Daily AncestorHeadright
A headright was a colonial land grant, often 50 acres, given for each person whose passage to the colony someone paid.
The headright system began in Virginia and spread to Maryland, Georgia and the Carolinas. A person earned land, typically 50 acres per head, for moving to the colony or for paying the passage of others, including indentured servants.
Headright claims list the people transported, which makes them an important source for early immigrants.
As seen in a recordColonial land patent book, 1600s
Granted to Jno. Hart 300 acres for the transportation of six persons: Jno. Hart, Mary Hart, Wm. Cole...
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Daily Ancestor. "Headright." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/headright. Last checked 2026-10-01.