Canadian Land Records

Land records can be excellent places to find genealogical information. In addition to an individual's name, you can often find the name of a spouse or children, a birthplace, and military service, depending on the type of record.

The Canadian National Archives has several different types of land records. First, there are land patents and deeds for transfers of land from the government to individuals. In general, these patents and deeds do not give much information beyond the location of the land and the name of the individual to whom the land was granted. Land records related to later transfers of land from one individual to another are in the provincial land offices and archives.

Next, and possibly of more interest, are land petitions for Quˇbec and Lower Canada, available for the years 1764 to 1841; and Upper Canada and the United Province of Canada, available from 1791 to 1867. Finally, there is a complete list of Mˇtis land claims, as well as claims for losses during the War of 1812 and the 1827-1838 Rebellion in Lower Canada. These sorts of records are more likely to give genealogists the type of information that they are looking for. For information about contacting the Canadian National Archives, see the topic Canadian National Archives.

For information about locating records of transfers of land from one individual to another, you should contact the Registrar of Deeds, Registrar of Titles, Land Titles Office, or other land office in the province where you need to locate a land record. You may also find land records in the provincial archive appropriate to your research. For information about contacting any of the provincial archives, see the topic Canadian provincial archives.