Nova Scotia Genealogy Resources




Welcome! This page is intended to provide a summary of available Nova Scotia genealogy resources. Whether you are new to Nova Scotia genealogy, or are just looking for additional research material, I hope that you will find this information useful. If you are aware of any other resources which are not listed here, please feel free to e-mail me, Gail Edwards, and let me know.


CONTENTS:

Where to Begin Your Search

1. If You Live in Nova Scotia
A. Public Archives of Nova Scotia (PANS)


2. If You Live Outside of Nova Scotia
A. LDS Family History Centers (FHC)
B. American Genealogical Lending Library (AGLL)
C. Nova Scotia Vital Statistics

What To Look For

1. Census Records 9. Probate Records
2. Wills 10. Land / Land Grant Records
3. Nova Scotia Marriage Bonds 11. Obituaries
4. Newspaper Statistics 12. Cemeteries
5. Birth Records 13. Church Records
6. Marriage Records 14. Township Books
7. Death Records 15. Family / Local Genealogies
8. Immigration / Passenger Lists 16. Books and Publications



Where To Begin Your Search:



1. If You Live in Nova Scotia:

A. Public Archives of Nova Scotia (PANS)

The Public Archives of Nova Scotia (PANS), located in Halifax, acquires, maintains and makes available for use, government and private records of lasting historical or administrative value. The Archives' holdings consist of correspondence, manuscripts, journals, newspapers, books, photographs, documentary art, maps, architectural plans, sound and moving image materials. The Archives serves government officials, genealogists, academics and students, historians, the media, editors and publishers, and interested members of the public.

The following civil (government) registrations for the province are held by the Public Archives of Nova Scotia:



The registration of births and deaths was not mandatory, so that those holdings are incomplete.

Photostatic transcripts of these entries are provided upon receipt of $ 10.00 per entry, pre-paid by cheque or money order. Certified copies (official extract of information from the record, plus a photostatic copy of the record) will be provided upon receipt of $ 20.00 per entry, pre-paid.

Address:
NSARM (formerly Public Archives of Nova Scotia)
6016 University Avenue
Halifax, Nova Scotia
CANADA B3H 1W4

Phone: (902) 424-6060
Fax: (902) 424-0628


2. If You Live Outside of Nova Scotia:

A. LDS Family History Centers (FHC)

The Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) has compiled one of the largest collections of genealogical records in the world. Their main library is in Salt Lake City, Utah. The majority of LDS (Mormon) churches have a library attached to them called Family History Centers (FHC). These libraries have computers, microfilms of church, Census, civil, family records, and more available on loan, as well as research outlines and other genealogy resources. They are staffed by helpful volunteers.

You may use their computerized Family History Library Catalog to search by surname, or by locality (i.e., "Lunenburg County" or "Nova Scotia"), and the results will tell you what resources are available to you. You may also use the IGI (International Genealogical Index) to search for surnames, and the AF (Ancestral File) to search for pedigrees submitted by other researchers.

If you do not live within range of PANS, this is the first place to begin your search.

To find the location of the LDS Family History Center nearest you, look in your local telephone directory under: "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". It is a good idea to call ahead to find out when they are open, as most centers are not open every day.



B. American Genealogical Lending Library (AGLL)

Many people are unfamiliar with this resource. The American Genealogical Lending Library (AGLL), located in Bountiful, Utah, offers the entire Canadian Census records on microfilm for either loan or purchase. You may then view these films at your local library. This is an excellent option for those who do not live near an FHC or within Nova Scotia.


Address:
American Genealogical Lending Library
PO Box 244
Bountiful, Utah 84011

Phone: (801) 298-5358
http://www.agll.com



C. Nova Scotia Vital Statistics

Vist the Nova Scotia Vital Statistics web site at http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/vstat/history.stm for information on how to order copies of birth, marriage and death certificates.
Civil records of births and deaths completed since 1 October 1908 are on file here, as well as marriage records beginning between 1907 and 1918. Information is available from vital records only in certificate form. Each long-form certificate is $ 32.00. Please be advised that if you were born outside of Nova Scotia, you may need to provide proof of your relation to the subject of the requested record. This can be done using copies of birth certificates or other records which offer adequate proof.


Address:
Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 157
Halifax, NS
B3J 2M9


What To Look For:



OK...you're in the archives, library or FHC...now what? The following is a list of resources, arranged by category, available for Nova Scotia genealogy research.

1. Census Records:

2. Wills:

3. Nova Scotia Marriage Bonds:

Not all marriages in Nova Scotia involved the issue of marriage bonds, however, a list of those that did have been compiled both on film and on diskette.

Source Film #
Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS)Publication R-14
LDS1376196 (1763-1847) ; 1376197 (1848-1860;1862-1864;1870-1871)
PANS


4. Nova Scotia Vital Statistics From Newspapers:

This valuable series provides marriage, death and birth dates reported in the press. There are 9 volumes, with information ranging from 1769-1854.

Source Film #
Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS)Publications P-1, 3, 5, 6, 8; 10-13
LDSFiche 6099917-23; 6087572; 6104744
PANS


5. Birth Records:

CountyYearsLDS #
Annapolis1864-18701318341
Annapolis1871-18741318342
Annapolis1875-18771318343
Antigonish1864-18701318343
Antigonish1870-18771318344
Antigonish18771318345
Cape Breton1864-18731318345
Cape Breton1873-18771318346
Colchester1864-18691318346
Colchester1869-18741318347
Colchester1874-18771318348
Cumberland1864-18691318348
Cumberland1869-18751318349
Cumberland1875-18771318350
Digby1864-18731318350
Digby1872-18771318351
Guysborough1864-18681318351
Guysborough1868-18741318352
Guysborough1874-18771318353
Halifax1864-18681318353
Halifax1868-18711318354
Halifax1871-18741318355
Halifax1874-18771318356
Halifax18771318438
Hants1866-18701318438
Hants1870-18761319553
Hants1876-18771319554
Inverness1864-18711319554
Inverness1872-18761319555
Inverness1876-18771319556
Kings1864-18681319556
Kings1868-18731319557
Kings1872-18771319558
Lunenburg1864-18721319531
Lunenburg1872-18771319532
Lunenburg18771319533
Pictou1864-18701319533
Pictou1870-18741319534
Pictou1874-18771319535
Pictou18771319580
Queens1864-18741319580
Queens1874-18761319581
Richmond1864-18701319581
Richmond1870-18761319582
Richmond1876-18771319583
Shelburne1864-18731319583
Shelburne1873-18771319584
Victoria1864-18701319584
Victoria1870-18761319585
Victoria1876-18771319586
Yarmouth1864-18711319586
Yarmouth1871-18751319587
Yarmouth1876-18771319588


6. Marriage Records:

CountyYearsLDS #
Annapolis1864-18751317402
Antigonish1864-18691317402
Antigonish1870-18751317403
Cape Breton1864-18721317403
Cape Breton1873-18751317404
Colchester1864-18741317404
Colchester1874-18751317405
Cumberland1864-18701317405
Cumberland1871-18751318113
Digby1864-18741318113
Digby1874-18751318114
Guysborough1864-18751318114
Halifax1864-18661318114
Halifax1866-18711318115
Halifax1872-18751318116
Hants1864-18681318116
Hants1868-18751318117
Inverness1864-18681318117
Inverness1868-18751318204
Kings1864-18661318204
Kings1867-18751318205
Lunenburg1864-18651318205
Lunenburg1865-18751318206
Pictou1864-18661318206
Pictou1866-18751318207
Queens1864-18661318207
Queens1866-18751318208
Richmond1864-18671318208
Richmond1867-18751318209
Shelburne1864-18751318209
Victoria1864-18661318209
Victoria1866-18751318210
Yarmouth1864-18751318210
Yarmouth18751318211


7. Death Records:

CountyYearsLDS #
Annapolis1864-18721293436
Annapolis1873-18771293437
Antigonish1866-18731293438
Antigonish1874-18771293439
Cape Breton1866-18711293439
Cape Breton1872-18761294775
Cape Breton1876-18771294776
Colchester1869-18711294776
Colchester1871-18771294777
Colchester1876-18771294778
Cumberland1864-18721294778
Cumberland1872-18771294779
Digby1864-18681294779
Digby1869-18761294780
Digby1876-18771294781
Guysborough1864-18721294781
Guysborough1872-18771294782
Halifax1864-18661294782
Halifax1867-18681294783
Halifax1869-18711294784
Halifax1871-18741294785
Halifax1874-18761294786
Halifax1876-18771294787
Hants1864-18671294787
Hants1868-18721294788
Hants1873-18771294789
Inverness1864-18701294790
Inverness1870-18731294791
Inverness1873-18771294792
Kings1864-18701294793
Kings1871-18751294794
Kings1875-18771294795
Lunenburg1864-18701294795
Lunenburg1870-18761294796
Lunenburg1876-18771294797
Pictou1864-18681294797
Pictou1869-18721294798
Pictou1872-18771294799
Pictou1876-18771294800
Queens1866-18721294800
Queens1873-18771294888
Richmond18671294888
Richmond1867-18741294889
Richmond1874-18771294890
Shelburne1864-18701294890
Shelburne1871-18771294891
Victoria1864-18681294891
Victoria1869-18771294892
Yarmouth1864-18731294893
Yarmouth1874-18771294894


8. Immigration / Ship Passenger Lists:

Unfortunately, the availability of passenger lists and immigration records for Nova Scotia is extremely limited. Some records have been preserved, such as the Lunenburg County "Foreign Protestants" lists and those that arrived with Cornwallis in 1749. Please see the appropriate county sites for these lists. Other than these few, there are really no complete records in existence for immigration to Nova Scotia until after the late 1800's.

9. Probate Records:

10. Land / Land Grant Records:

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. For more information on obtaining these maps, please see
Crown Land Grant Maps / A.F. Church Maps.

11. Obituaries:

Source Film #
Halifax HeraldObituary Database on CD-ROM (1961-present)


12. Cemeteries:

13. Churches:

Before the onset of mandatory civil registration of births, marriages and deaths in Nova Scotia, churches were the primary source for the recording of baptisms, marriages and funerals.

Church Archives:

Anglican Baptist
Roman Catholic United Church of Canada


Churches / Church Records:

Annapolis County Antigonish County Cape Breton County
Colchester County Cumberland County Digby County
Guysborough County Halifax County Hants County
Inverness County Kings County Lunenburg County
Pictou County Queens County Richmond County
Shelburne County Victoria County Yarmouth County


14. Township Books:

Many Nova Scotia communities adopted the township form of government that was common in New England at that time. Many of these townships kept vital records of the settling families in their respective township books. The following Township Books are available on microfilm, both through the LDS and at PANS:

Annapolis Argyle Aylesford Barrington
Chester Cornwallis Douglas Falmouth
Fort Lawrence Granville Guysborough Horton
Liverpool Londonderry Manchester Newport
Onslow Parrsboro Rawdon River Philip
St. Mary's River Truro Westchester Wilmot
Windsor Yarmouth


15. Family / Local Genealogies:

16. Books / Publications:

Please go to the extensive list of books and publications for Nova Scotia research here.


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