Land patents and homestead records document the transfer of land from the government to private individuals. These records are especially important in public land states and often contain terminology related to land acquisition, settlement requirements, and property description.
| Term | Definition |
| Acre | Unit of land measurement equal to 43,560 square feet. |
| Affidavit | Sworn statement supporting a land claim. |
| Application | Formal request to obtain land under homestead or other laws. |
| Bounty Land | Land granted as reward for military service. |
| Bounty Land Warrant | Certificate allowing recipient to claim land. |
| Cash Entry | Purchase of public land with cash payment. |
| Claim | Assertion of right to a parcel of land. |
| Commutation | Purchase of homestead land before required residency period. |
| Cultivation Requirement | Obligation to improve or farm the land. |
| Entry | Filing of claim for public land. |
| Entry Number | Identifier assigned to land claim. |
| Final Certificate | Document issued after claimant meets all requirements. |
| Final Proof | Evidence submitted to prove compliance with homestead requirements. |
| General Land Office (GLO) | Federal agency overseeing public land distribution. |
| Grant | Transfer of land ownership from government to individual. |
| Grantee | Person receiving land. |
| Homestead | Land claimed under Homestead Act for settlement. |
| Homestead Act | Law allowing settlers to claim public land. |
| Homestead Entry | Filing initiating homestead claim. |
| Improvement | Development of land through building or farming. |
| Land Patent | Official document transferring land from government to individual. |
| Legal Description | Formal description identifying land parcel. |
| Mineral Rights | Rights to minerals beneath land surface. |
| Parcel | Defined tract of land. |
| Patent Number | Identifier assigned to land patent. |
| Plat Map | Map showing divisions of land parcels. |
| Preemption | Right to purchase land before it is offered to others. |
| Public Domain | Land owned by government. |
| Receiver | Official receiving payment for land. |
| Register | Land office official recording claims. |
| Residence Requirement | Obligation to live on land for specified period. |
| Survey | Measurement and mapping of land boundaries. |
| Township | Six-mile square unit in Public Land Survey System. |
| Range | East-west division in land survey system. |
| Section | One of 36 divisions within a township. |
| Tract Book | Record of land transactions in specific area. |
| Warranty Deed | Document guaranteeing clear title to land. |
| Filing Fee | Payment required to submit land claim. |
| Land Office | Government office handling land claims. |
| Proof of Settlement | Evidence that claimant lived on land. |
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