New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts Genealogy

Description
New Bedford is nicknamed, "The Whaling City," because during the 19th century it was one of the most important, if not the most important whaling ports in the world. Migration routes for early European settlers to and from included:
 * New Bedford, Massachusetts at Wikipedia
 * Bay Road from Boston, Massachusetts to New Bedford, Massachusetts about 1652
 * Atlantic Ocean

Populated Places
Includes Neighborhoods, Villages, Unincorporated Communities, Districts, and Census-Designated Places:

Adjacent Towns
Adjacent towns: Bristol Co.:  Acushnet | Dartmouth | Fairhaven | Freetown | Dukes Co.:  Gosnold

Town Records
In New England most original vital records of birth, marriage, and death can be found at the town clerk's office

New Bedford Town Clerk
Dennis Farias, City Clerk 133 William St, Room 118 New Bedford, MA 02740 Phone: 508-979-1450 Fax: 508-991-6225 Email: [mailto:Elizabeth.Marques@newbedford-ma.gov. Elizabeth.Marques@newbedford-ma.gov] to order vital records Website

Resources
For more County and State resources see:

Cemeteries

 * New Bedford Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * Bristol County Cemeteries at FamilySearch Places

City Directories

 * 1836-1955 U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, New Bedford at Ancestry - index & images, ($), some years may be missing
 * 1836-1955 Massachusetts, U.S., City Directories, New Bedford at Ancestry - index & images, ($), some years may be missing
 * Various Dates U.S. City Directories, 1860-1960 at MyHeritage - index & images, ($) some towns and years may be missing

Court Records

 * 1697-1801 Bristol County, MA: Extracts from Court of General Sessions of the Peace, 1697-1801 at American Ancestors — index & images, ($)

Maps
This selection incudes town, county, state, and historical maps
 * Boundary Map of New Bedford at HomeTownLocator
 * Massachusetts County Map at Mass.gov
 * McConnell's Historical Maps of the United States at Library of Congress
 * New Bedford at FamilySearch Places
 * New Bedford at Google Maps
 * New Bedford at Mapcarta
 * Old Maps of Massachusetts at Old-Maps.com
 * Massachusetts Maps State Page

Military
Some Records are Searchable by Town

Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
For more Revolutionary War Military Records see:
 * Massachusetts Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
 * United States Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783

Civil War, 1861-1865
For more Civil War Military Records see:
 * Massachusetts Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865
 * United States Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865

World War I, 1917-1918
For more World War I Military Records see:
 * Massachusetts Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918
 * United States Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918

World War II, 1941-1945
For more World War II Military Records see:
 * Massachusetts Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945
 * United States Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945

Newspapers

 * 1807-1852 - New Bedford Mercury (New Bedford, Mass.) at Google News - free

Probate Records

 * 1686-1880 Bristol County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686-1880 at American Ancestors — index & images, ($)

FamilySearch Centers & Affiliate Libraries

 * Franklin Massachusetts FamilySearch Center
 * Hingham Massachusetts FamilySearch Center
 * North Dartmouth Massachusetts FamilySearch Center
 * Providence Rhode Island FamilySearch Center
 * General Society of Mayflower Descendants - an affiliate library
 * Middleborough Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Roger Williams University Library - an affiliate library