Daily AncestorAbstract of title
An abstract of title is a summary of every recorded deed, mortgage and lien affecting a piece of land, used to prove ownership.
An abstract of title lists, in order, the recorded actions that affected a piece of land: conveyances, mortgages, liens, probate and court cases. Abstract companies compiled them for buyers and lenders.
Family copies of abstracts sometimes survive in attics and archives. They can lead you straight to deeds, wills and court cases about land your ancestors owned, all with book and page citations.
As seen in a recordTitle page of an abstract
Abstract of Title to the NE 1/4 of Section 14, Township 6 North, Range 3 West
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Abstract of title." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/abstract-of-title. Last checked 2026-10-01.