GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Massachusetts Births

This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find birth information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the birth section of the Massachusetts Guided Research page.

Additional Databases and Online Resources

 * 1620-1988: Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records - ($)
 * 1860-1970: Massachusetts, Birth Index - ($)
 * 1620-1850: Massachusetts, Town Birth Records - ($)
 * 1911-1915: Massachusetts: Vital Records - ($)

Additional Records with Birth Information
Substitute records can contain information about more than one event, and are used when records for an event are not available. Because the substitute records may not be created at the time of the event, it may contain incorrect information. Search for as many substitute records as possible to corroborate information found in substitute records to help improve accuracy.

Tips for finding births
Success with finding birth records in online databases depends on a few key points:
 * Your ancestor's name may misspelled. Try the following search tactics:
 * Try searching for the parents if known. Sometimes a child's first name is not on the birth record.
 * Try different spelling variations of the first and last name of your ancestor.
 * Try a given name search (leave out the last names)


 * Expand the date range of the search.
 * Try searching with the state name only instead of by county.
 * If your ancestor's name is common, try adding more information to narrow the search.

Known Record Gaps
Records Start
 * Birth records begin in 1639 but registration was inconsistent in some areas.

Records Published Collection coverage tables show the places and time periods of original records published. Check the coverage table for the collections you searched which did not include your ancestor. Gaps in the online collection may require searches in other records or original birth records at an archive.
 * Massachusetts Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Records Destroyed The following counties had record loss. Click on the county for more information. United States Counties With Records Loss map - Zoom in to the state and click on a county marked in red to see date details.