Canada, Nova Scotia Births - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection includes indexes and images of Nova Scotia county births from 1864-1877. These records are the registration of births, not birth certificates. The numbering on the left page starts at one for each year. The registers cover the counties Cape Breton and Colchester.

Record Content
Birth registers may contain the following information:
 * Name of child
 * Gender
 * Birth date and place
 * Father’s name, occupation and residence
 * Mother’s name and maiden name
 * When and where parents were married
 * Informant’s name and residence
 * Date birth was registered
 * Name of witness

How to Use the Record
This section provides information on how to search the collection, what to do with information once found, some tips on how to find records, and what to do if no record is found.

When searching: As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as:
 * given name and surname of child
 * estimated birth year
 * parents’ names
 * birthplace

Search the Collection
To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the 'County' category ⇒ Select the 'Year Range' category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Using the Information

 * Use the parents’ names to find siblings’ records in surrounding years.
 * Use the parents’ marriage date and location to locate their marriage certificate.
 * Use the residence to find census records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Occupation may be a clue to the family’s social status within the community.
 * Occupation may be a clue to family mobility. For example: A laborer will move around more than a landowner.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born in the area.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the records of nearby localities (or military unties, counties, parishes, etc.).
 * Look for a different index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.

Related Websites
Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics

Related Wiki Articles

 * Nova Scotia
 * Nova Scotia Vital Records
 * Nova Scotia Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Canada Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection citation:

Image citation: