GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Nova Scotia Births

This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find birth information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the birth section of the Nova Scotia Guided Research page.

Other Databases

 * 1823-1905: Nova Scotia, Canada, Antigonish Catholic Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials at Ancestry ($)
 * 1840-1915: Nova Scotia, Canada, Births at Ancestry ($)

Online Images (Browsable Only)
Some collections have not been indexed but are available to browse image by image.
 * 1864-1877: Nova Scotia Births at FamilySearch
 * 1720-2001: Nova Scotia Church Records at FamilySearch

Additional Records with Birth Information
Substitute records may contain information about more than one event and are used when records for an event are not available. Records that are used to substitute for birth events may not have been created at the time of the birth. The accuracy of the record is contingent upon when the information was recorded. Search for information in multiple substitute records to confirm the accuracy of these records.

Tips for finding births
Successfully finding birth records in online databases depends on a few key points. Try the following search suggestions:
 * Spelling variations. Your ancestor's name may be misspelled. Search with spelling variations for the first and last name of your ancestor.
 * Search parents. Search for the parents, if known, as the child's first name may not be on the birth record.
 * Search given name. Search by given name (leave out the last name) with the approximate date of birth.
 * Add information. For common names, add more information to narrow the search such as approximate birth date or parent's names if known.
 * Date range. Expand the date range of the search by 5 years.
 * Search province. Search using the province name only instead of by county.

Known Record Gaps
Records Start
 * 1702 Very few church records for baptisms for French settlers exist before 1702.
 * 1749 Church of England records for British settlers in Halifax began.
 * 1864 Civil registration began.
 * 1876 Civil registration was discontinued. Records fairly complete 1867-1874.
 * 1908 Province-wide civil registration began again.