The Notarial Archives date back to the times of the Order of the Knights of St. John. They were set up by Grand Master Lascaris in virtue of an instrument dated 10th July 1640. This instrument was registered in the Acts of the Order and is found in Manuscript number 469, ff. 260-261, in the National Library of Malta. Notary Salvatore Ciantar was the first Archivist. The oldest volume of notarial deeds preserved in the Archives is that of Notary Paolo Bonello which dates from 1465 to 1521.

The Notarial Archives are a rich source of research. Notarial deeds and records, being legal documents, are frequently examined and studied mainly for their legal implications, for establishing the root of title to property, for tracing inheritances, and generally for checking on legal rights and duties as regulated by written covenants.

However, especially as regards the older records, from the beginning of last century to earlier dates, the Notarial Archives are a primary source for historical research.