HantsGenWeb - Resources

Hants County, Nova Scotia GenWeb Project

Genealogy Resources.

Genealogy Resources


Archives and Libraries

Local, Provincial, National

  • West Hants Historical Society Museum - The genealogy room resources include: Census Records, Newspapers, Family Genealogies and Scrapbooks, Cemetery Records, Photographs, Personal Collections and histories of the area. Research services are available.
     
  • Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management [NSARM] -
  • Library and Archives Canada [LAC] - Library and Archives Canada is responsible for the collection and preservation of the documentary heritage of Canada through texts, pictures and other documents relevant to the culture of Canada.
    • Canadian Genealogy Centre [LAC] - The Centre includes all physical and online genealogical services of Library and Archives Canada. It offers genealogical content, services, advice, research tools and opportunities to work on joint projects, all in both official languages.
       
  • Family History Centre [LDS] - Family History Centers are branch facilities of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Centers provide access to most of the microfilms and microfiche in the Family History Library to help patrons identify their ancestors. Everyone is welcome to come to the centers and use Family History Center resources.


 

Books and Publications

Publications to assist your Hants County and Nova Scotia researching

Cemetery Records

Cemetery locations, headstone inscriptions, and other resources

Hants County headstone transcriptions which have been made available online to the HantsGenWeb by the generous effort of many volunteers.

Census Records

Nova Scotia and Canada Census Returns

Census returns taken in Nova Scotia which have been released to the public for research are held with either the Provincial Archives in Halifax and/or with the National Library and Archives in Ottawa.

Church Records and Registers

Registers Preceding Civil Registration

Church records may be able to provide you data prior to when civic vital records began, but their existence and availability does vary by denomination and community. Many holdings are available on microfilm. Some records are still kept with the local church, while other registers may be found within a regional archive of the church.

Directory Records

Find locations of family homes to narrow your research area

Directories have been published for Nova Scotia since about 1864. These provincial directories are available on microfilm at NSARM. Some directories recorded the persons occupation, while older directories were sold by "subscription," and were not always complete, often families were missed. Municipal directories for smaller towns can be found through local archives and museums.

  • Directories [HantsGenWeb] - Hants County and Nova Scotia directories.
     

Family Records / Local Genealogies

Personal collections and genealogies of local families

Immigration / Passenger Lists

This database provides access to passenger lists including the port of Halifax (1881-1922).

Land / Land Grant Records

Original Crown Land Grants in Nova Scotia

In order to promote the early settlement of the colony Nova Scotia, the Governor, Edward Cornwallis, was directed to make possession of land grants. In 1749 the first Surveyor General was responsible for surveying of the boundary lines of land grants, roads, and other lands and the preparation of maps and plans.
  • Nova Scotia Land Petitions: 1769-1799 [NSARM] - A searchable database for early petitions (often called 'Memorials') made to government by individuals or groups of people seeking grants of Crown Land for settlement purposes in the colony of Nova Scotia between 1769-1799.
     
  • Crown Land Grant Maps [NS] - A series of 140 maps showing the location of crown land grants in Nova Scotia, the majority of which were issued between 1750 and 1850. You may view or download the maps online. Photocopies of these maps are also available.
     

Lookups

Books, Cemeteries, Volunteer

Mailing Lists / Message Boards

Connect with other researchers

  • CAN-NS-HANTS Mailing List - A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical or historical interest in Hants County, Nova Scotia. Archives of the list are searchable.
     

  • RootsWeb Hants County Message Board - A message board for anyone with a genealogical interest in Hants County. Post a query, or share information and photos, and connect with others researching common ancestors and communities. The message board is searchable.
     

  • NSROOTS Mailing List - Designed to be a medium of exchange for genealogical information pertaining to Nova Scotian families, this mailing list is moderated and there is a searchable archive of the list available.
     

Maps / Geography

Hants County, Historical, Nova Scotia

The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has maps available for sale depicting the original Crown Land Grants in Nova Scotia. They show the locations and names of the original grantees. The A.F. Church maps series is extremely value in that these maps depict names and the locations of area residents in the mid-1800's.

Military Records

Hants County

Obituary Records

Search or browse the Obituary Archive

Poll Tax Returns

1791-1795

  • Poll Tax Returns (1791-1793) [NSARM] - To deal with the provincial debt the legislature passed poll tax acts in 1791, 1792 and 1793 which levied a capitation tax on all adult males. The amount of tax was based on a person's employment and their ownership of cattle or sheep and was collected until the legislation was repealed in 1796.
     

Queries

Hants County Queries

  • CAN-NS-HANTS Mailing List - A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical or historical interest in Hants County, Nova Scotia. Archives of the list are searchable.
     

  • RootsWeb Hants County Message Board - A message board for anyone with a genealogical interest in Hants County. Post a query, or share information and photos, and connect with others researching common ancestors and communities. The message board is searchable.
     

Surname Registry

Has gone missing!

  • Any volunteer(s) to re-start the surname registry?
     

Township Book Records

Various Township Books

Vital Statistics

Historical

Wills / Probate Records

Hants County Court of Probate


This information is intended for personal research use only. Please verify information with primary source documents before accepting any as actual fact. This material may be printed out as long as this notice remains. Any commercial use or sale of this information is strictly prohibited without the permission of the HantsGenWeb Project.
 

© Hants County, Nova Scotia GenWeb Project