Daily AncestorChain of title
A chain of title is the series of deeds and other transfers that carry a piece of land from its first owner, often the government, down to the present owner.
Each deed, will or court order that moved the land is one "link" in the chain. Lawyers and title companies trace it to make sure a seller really owns what he sells; gaps or conflicts may have to be settled in court.
For family history, following the chain of title backward through deed books can lead to the patent, and forward to show how land passed from parents to children.
As seen in a recordAbstract of title, 1800s
Chain of title: U.S. to Jno. Hart, patent 1821; Jno. Hart to Wm. Bell, deed 1834; Wm. Bell, dec'd, to his heirs
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Chain of title." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/chain-of-title. Last checked 2026-10-12.