Are you researching ancestors who lived in Nova Scotia? On this page, you will find information about records held at Library and Archives Canada and the provincial archives. There are also links to online resources and to other institutions, societies and government agencies.
Nova Scotia was one of the original provinces that founded the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867.
Before that:
- The first peoples were Mi'kmaq.
- In the 1600s, the area was called Acadia by the French and Nova Scotia (New Scotland) by the British.
- Halifax was founded in 1749 as a British settlement and naval base.
- In 1753, Lunenburg was established by German immigrants.
- The expulsion of the Acadians began in 1755.
- By 1763, the entire colony was under British control. Many Loyalists arrived after the American Revolution.
- Until 1784, New Brunswick was part of Nova Scotia.
Civil registration (birth, marriage and death records)
Civil registration is a provincial jurisdiction. In Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Archives holds the following records:
- births (1864 to 1877 and 1908 to 1919)
- marriages (1864 to 1944)
- deaths (1864 to 1877 and 1908 to 1969)
Nominal indexes and digital images to those records are available online:
Records after those dates are held by
Access Nova Scotia: Vital Statistics.
Adoption and divorce
Courts and criminal records
Land records
The province is divided into counties.
Wills and estate records
The administration of wills and estates is a provincial jurisdiction. Most records are held at the provincial archives.
Other resources
-
Library and Archives Canada information pages and databases
To find out about other types of records for genealogy research, visit our
Genealogy and Family History pages, including
Topics.
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Nova Scotia Archives
The provincial archives holds many sources for genealogy research. Consult the following links:
Visit
Public Libraries Map to find a library in the province.
There might be a local archives, genealogical society or historical society in the area where your ancestors lived: