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State of Massachusetts
Genealogy, Facts and Records Resources
Massachusetts Census Records • Massachusetts Vital Records • Massachusetts Court Records
Massachusetts Church Records • Massachusetts Cemetery Records • Massachusetts Land Records
Massachusetts Military Records • Massachusetts Archives & Societies • Massachusetts Publications
Effective Methods for Massachusetts Genealogy Research
Most people understand the role that the State of Massachusetts has played in American history. So many American citizens poured into this location throughout the earliest decades, and so many Native Americans inhabited the region, that there is a huge demand for genealogical data. There are many resources for finding it, and this article is going to explain how to go about obtaining the data you need.
Searching for Massachusetts Genealogy Data
Where do you find the resources to help in a search for Massachusetts genealogy data? You head to your computer, of course! So many people anticipate obtaining information online that a lot of archives and libraries have gone to great lengths to ensure that access is available through the Internet. This is referred to as “digitizing”, and while it is very effective and efficient, it is not yet something available at all resources – though most do have websites identifying the contents of their collections. It is necessary to spend time identifying which resources for Massachusetts genealogy are going to be your online tools, and which require some sort of visit or trip for the Massachusetts genealogy materials.
A Look at Resources for Massachusetts Genealogy Materials
Most research begins in public records, since these are the most readily available of the online resources for Massachusetts genealogy. They are divided between the following categories:
- Local Records – state genealogy research will usually begin with a county clerk’s office or website, and will go on to the local genealogical societies, small local libraries, historical societies, and school or college libraries for Massachusetts genealogy materials. These are items that are usually offline and viewable by appointment or special arrangement.
- Vital Records – these are records for births, marriages, divorces and deaths from county, state, and national archives. They also include military records, immigration and naturalization details, cemetery or obituary information, census records, newspaper items, and passenger lists and records as well. These tend to be available as online or offline resources for Massachusetts genealogy.
- State Records – from probate information to private manuscripts, surname lists, newspapers, state census information, marriage details, military or veterans information, land records, maps, estate information, genealogical folders, death records, deeds, birth certificates, cemetery information and more; these are available as online and offline resources for Massachusetts genealogy.
Your Most Effective Resources for Massachusetts Genealogy Information
Where can you find these different types of records? Here is a list of the primary online resources for information for Massachusetts genealogy:
- Registry of Vital Records and Statistics,
150 Mount Vernon Street,
1st Floor,
Dorchester, MA 02125-3105;
Website: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/massachusetts.htm. This is where anyone can order birth, death, marriage and divorce records via a written request or even through an online form.
Additional state and local records can be found at the:
- Massachusetts Archives, 220 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 0212; Website: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcidx.htm
It is not surprising that a state as historic as Massachusetts would have a lot of material available online. Currently, researchers seeking for Massachusetts genealogy data can get access to an archival collection from 1629 through 1799, passenger manifests, and vital records through the website, plus all of the materials that are open for public use at the actual archives.
Also, consider using the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists at: http://www.massog.org/.
Also, these three websites give researchers a tremendous amount of state-specific details for those in search for Massachusetts genealogy data.
- The USGenWeb Project - http://magenweb.bettysgenealogy.org/;
- State census records at Genealogy Research Guides - http://www.researchguides.net/census/state.htm; and
- Genealogy Today - http://www.genealogytoday.com/genealogy/states/massachusetts.html
List of Massachusetts Counties
Select a county from the table below to to view more information on genealogical information & records pertaining to each county.
Massachusetts Town Resources
Nearly all of the vital records have been microfilmed and are available either through the FHL, Massachusetts State Archives, Berkshire Athenaeum, or Boston Public Library. In addition, only a handful of towns do not have some of their births and marriages included in the latest (1988) IGI.
Early records of town meetings have been published for a number of Massachusetts towns and some are interspersed in the original vital record books on microfiche distributed by Archive Publishing, 57 Locust Street, Oxford, MA 01540. Those for Middlesex County towns are at the Boston Public Library, New England Historic Genealogical Society, or can be acquired through Early Massachusetts Records, Inc., 1154 Boylston, Boston, MA 02215. A descriptive guide to the collection was published in 1976 and can be obtained from that address.
The researcher should assume that vital records, whether in separate books or in town records, begin with the formation of the town, as do the town records. See parent towns for earlier records; and the county for beginning dates of deeds, probates, and court records. Clerks respond to inquires regarding vital records, since most have indexes available, but unindexed town records with details of town life - officers, tax lists, freeman's lists, cattle and hog marks, voting lists, warnings out, overseer's of the poor accounts, school records - must be searched in person either through microfilm or at the town's office.
