Moʻokūʻauhau: Hawaiian Genealogies: Land Records

The records of land transactions may include various kinds of genealogical information depending on the type of transaction.

Ownership of land by individuals began with the mahele in 1848, and original land titles are either Land Commission Awards (LCA) with a Royal Patent of Confirmation (RP) which are based on claims to a right to the land before 1848, or Grants (Gr.) which were purchases of land from the government. Records concerning land with an LCA number, including the testimony and register of documents concerning the claim, are in the State Archives and may contain information on who first used the land and the relationship to the claimant. Testimony and register of documents are either Foreign (English) or Native (Hawaiian). The Hawaiian testimony and registers have been translated.