Land Grant Records

Use land grant records and transfer records in ancestry and genealogy immigration research.

Land Grants and Transfers

Land records are not an excellent source for learning the origins of immigrants. While they are often used in other aspects of genealogy research, they seldom mention an immigrant’s home. They are used most effectively to establish residency and relationships. During the colonial period, land records may be used to establish immigration.

Many immigrants came to America because of the availability of land, and these immigrants were often the first settlers in many areas. Many of the early lists of settlers are based on land grant records. In some southern states, these settler lists come from headrights—documentation that helps establish the number of people transported to settle on and improve tracts of land.

How to Use Land Records

Use land records to learn the following about individuals:

  • Death date and place
  • Residence
  • Names (and addresses) of descendants
  • Other places where the individual may have held property
  • Relationships, including clues to help sort out adoptions, guardianships, and other unclear relationships
  • Economic standing
  • Cues about a person’s feelings toward family members
  • Clues to the deaths of other family members
  • Names of stores and vendors frequented by the person
  • An individual’s signature
  • Occupation
  • Citizenship
  • Marital status

Other Resources to Help Trace Immigrant Ancestors

Are you developing a family history for an individual or family? Are you trying to find their immigrant origins? Start by seeing the articles

The following videos can help you get a head start in understanding immigration and country of origin ancestor research.

 

How to Find the Origin of Immigrants Coming to America
An introduction to immigration and migration historical research. You will be introduced to a five-step methodology to find the immigrant origins when conducting individual and family history research.

Addition videos include:

The following are records I have found extremely helpful and full of clues to finding an individual’s birthplace and immigrant origins. It is designed to provide a quick reference and direction for finding and searching for records as probable places to find information. You can use these records to develop an immigrant paper trail to assist you in finding and tracing an individual immigrant’s origins. Check out these articles:

Records for Tracing Immigrant Ancestors
Cemetery Records Census Records Church Records 
Colonial Town Records Historical and Genealogical Societies Histories and Biographies
Land Grant Records Maps and Gazetteers Naturalization Record
Obituaries Passport Applications Ship Passenger Lists
Social Security Applications Social Security Death Index

Check out the following country profiles to learn more about their immigration and migration in America.

Immigration and Migration in America
Czechs and Slovaks Danish Dutch
English Finnish French
German Greek Hungarian
Icelandic Irish Italian
Norwegian Polish Russian
Scandinavian Scottish Swedish
Welch United States Western Migration

Articles include:

Learn more about immigrant records at “Immigrant Records at the National Archives.”