Ontario Land and Property

Land record indexes are among the best tools for locating residents in Ontario before 1851 when few censuses and other province-wide records or indexes exist. Many immigrants came to Ontario to claim available land, so land ownership was generally recorded as soon as they arrived. Also, wills were often copied into deed books and other land records instead of in probate records. Land records sometimes exist when other records are not available.

Prior information needed. To search these land records, you should know:

• Ancestor's name
• County of residence
• Township of residence (if known)

Data you may find in land records:

• where and when ancestors lived in an area
• the name of spouses, heirs, and other relatives
• the names of neighbors
• where ancestors lived previously
• the occupation of ancestors
• the relationship of ancestors to a Loyalist ancestor
• when ancestors left the area and where they were moving

Land records may include the following record types:

• immigrant lists
• petitions for land grants
• leases, indexes, and registers
• case files and commission records
• claims and reports