Cadastral is a term used in surveying and public administration, and refers to the division of land into units for surveying, taxation or administrative purposes. The word came into English by way of French and Greek katastikhon, a list or register, from kata stikhon, "line by line." Cadastral units may include counties, parishes, ridings, hundreds, or blocks.

A cadastral survey may be carried out to show accurately the extent and measurement of every field or other block of land in a given state or other political unit. The most common reason for such a survey is as a basis for taxation, but in some countries it is associated at least as strongly with the need to accurately identify land boundaries. Accurate cadastral surveys help prevent disputes and lawsuits between landowners and allow for reliable land valuation.

In the United States, Cadastral Survey within the Bureau of Land Management is responsible for maintaining records of all public lands. Such surveys often required detailed investigation of the history of land use, legal accounts and other documents.