Daily AncestorWarrant
A land warrant was a document authorizing a person to have a certain amount of public land surveyed and claimed, the first step toward a patent.
In land records a warrant is an order that authorizes something. A land warrant entitled the holder to a stated number of acres, which they could then locate, have surveyed and turn in to gain title.
Warrants could be bought, granted for military service or, in many cases, sold to others. The warrant, survey and patent together form the chain from claim to ownership.
As seen in a recordGeneral Land Office land entry file, 1800s
Warrant No. 4721 for 160 acres, located on the SW quarter of Section 12.
Sources
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Daily Ancestor. "Warrant." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/land-warrant. Last checked 2026-10-01.