Genealogy

Birth, marriage and death records are held by Vital Statistics and by Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management (NSARM), depending on when the event occurred.

For more information on birth, marriage and death records held by Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management (NSARM), visit http://www.novascotiagenealogy.com/.

	Vital Statistics	NSARM
Birth Records	October 1, 1908 to the present	1864 - 1876
Marriage Records	1934 to the present	before 1934
Death Records	1959 to the present	before 1959

Birth Records

Civil birth registrations were recorded in Nova Scotia between 1864 and 1876. These records are held by Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management. From 1876 to 1908 some delayed registrations of birth were filed, however, records do not exist for all individuals.

Province wide recording began again on January 1, 1909 and continues to the present day. Birth records filed after January 1, 1909 are held at Vital Statistics.

Marriage Records

Marriages have been recorded in Nova Scotia since 1864. Records of marriage bonds dating back to the mid 1700s are available through the Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management.

Marriage records between the years indicated below for each county to 1934 are also held by the Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management.

Marriage Records by County and Year to 1934 held at Nova Scotia Archives
Annapolis, 1908	Guysborough, 1906	Pictou, 1917
Antigonish, 1910	Halifax, 1916	Queens, 1910
Cape Breton, 1912	Hants, 1916	Richmond, 1918
Colchester, 1914	Inverness, 1908	Shelburne, 1908
Cumberland, 1913	Kings, 1909	Victoria, 1918
Digby, 1909	Lunenburg, 1908	Yarmouth, 1908

Death Records

Civil death registrations were recorded in Nova Scotia between 1864 and 1876, and began again on October 1, 1908. Death records of persons who died before 1959 are held at the Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management.

All death records filed between 1959 and the present day are held at Vital Statistics.

Notes on Genealogy Research:

Birth certificates of deceased persons born less than 100 years ago or married less than 75 years ago cannot be issued for genealogy.

Death certificates can be released if the death occurred more than 20 years ago and the deceased would be 75 years of age or more.

A search of records covers a three year period and includes the year prior to and the year following the date of the event provided in your application. If a record is not located, a $16.79 search fee will be charged. If the record is located and a certificate is issued, the search fee is included in the cost of the certificate. Additional years can be searched for a fee of $11.23 for every three years searched.

Please include proof of your identify (i.e., a copy of your driver’s license, birth or baptism certificate) with your initial request.

Other sources of genealogical information include church records, records kept in family Bibles, and records held by the Genealogical Society of Utah, (50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150, U.S.A.), where a multitude of records have been compiled by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). Visit the LDS website for a list of Family History Centres in Nova Scotia.

Visit our online resources page for more genealogy links.

Please contact us if you require additional information about genealogical records available from our Halifax office.