Land records are a valuable resource for genealogists to track connections between individuals and families. Here are several ways these records can be utilized:
- Ownership Transfers: Land records document the transfer of property ownership, providing details about buyers and sellers. These transactions can reveal relationships between individuals, such as familial ties (e.g., a father selling land to a son).
- Witnesses and Neighbors: Deeds and other land documents often include names of witnesses and neighbors. These individuals can be relatives, close friends, or community members, offering clues about social networks and familial connections.
- Inheritance and Wills: Land records can include information from wills and inheritance documents. These records may list heirs and their relationships to the deceased, helping to build family trees and verify familial connections.
- Tax Records: Tax records associated with land ownership can provide continuous data over time, showing who paid taxes on a piece of property. Changes in taxpayer names can indicate deaths, marriages, or sales, leading to insights into family dynamics.
- Location Tracking: Mapping land ownership over time can track the movement of families and individuals. This can help genealogists understand migration patterns and discover where ancestors lived at different times.
- Legal Disputes and Court Records: Land disputes and related court cases can provide extensive details about family relationships and conflicts. These records can uncover hidden connections and offer insights into family history.
- Census Records: Land records can be cross-referenced with census records, which often include information about land ownership. This can validate data and provide a fuller picture of an individual’s life and family.
Research your ancestors on MyHeritage
Types of land records
Types of land records useful for genealogical research include:
- Deeds
- Dower Release
- Lien
- Mortgages
- Quitclaim Deed
- Patents
- Titles
In countries where common law is the base of the legal system, especially those in the Commonwealth of Nations, when replacing the deeds registration system, title registrations are generally classified into two basic types: the Torrens title system and the English system, which is a modified version of the Torrens system.[1]
Information found in land records
- Names of buyers, sellers, grantors, grantees
- Family relationships (spouse, children, heirs)
- Residences and migration patterns
- Occupations and economic status
- Neighbors and associates
- Physical descriptions of the land
See also
Explore more about land records and family ties
- Land & Property record collection at MyHeritage
- Connecting Generations through Probate and Property webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- Fruit of the Earth: Using Deeds to Uncover Your Ancestors webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- 3 Clues Found in Every Land Record webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- Land Records Solve Research Problems webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
References
- ↑ Lyall, Andrew. Land Law in Ireland. ISBN 1-85800-186-2; Ch. 24