Why Are Land and Property Records Overlooked in Genealogy Research?

When you’re researching your family tree, it’s easy to overlook property records — official documents that track the ownership and transfer of land — because they’re often harder to find. They’re also likely to seem complicated to the average person since they contain jargon and other legal terms.

Instead, people tend to focus on birth, marriage and census records, thinking that they’ll tell the whole story. The truth is, however, that land records can reveal details that other documents don’t, such as moves to new areas, family connections and financial history. 

Why Land Records Matter More Than You Think

In almost every country, you’ll find land records for most periods. Whether exploring U.S. public records, Australian historical records, or German land records, these documents can provide valuable insights into ownership changes, family inheritances, and residential movements.

In this blog, we’ll be exploring why land records are such an important but underused resource in genealogy, how they can help break through brick walls in your research, and where to find them.

Tracing Migration Patterns

Prior to the modern era, families tended to move around quite a bit. This often happened due to the need to seek work or because of major events like wars. The good news is that land records can be used to track these movements, usually in more detail than census records can. 

Should one of your ancestors seemingly vanish between census years, a property sale could indicate that they relocated. Similarly, military bounty land grants (land given to veterans) can show where families may have resettled. 

Historical maps can reveal how a family’s location changed over time, especially when combined with property records that document land ownership and transfers (historical genealogy maps). This approach helps track migration patterns that may not be obvious in census records alone.

Breaking Through Brick Walls

At some point, every genealogist hits a brick wall. These kinds of dead ends — where records are missing or unclear — can be frustrating. However, land records can offer breakthroughs where other documents fail.

For example, if someone doesn’t appear in birth, marriage, or census records, land records can often fill in the gaps. Property transactions, inheritance records, and tax lists frequently document names that might be missing elsewhere, helping to establish family connections or confirm a location.

In some cases, they may be the only surviving proof that an ancestor lived in a certain area. Similarly, searching deed indexes or property tax lists could prove that an ancestor lived in a specific county and even reveal unknown relatives.

That’s why using these records is among these 7 Tips for Successfully Tracing Your Family Tree, as they can provide crucial insights when traditional records are lacking.

Getting Started with Land Records

So, if you’re new to land record research, where do you start? Here are a few resources that you might find useful in this regard:

• Local Archives & Land Registries: Many original land records are stored in national or regional archives, land registry offices, or local courthouses, depending on the country.
• Online Databases: MyHeritage provides access to a wide range of historical records, including property-related documents from various countries.
• Government & Historical Institutions: Some nations have dedicated land record repositories.
• Military & Colonial Records: In some countries, homestead records, military land grants, and colonial-era property records provide insight into migration patterns and ownership history.

For more guidance on how to find and interpret land records, the MyHeritage Wiki offers expert articles and research tips to help you get started.

Ready to Dig Deeper Into Your Family Tree?

Land and property records might not be the first thing that comes to mind when doing genealogy research, but they hold incredible value. They can uncover hidden details about your ancestors’ lives, movements, and relationships—even when traditional records fail.

If you’re ready to explore land records but aren’t sure where to start, MyHeritage can help. With its historical record collections, property archives, and smart search tools, you can uncover your ancestors’ hidden stories today.

MyHeritage helps you uncover your family’s past with a vast collection of historical records. Search land and property records, connect them to family trees and census data, and use Record Matches to track ancestral homes and migration patterns.

Start your journey today!