Chain of title is the sequence of recorded owners stretching back through a property’s history, each link a documented transfer from one party to the next. Title professionals trace this chain during the search to confirm there are no breaks, gaps, or conflicting transfers that would cast doubt on who legitimately owns the property today. A clean, unbroken chain supports clear, marketable title; a gap — say a deed that was never recorded, or an estate that was never properly settled — is a cloud that has to be resolved before the company will insure the transfer.