Settlement History in Nova Scotia Canada

Early Settlement Periods

There were five major settlement periods in Nova Scotia. The Micmac Indians were the original settlers. Then came the French. Later, the British defeated the French in the French and Indian War, and most of the (Acadian) French were forced to leave. The British began settlement by recruiting some from the American colonies as well as from Britain and "foreign Protestants" from Germany. Up to that time Nova Scotia included what is now New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Prince Edward Island separated from Nova Scotia in 1769. In 1783 thousands of Loyalists were forced to leave the American colonies and many immigrated to Nova Scotia where they petitioned for and received free land grants. In the following year, 1784, New Brunswick was created into a separate province. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, over 100, 000 people left the Highlands of Scotland for Canada. In the 1825 to 1850 period many Irish also immigrated to Canada. By the 1830s, immigrants came to Nova Scotia from all over Germanic Europe - Austria, Baden, Bayern, Hessen-Darmstadt, Elsass-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine), Holstein, Mecklenburg, Wurttemberg, and other German settlements.

Censuses

The Nova Scotia provincial government was slow in formation and functioning in some areas. The majority of censuses taken under British rule have survived and are in the National Archives in Ottawa or the Provincial Archives in Halifax. The first British census was in 1752, but it covered only Halifax and the immediate area. It gives the name of the head of the family, and the ages and sex of other members. Other censuses were taken in the intervening years, but only of portions of the province. In 1838 there was a general census of the province, but Cumberland County is missing. It wasn't until 1861 that a general census was taken where it has survived in its entirety. However, only the head of family was named. The censuses since then are complete. They provide detailed information about each member in the family: name, age, sex, place of origin, etc. Since then at ten year intervals other censuses have been taken. Those from 1871 through 1891 are open to public search.

Vital Statistics

Commencing in 1864 the province began recording vital statistics. Initially there was some resistance by the public to provide information as they feared that any information provided to the government would lead to higher taxation. Another factor was the scattered nature of the settlement and the isolation of many communities. Thus, these early records were not "complete." There was a period between 1867 and 1908 when vital statistics were not taken. As such, for those years we are dependent on other sources of information for similar information. Those records might include such items as wills and probates, church records of baptisms and marriages, land grants and property deed recordings, and township records, published genealogies and family histories.

Spelling of Names

Complicating matters, record takers were not always well educated and they tended to write what they "heard." As such, spelling variations were quite common and represent a challenge when undertaking research. In some situations, branches of families have retained the "misspelled" version to this day. Many are unaware of that as they search for ancestors where the ancestor's name may have been spelled in the "original" manner. Children were often named after relatives. The first son was often named after the child's paternal grandfather. Similarly, the first daughter was often named after the child's paternal grandmother. Children were also given as a first or second name, the maiden name of a mother or grandmother. Thus, attention to the full names in a family lineage can offer important research clues.

Counties, Townships and Parishes

In the early period of settlement, Nova Scotia was divided into counties and townships within counties. Some township names do not appear on maps. As an example, the township of Cornwallis was one of the first important settlements in the province, and it is located within Kings County. However, the name does not appear on most maps. Later, parishes were formed within counties.