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Otago and Southland land records

Links to Collections search in this guide

Many of the links in this guide are to series of records in Collections search. Series are groups of records on a similar topic.

To find the individual records that make up a series:

• use the links to open the series page

• expand the Record hierarchy drop-down menu at the bottom of the page.

Land ownership in New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand has had 2 systems of recording information about land ownership and sales since the mid-1800s – the Deeds system and the Land Transfer (Certificate of Title) system.  

Each system uses different documents to record land transactions. You’ll use different reference records to find information about these transactions in each system. The best place to start your search depends on the dates you’re interested in.  

1851 - 1870: Deeds system

Record of land transaction: Deed

Main reference record: Deeds Index

Find out more about the Deeds Indexes

1870 - 1924: Land Transfer system introduced

Between 1870 and 1924, the Deeds system was gradually phased out and replaced by the Land Transfer system. Between these years new land transactions, like crown grants and subdivisions/amalgamations, were recorded in the Land Transfer system.

1924 - present: Land Transfer system becomes dominant

Record of land transaction: Certificate of Title

Main reference record: Land Transfer Registers

If you’re interested in a transaction from 1924 onwards, start with the Land Transfer system – but keep in mind that, especially if it’s earlier in the period, it could be in the Deeds system.

This is because the Land Transfer Act of 1924 made it compulsory to bring all land deeds into the Land Transfer system. This task was officially completed in the 1950s – but even today, some land remains in the Deeds system.

You can search the Deeds system in a few different ways. It depends what information you want to find.

Searching for the land a person owned (Otago only)

Follow these steps if you know the name of a person and want to find details of the land they owned.

Step 1: Search for a name in the Grantee Nominal Index of Deeds

The Grantee Nominal Index of Deeds (Series 23465) is a register of people who bought land from 1851 to 1942. There are 7 volumes. Each one is organised in loosely alphabetically order, by surname.

We’ve made the first 4 volumes of the Nominal Index available as Excel spreadsheets, so you can search them for names of people you’re interested in. You can view scans of volumes 5, 6 and 7 in Collections search.

Volume 1, 1851-1863 (XLSX, 276KB)

Volume 2, 1860-1879 (XLSX, 886KB)

Volume 3, 1866-1879 (XLSX, 984KB)

Volume 4, 1879-1886 (XLSX, 561KB)

Volume 5 1925-1942 – Collections search

Volume 6 1903-1925 – Collections search

Volume 7 1925-1942 – Collections search

Step 2: Find a reference to the Deeds Index

Each entry in the Nominal Index includes:

• a person’s name

• a reference to the main Deeds Index (Series 23467), where you can find information about the land the named person bought.

Reading references to the Deeds Index

Each reference includes a letter and a number.

• The letter tells you which volume of the Deeds Index to look in.

• The number tells you which page number contains the information you need.

For example, the reference B 351 directs you to page 351, in Volume B of the Deeds Index.

Otago Deeds Index – Collections search

Step 3: Use the Deeds Index to find the legal description.

The Deeds Index contains legal descriptions of all the plots of land it lists. A legal description tells you the:

• district the land is in

• block number

• section number.

You can use these details to find the land on a map.

A Deeds Index entry also contains a list of transactions for that particular piece of land. Each entry will have a reference to a Deed in a Deeds Register. You can view the registers for Otago (Series 23469) in the Dunedin reading room.

Step 4: Find the land on a survey map

Survey maps show each block and section of land in a district. To find a survey map in Collections search:

• search for Survey and the district name – for example, Survey Clutha

• open the filters on the results page

• tick the Digital copy available filter to see maps you can view online

• look for a map from around the time you’re interested in.

Visit Collections search to look for maps

Learn how to filter your results in Collections search

Searching for historic owners of a piece of land (Otago and Southland)

Follow these steps if you have the details of a piece of land and you want to know who owned it. You’ll need the legal description – this includes the:

• district the land is in

• block number

• section number.

If you don’t have a legal description

We can help you find the legal description of a plot of land. Use the Ask an archivist form to send us a question. It’s a good idea to give us as much information about the land as possible – for example, the:

• current address

• location on a map.

Ask an archivist to help you find a legal description

Step 1: Find the land in the Indexes to Deeds

In the Otago Indexes to Deeds (Series 23470, 23471 and 23472) and Southland Deeds Local Index (Series 23590), plots of land are organised by district – you can find a piece of land if you know its details.

These indexes give you references to the main Deeds Index, where you can find information about the times a piece of land was bought, sold or leased.

How to search the Indexes to Deeds

• The contents pages at the front of the Indexes to Deeds list the districts or towns they cover.

• Check which pages contain information about the district or town you’re interested in. Find the right page, then look for the block and section of the land.

• You may need to look in more than one volume to find the land you’re looking for.

Otago

Districts no.1 – Collections search

Districts no.2 – Collections search

Government Towns no.1 – Collections search

Government Towns no.2 – Collections search

Private Townships – Collections search

Index Book (Towns) – Collections search

Index Book (Districts) – Collections search

Southland

Deeds Local Index – Collections search

Step 2: Find a reference to the Deeds Index

Each entry for a plot of land in the Districts and Towns Index Books gives you a reference to the main Deeds Index, where you can find a list of transactions that were made on the land.

Reading references to the Deeds Index

Each reference includes a letter and a number.

• The letter tells you which volume of the Deeds Index to look in.

• The number tells you which page number contains the information you need.

Otago Deeds Index – Collections search

Southland Deeds Index – Collections search

Step 3: Use the Deeds Index to find transactions

The Deeds Index lists the transactions on a piece of land before it was moved into the Land Transfer system.

Each entry will have a reference to a Deed in a Deeds Register. You can view the registers for Otago (Series 23469) and Southland (series 23485) in the Dunedin reading room.

In the Land Transfer System – which we still use today – all the transactions of a piece of land are recorded on a single document, called the Certificate of Title. The certificates are collected in Land Transfer Registers.

You can view the registers for Otago (Series 9197) and Southland (Series 9200) in the Dunedin reading room.

Find out who owned a piece of land

To find the Certificate of Title for a piece of land, you need to know the legal description. This includes the:

• district the land is in

• block number

• section number.

If you don’t have the legal description

We can help if you don’t have the legal description – use the Ask an archivist form to send us a question.

Ask an archivist for help finding a legal description

Step 1: Find the land in the Otago and Southland Indexes

• Search the Contents pages at the beginning of the Otago Town Indexes (Series 23471 and 23472) or the Otago Land District Survey District Indexes (Series 23470) for the district the land is in. For land in Southland, search Southland Land Transfer Sectional Indexes (Series 23771).

• Find the district, then find the block and section.

• You may need to look in more than one volume to find the district you’re looking for.

We’ve digitised these volumes, so you can view them online.

Otago Town Indexes

Land Transfer Towns Index – Collections search

Land Transfer Private Townships Index – Collections search

Otago Survey District Indexes

Survey District Index, A to O – Collections search

Survey District Index, P to Z – Collections search

Southland Land Transfer Indexes

Southland Land Transfer Sectional Index Vol.1 – Collections search

Southland Land Transfer Sectional Index Vol.2 – Collections search

Step 2: Find a reference to the Land Transfer Registers

Next to each section in the Town or Survey District Indexes, you’ll find a reference to the Land Transfer Registers.

This is where you can see the Certificate of Title number for the land you’re interested in.

Reading references to the Land Transfer Registers

References to the Land Transfer Registers are next to the legal description, in the column headed RB.

Each reference contains 2 numbers.

• The first number tells you which volume of the Land Transfer Registers to look in.

• The second number tells you which page number contains the information you need.

You can view the registers for Otago (Series 9197) and Southland (Series 9200) in our Dunedin reading room.

Search for the land a person owned or leased (Otago and Southland)

Contact us if you have the name of a person and you want to find out whether they bought, sold or leased land in the Land Transfer System.

• We’ll search for the name in the Nominal Index Cards in our Dunedin office, and give you a reference to the Land Transfer Registers.

• You can view the Registers in the reading room.

Search for the land a person owned or leased (Southland)

Step 1: Search for a name in the Nominal Index

The Southland Land Transfer Registers Nominal Indexes to Indexes (Series 9204) give details of everyone who bought land in Southland under the Land Transfer system from 1871 to 1926, with very few entries up to 1931.

We’ve made the registers available as an Excel spreadsheet, so you can search it for the names of people you’re interested in.

Southland Land Nominal Index (XLSX, 1.03MB)

Step 2: Find a reference to the Southland Land Transfer Indexes

Each entry in the Nominal Index contains a:

• person's name

• reference to the Southland Land Transfer Indexes (Series 9203), where you can find information about the land the person bought.

Reading references to the Southland Land Transfer Indexes

Each reference contains a letter and a number.

• The letter tells you which volume of the Southland Land Transfer Indexes to look in.

• The number tells you which page number contains the information you need.

You can view the Southland Land Transfer Indexes in our Dunedin reading room.

We're here to help if you have questions about land, or aren't sure what resources to use. Use the Ask an archivist form to send us a question, or visit us in the Dunedin reading room.

Ask an archivist about land

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