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For genealogists researching Kentucky ancestry, land records are one of the most revealing and reliable sources available. This comprehensive collection spans 150 years of settlement, ownership, and legal land transactions, offering direct evidence of where your ancestors lived and when. Before standardized censuses and long before vital records were widely kept, land records placed people on the map.
This curated set of resources includes over 150,000 indexed land grants, 17,000 early tax listings, and military-based land warrants going back to the French and Indian War. Whether your ancestor was an early settler, a Revolutionary War veteran, or someone living in Kentucky in the 1800s, these documents provide concrete proof of presence and property ownership.
Among the featured volumes:
- The Kentucky Land Grants (1782–1924) – Alphabetized by grant type, this two-volume reference includes full names, survey details, acreage, county, and watercourse, along with source citations.
- Early Kentucky Landholders, 1787–1811 – Covers land entries for over 17,000 individuals in Lincoln County from early tax lists.
- A Calendar of the Warrants for Land in Kentucky – Contains detailed land survey info for French and Indian War veterans, listing acreage, service rank, survey dates, and transfer notes.
- Old Kentucky Entries and Deeds – Over 45,000 indexed records from land entries, military warrants, deeds, wills, and attorney filings across key counties (Fayette, Lincoln, Jefferson).
Many of these individuals never appeared in other public records, but land ownership tied them to the community—sometimes across generations. The level of detail allows researchers to pinpoint not just names and dates, but locations down to the watercourse, neighboring settlers, and even the history of land transfers.
This is a vital reference set for tracing Kentucky roots with accuracy, especially before the mid-19th century.