Bristol County, Massachusetts Genealogy

Guide to Bristol County, Massachusetts ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Bristol County was settled by the Pilgrims who came from older towns in what is now Plymouth County. The area was at the center of the King Philip's War in 1675/6 and many settlers temporary moved back to the east. Though records are on a county system for land and probate records, the is divided into several districts for each.

The county was named for Bristol, England. It is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bristol County Courthouse 9 Court Street Taunton, MA 02780 Phone: 508-823-6588 Bristol Website

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

History Timeline
The basic data are from the historical county boundary series with additions from various sources.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only

Census Records

 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
The court system can appear to be complex. The system was reorganized in 1686/1692, 1859, and 1978. Described below are the most commonly used records for history and genealogy, but realize that this list is incomplete. For more detailed information regarding court structure, see Understanding the Massachusetts Court System. Supreme Judicial Court Archives(Older records) (administration - records stored in several off-site facilities and the Mass. Archives) 16th Floor, Highrise Court House 3 Pemberton Square Boston MA 02109 Phone 617-557-1082 Email [mailto:Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us]

Quarterly Court of General Sessions of the Peace This court was active from 1692 to 1827. The court heard criminal cases and had authority over county affairs that included levying taxes, reviewing town bylaws, highways, licensed liquor, regulated jails, supervised the administration of the poor laws, and appointed some county officials. Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1697-1801 Bristol County, MA: Extracts from Court of General Sessions of the Peace, 1697-1801 at American Ancestors — images ($)
 * 1702-1738 (*) Bristol County Court of General Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1714-1814 (*) Bristol County Inferior Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1780-1868 (*) Bristol County Court of General Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * "Bristol County Court of General Sessions Extracts" by Helen Schatvet Ullmann in The Mayflower Descendant.
 * 1697-1701, 59 (2010): 183-191 Note: A login account is free but required.
 * 1702-1714, 60 [2011]: 96-108, 181-191; 61 [2012]: 90-97, 186-191.

Inferior Court of Common Pleas This court was active from 1692 to 1859. The court heard all civil cases over 40s unless a case involved freehold or was appealed from a justice of the peace. Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1714-1814 (*) Bristol County Inferior Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1730-1857 (*) Bristol County Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1780-1868 (*) Bristol County Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Superior Court The Quarterly Court of General Sessions was merged into the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in 1827, and that court was reorganized in 1859 to created the Superior Court as the new lower (i.e. trial) court. It covers both criminal and civil matters. Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Mixed court records, 1780-1868, at FHL film 905544.
 * Oscar Frank Stetson, Bristol County, Massachusetts Court Records, 1749-1903 (which court(s) not identified) includes Bristol County divorces online), 1078 leaves, at Mss 601, R. Stanton Avery Special Collections, New England Historic Genealogical Society. Note: A login account is free but required.

Supreme Judicial Court The Supreme Judicial Court was established by the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 that combined the former Governor and Council with the Superior Court of Judicature creating the highest state court. This court hears appeals, writ of error, capital offenses, and crimes against the public good. That included divorces until that action was moved to the lower court in 1887. Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1797-1861 (*) Bristol County Supreme Judicial Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Bristol County, Massachusetts Court Records, 1749-1903 by Oscar Frank Stetson (court(s) not identified), includes Bristol County divorces online), 1078 leaves, at Mss 601, R. Stanton Avery Special Collections, New England Historic Genealogical Society. Note: A login account is free but required.

Directories

 * 1905 Fall River, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1905 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)

Land and Property Records
Land transfers, commonly called deeds, are recorded on the county level in Massachusetts. Not all deeds were recorded as is common practice today. The earliest transactions were charters or grants from the English Crown. Once local government was established, the colony would grant land to settlers directly or to towns to dole out. Some towns first start out as proprietorship and records were recorded there. Once towns were established, deeds were recorded on the county level.

Bristol County is divided into three land districts:

Northern Bristol County Registry of Deeds 11 Court Street Taunton MA 02780 Phone 508-822-0502 Email [mailto:registry@tauntondeeds.com registry@tauntondeeds.com] This district covers Attleboro, Berkley, Dighton, Easton, Mansfield, North Attleborough, Norton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Taunton.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1686-1904 (*) Bristol County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images; all 3 districts mixed together
 * 1686-1910 (*) Bristol County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images; all 3 districts mixed together
 * 1686-1956 (*) Bristol Registrar's Office at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1686-1956 Grantor-Grantee Index Book Images at Northern Bristol Registry
 * 1686-1956 Bristol County Deeds, v. 1-556 1686-1900, and Index, 1686-1956 at New England Historic Genealogical Society]
 * 1706-1713 (*) Bristol County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1903-Current Recorded Land Inquiry at Northern Bristol Registry
 * 1903-Current Recorded Land Street Inquiry at Northern Bristol Registry
 * 1976-Current Land Court Street Inquiry at Northern Bristol Registry
 * 1992-Current Land Court Inquiry at Northern Bristol Registry
 * Land Court Plan Inquiry at Northern Bristol Registry

Fall River Registry of Deeds 441 Main Street Fall River MA 02720 Phone 508-673-2910 Email [mailto:frdeeds@verizon.net frdeeds@verizon.net] This district covers Fall River, Somerset, Swansea, and Freetown.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1686-1904 (*) Bristol County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images; all 3 districts mixed together
 * 1686-1910 (*) Bristol County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images; all 3 districts mixed together
 * 1746-1817 (*) Bristol County Commission at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1884-1971 Recorded Land (i.e. Deeds), 1971-Present at Fall River Registry - Books 1-1024 (1884-1971) images are available online, but the book and page must be known
 * Recorded Plans at Fall River Registry
 * Registered Land (i.e. Land Court) at Fall River Registry
 * Registered Land Plans at Fall River Registry

Southern Bristol County Registry of Deeds 25 North 6th Street New Bedford MA 02740 Phone 508-993-2605 This district covers Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, New Bedford, and Westport.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1686-1904 (*) Bristol County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images; all 3 districts mixed together, earliest deeds are copies from the Taunton District, district started in 1837
 * 1686-1910 (*) Bristol County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images; all 3 districts mixed together
 * 1978-Current Recorded Land (i.e. Deeds), Index, 1978-Present at Southern Bristol Registry
 * 1990-Current Registered Land (i.e. Land Court), Index, 1990-Present at Southern Bristol Registry
 * Registered Land Plans at Southern Bristol Registry
 * Recorded Plans at Southern Bristol Registry

Local Histories
Works written on the county include:
 * Alanson Borden, Our County and its People; a Descriptive and Biographical Record of Bristol County, Massachusetts ([Boston], 1899), xii, 799, 418 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with digital link) [see other editions]. Digital versions at Internet Archive and Ancestry ($).
 * D. Hamilton Hurd, ed., History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men (Philadelphia, 1883), xii, 922 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); . Digital versions at Internet Archive, Google Books (pt. 1 and pt. 2), and Ancestry ($).
 * Frank Walcott Hutt, ed., A History of Bristol County, Massachusetts (New York, 1924), 3v. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Jonathan Longley, "Complete List of the Congregational Ministers in the County of Bristol, Ms." in American Quarterly Register, 12 [1839/40]: 135-149, WorldCat (Other Libraries).

Maps and Gazetteers
There are so many published maps of interest to genealogists and historians that this list will not be recreated here. The focus is with resources you can access online and in the Family History Library.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * F. W. Beers, Atlas of Bristol Co., Massachusetts from actual surveys (New York, 1871), FHL film 1597942 Item 6 and online for view or sale at Historic Map Works.
 * George H. Walker, New Map of Bristol County (1881), online for view or sale at Historic Map Works.
 * Henry Francis Walling, Map of Bristol County, Massachusetts (1852), at the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, Boston Public Library.
 * Henry Francis Walling, Map of the County of Bristol Massachusetts, based upon the trigonometrical survey of the state (1858), at the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, Boston Public Library.

Migration
Migration routes for early European settlers to and from Bristol County included:
 * Bay Road from Boston, Massachusetts to New Bedford, Massachusetts about 1652
 * King's Highway, also known as the Boston Post Road, from Boston, Massachusetts to Charleston, South Carolina 1650s
 * Old Roebuck Road from Boston, Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island 1636
 * Atlantic Ocean

Military Records
Revolutionary War
 * 1775-1783 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1805-1845 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Naturalization records were created on a variety of governmental levels from the Federal down to the city at the same time. The county records for all levels are outlines below. For more information, see the Massachusetts Naturalization and Citizenship for more on naturalization.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records - Covering Multiple Courts Federal Naturalization Records for Bristol County Bristol County Naturalization Records
 * 1871-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1906-1817 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Probate Records
Probate and Family Court is organized on a county level in Massachusetts since the creation of the counties. The main records genealogists seek are testate (wills), intestate (administrations), guardianships, and divorces (since 1922), though there are many more that are valuable to any researcher, too. See a further discussion of the topic in general on the Massachusetts Genealogy Guide.

Bristol County Probate &amp; Family Court Registry 40 Broadway Suite 240 Taunton MA 02780 Phone 508-977-6040 Email [mailto:info@bristolcountyprobate.com info@bristolcountyprobate.com] There are two satellite offices: Online Probate Indexes and Records Original Records at Massachusetts Archives: Original Records at New England Historic Genealogical Society: Original Records Published
 * Fall River Probate &amp; Family Court 289 Rock Street Fall River MA 02720 Phone 508-672-1751
 * New Bedford Probate &amp; Family Court 505 Pleasant Street New Bedford MA 02740 Phone 508-999-5249
 * 1635-1991 Massachusetts Wills and Probate Records 1635-1991 at Ancestry.com — index and images, ($)
 * 1686-1880 Bristol County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686-1880 at American Ancestors - index and images ($)
 * 1687-1926 (*) Bristol County Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1690-1881 (*) Bristol County Register of Probate at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Bristol County Probate file papers, 1690-1881
 * Bristol County Probate: Records, 1687-1900; Dockets, 1881-1900; Index, 1687-1881,
 * Bristol County Probate Index, 1687-1881, 1881-1926
 * Bristol County Probate Index, 1927-1952, 1952-1957, 1957-1961, 1962-1966
 * Bristol County Probate Index, 1687-1881, 1881-1926
 * Bristol County Probate file papers, 1690-1881, 1881-1926
 * Bristol County Probate: records, 1-379 (1687-1916); Dockets, 1881-1915; Index, 1687-1881
 * Bristol County Probate Index, 1687-1881, 1881-1926
 * H. L. Peter Rounds, Abstracts of Bristol County, Massachusetts Probate Records (Baltimore, 1987-1988), 2.v [covers 1687-1762]. WorldCat (Other Libraries); . Note: The first few volumes of probate were abstracted in The Genealogical Advertiser, WorldCat (Other Libraries);, but superseded by the above volumes. Published online at Hathi Trust (search only). Digital version at Ancestry ($) (v. 1 and v. 2).
 * H. L. Peter Rounds, "Abstracts of Bristol County, Massachusetts Probate Records," v. 3 (1762-1768), in manuscript, published in The Mayflower Descendant. Search The Mayflower Descendant database by ancestor name or by volume and page (see below for specific volumes and page numbers for "Abstracts of Bristol County, Massachusetts Probate Records"). Searchable database at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * original volume 18 (1762-1765): 45 [1995]: 13-24, 159-164; 46 [1996]: 39-44, 171-174; 47 [1997]: 13-18.
 * original volume 19 (1765-1768): 47 [1997]: 13-18, 133-138; 48 [1998]: 59-64, 129-134; 49 [2000]: 22-33.
 * original volume 20 (1767-1768): 49 [2000]: 125-143.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Town Records

 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Birth

 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1638-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1753-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1800-1855 Rhode Island and Pawtucket, Massachusetts Birth Index, 1800-1855 at Ancestry - index and images ($) (Pawtucket only)
 * 1840-1910 Massachusetts, Birth Index, 1840-1910 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Marriage

 * 1600-1961 Massachusetts, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index, ($) — index $
 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1638-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1841-1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1841-1915 Massachusetts, Marriages, 1841-1915 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Death

 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1638-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1840-1910 Massachusetts Death Index at MyHeritage - index only ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Family History Centers

 * Franklin Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Hingham Massachusetts Family History Center
 * North Dartmouth Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Providence Rhode Island Family History Center
 * American French Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * David Allen Lambert Library - an affiliate library
 * Middleborough Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Roger Williams University Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
For information on additional archives and repositories, see
 * Massachusetts Archives for information on additional archives and repositories

Societies
Bristol County Historical Societies CountyOffice.orgWebsite
 * Old Colony Historical Society 66 Church Green Taunton MA 02780 Phone 508-822-1622 Email: [mailto:info@oldcolonyhistorymuseum.org info@oldcolonyhistorymuseum.org] Website Facebook
 * Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc. P. O. Box 215 Ashland, MA 01721-0215 Bristol, Merrimack Valley, Middlesex and Worcester Counties Website Facebook

Websites

 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

 * Massachusetts Genealogy Guide