Nova Scotia Genealogy

For centuries, Nova Scotia has been the gateway to Canada, and many Canadians can trace their family tree to here. From the arrival of the earliest explorers like John Cabot, to Samuel de Champlain’s band of hardy adventurers determined to settle an untamed world, to waves of Scottish immigrants and British soldiers, to German farmers from the Rhine Valley - Nova Scotia has welcomed them all.


Canadian’s Immigration History

With easy access to the Atlantic and one of the world’s largest natural harbours, there’s a reason why Nova Scotia has been the entrance to millions of Canadian immigrants – and is important to so many people while tracing their family trees. You can still see the immigration sheds of Pier 21 National Historic Site in Halifax where over a million immigrants, troops, war brides, and evacuee children started their new lives.

In Nova Scotia we also live our history. You can explore the colourful fishing town of Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and still home to many hard-working fishermen today. Or you can relive a day in the life of 1744 at the Fortress of Louisbourg, the largest reconstruction of its kind in North America.

Trace your Nova Scotia genealogy at the Halifax Archives back to a quiet churchyard in a small town, or explore the living poetry of Acadia at the Grand Pre National Historic site. Make our history your own by:

Visiting the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site of Canada in Baddeck on Cape Breton Island, and discovering how he and his associates produced the fastest boat in the world, made improvements to the phonograph and, of course, invented the telephone.
Taking in the pageantry of Pipefest as part of the International Gathering of the Clans or visit communities that have hosted musical events for generations during the Celtic Colours International Festival.
Transporting yourself back to 1780 by joining in the encampment at Liverpool’s Privateer Days.
Experience the noon day cannon at Citadel Hill
Day trip or full immersion, a trip back in time is a vital part of many Nova Scotia vacations.