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Land records often include formal descriptions identifying property boundaries. These descriptions allow parcels of land to be precisely located and distinguished from neighboring property. Understanding the types of legal land descriptions helps genealogists interpret deeds, patents, and land transactions.
Metes and Bounds Descriptions
This system describes property boundaries using directions, distances, and natural landmarks.
- Boundaries follow compass directions and measured distances
- Landmarks such as rivers, trees, or roads used as reference points
- Common in early colonial and eastern states
- Descriptions may reference neighboring landowners
Township and Range System
Also known as the Public Land Survey System (PLSS).
- Land divided into townships six miles square
- Each township divided into 36 sections
- Sections further divided into smaller parcels
- Common in western and public land states
Lot and Block System
Used primarily in towns and cities.
- Property identified by lot number within subdivision
- Block number indicates group of lots
- References subdivision maps or plats
- Common in urban property records
Natural Landmark References
Some descriptions rely heavily on geographic features.
- Rivers, creeks, and ridges used as boundaries
- Trees or stones historically used as markers
- May change or disappear over time
Research Considerations
- Legal descriptions allow mapping of ancestral property
- Neighboring landowners often appear in records
- Changes in boundaries may indicate land division or sale
- Historical maps can help visualize property location
If you’d like this information in a clean, printable, and well-organized reference format, this topic is also included in the Quicksheet Vault. The Vault is designed for researchers who prefer working tools they can save, print, and reuse — whether that means building a personal binder of key resources or keeping reliable references close at hand. You can learn more about the Quicksheet Vault HERE