Georgia, Headright and Bounty Land Records, 1783-1909

What is in This Collection?

This collection consists of individual documents from Georgia’s original land grant system, the headright and bounty land system for the years 1783 to 1909. The files, filmed at the Georgia State Archives, contain the following types of records relating to the acquisition of a piece of land:

• Headrights which provided the head of a family with a grant of land.
• Bounty land grants which were awarded by the government as a reward to citizens for the risks and hardships they endured in the service of their country, usually in a military related capacity.
• Warrant files which may include land plats, although not all transactions included surveys.
• Vouchers listing the applicant’s status during the Revolutionary War
• Certificates of eligibility for a land grant
• Powers of attorney
• Petitions

The files are generally organized by county and then by record type. The original grant files are arranged alphabetically by name of applicant. Each grant book has an index which usually appears at the beginning of the digital files. This collection is being published as images become available.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

Land

• Name of grantee
• Date of land grant
• Legal description of land
• Location of the land
• Number of acres

Collection Content

Sample Image

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  1782 Georgia Land Record