Research an old Māori land block name
Block names are often the best bridge between a historical document and modern geography. They can also be difficult: names repeat across districts, spelling changes, and a parent block may have produced many numbered or named partitions.
Build a name table first
Before trying to map anything, capture every form you find:
| Field | Example purpose |
|---|---|
name_as_source | spelling exactly as printed |
normalised_search | form used for searching |
court_district | prevents same-name confusion |
source_ref | minute/order/map/title reference |
source_date | places the name in time |
relationship | parent, partition, adjacent, uncertain |
Do not remove macrons or historical spelling from the evidence field merely to make searching easier.
Search sequence
- Search Pātaka Whenua using the known spelling.
- Check the Māori Land Court district. LINZ notes that identical block names can occur in different districts.
- Search likely variants and numbered subdivisions.
- Inspect memorials and orders for partition, consolidation or status changes.
- Follow survey-plan references into LINZ land records.
- Search historical titles where a later general-land title may carry the older reference.
- Add historical maps and archives when the court/title chain is incomplete.
Useful documentary sources
- Māori Land Court minutes and orders
- ML, DP and SO survey plans
- historical Records/Certificates of Title
- Crown purchase deeds and provisional registers
- Archives New Zealand collections
- Waitangi Tribunal and CFRT research reports
- NZ Gazette notices
- historic topographic and cadastral maps
Mapping uncertain results
If you can establish only an approximate location, store that uncertainty. A point labelled candidate location from 1898 minute is more useful than a precise polygon whose source never supported that precision.
For old place-name evidence outside the land system, continue to Place names and ingoa wāhi and Archives to map.
Official source: LINZ: how to search Māori land records.
Last reviewed: 26 August 2026