What type of land is described as areas located between patented land grants?

The term that best describes areas located between patented land grants is known as scrap files. These regions often represent the remnants of land surveys and align with historical records where legal land ownership may be incomplete or unclear due to various reasons, such as unclaimed lands or survey inaccuracies. Scrap files can include parcels that have not been officially granted or established as independent legal entities.

In contrast, the other options represent different land classifications. Vacant land usually refers to unoccupied private property that does not have any legal ownership restrictions or claims. Common lands are typically associated with communal ownership or shared access among a specific group, such as a town or community, which does not apply to the individual nature of patented land grants. Public lands are areas owned and managed by government entities, accessible to the public for various uses, which again does not fit the specific context of land located between private patented grants.