of draft land grantsLook this term up in the glossary. and petitionsLook this term up in the glossary. for land. This file covers the years from 1763 onward. There are indexes for 1784–1877. Petitions often mention a petitioner's name, country of origin, date of arrival in Nova Scotia, and other information.

Nova Scotia. Department of Crown Lands. Land Records, 1763–1914; Index, 1784–1877. Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1983–1984. (On 95 FHL films beginning with 1378554; computer number 220295.)

Nova Scotia. Department of Crown Lands. Crown Land Grants, 1854–1967. Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1968. (On 14 FHL films beginning with 465201; index on film 466413; computer number 206190.)

There is also a land record book containing 3,300 petitions for Cape Breton entitled, Cape Breton Land Papers and Index, 1787–1843, and Miscellaneous Land Papers, 1820–1864. (FHL film 1378276; computer number 508155.) The land papers are on 13 FHL films beginning with 1378277; computer number 508155. These records are at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia.

A list of the Americans who received land as refugees from the American RevolutionLook this term up in the glossary. is found in:

Smith, Clifford Neal. Whereabouts of Some American Refugees, 1784–1800: the Nova Scotian Land Grants. 7 vols. McNeal, Ariz.: Vestland Publications, 1992. (FHL book 971.6 R2S; computer number 690908.)


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MILITARY RECORDSLook this term up in the glossary.

Most military records for Nova Scotia are in the National Archives of CanadaLook this term up in the glossary.. The Public Archives of Nova Scotia has a few muster rolls, pay-lists, and order books for various units.


World War ILook this term up in the glossary. (1914–1918)

Canadian Expeditionary ForceLook this term up in the glossary. (CEF) service records are available through the Personnel Records Unit of the National Archives of Canada (see the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline for the address). These service records contain detailed information on each individual's enlistment and demobilization (discharge). Information may include date and place of birth, address at time of enlistment, name and address of next of kin, marital status, occupation, personal description (eye and hair color, height, weight, distinctive marks or scars), and religion. When requesting information from the Personnel Records Unit, please include the individual's name, rank, and regiment (where known).


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NATURALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIPLook this term up in the glossary.

Until 1947, British immigrants from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland automatically became citizens of Canada; they did not need naturalizationLook this term up in the glossary.. Non-British immigrants, however, were required to make oaths of allegiance before receiving land grants. Files containing these oaths and petitions for citizenship covering the years 1817 to 1846 are found at the Provincial Archives.

Records created after 1917 are more detailed than earlier records and are found at:

Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Public Rights Administration
300 Slater Street, 3rd floor, section D
Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1
CANADA
Telephone: 888-242-2100 (in Canada only; outside of Canada, write to the above address)
Record Group 18, series A in the Public Archives of Nova Scotia contains many oaths of allegiance taken between 1862 and 1915. The following records are available at the Family History Library:

Naturalization Papers, Nova Scotia, ca. 1849–1917. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1983. (FHL films 1376184 items 2–3; 1376185 item 1; computer number 243157.)

Record Group 49 in the Public Archives of Nova Scotia contains citizenship records after 1900 for seven counties.

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