Nova Scotia Roots?

Nova Scotia Tourism has a web site called Routes to Your Roots; go to www.NovaScotia.com and click on "Research You Roots".

There's a travel planning tool based on surname frequency within the province. You type in a surname and look at the distribution patterns within Nova Scotia, based on surnames found in the Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics.

Blue bubbles indicate a local archive or library where researchers can pursue their family's history. If you click on the blue bubble, a mini profile of the institution will appear. Click on "more info" and you will get a more detailed listing of the institution's holdings, directions, and contact info.

There's also an interesting section on settlement patterns with separate descriptions for Acadians, African Nova Scotians, Americans, English, Ethnic Settlement in Cape Breton (1890-1920), Foreign Protestants, Irish, Mi'kmaq, Scottish, Twentieth Century Immigration.

If you decide to follow up with a visit there's plenty of helpful tourist information on the site too.