Nova Scotia Naturalization and Citizenship

Until 1947, British immigrants from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland automatically became citizens of Canada; they did not need naturalization. Non-British immigrants, however, were required to make oaths of allegiance before receiving land grants. Files containing these oaths and petitions for citizenship covering the years 1817 to 1846 are found at the Provincial Archives.

Records created after 1917 are more detailed than earlier records and are found at:

Department of Citizenship and Immigration Public Rights Administration 360 Laurier Ave West 10th Floor Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1 CANADA Telephone: 888-242-2100 (in Canada only; outside of Canada, write to the above address)

Record Group 18, series A in the Public Archives of Nova Scotia contains many oaths of allegiance taken between 1862 and 1915. The following records are available at the Family History Library:

Naturalization Papers, Nova Scotia, ca. 1849–1917. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1983. (FHL films 1376184 items 2–3; 1376185 item 1; computer number 243157.)

Record Group 49 in the Public Archives of Nova Scotia contains citizenship records after 1900 for seven counties.