Massachusetts State Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes certificates of state births, marriages, and deaths from 1916 to 1920 as well as amendments to and delayed registrations from 1841 to 1920. The records were obtained from the state archives in Boston.

Early Massachusetts vital records were recorded by town clerks. Records of births, marriages, and deaths to 1850 for about 215 towns have been published. Most of these are on microfilm and microfiche at the Family History Library. These often include information from town, church, cemetery, county, and other records. Although records of about 100 towns have not been published in book form, many of these records have been published in periodicals such as the Mayflower Descendant, with concentration on Plymouth, Bristol, and Barnstable Counties. For more information on Massachusetts vital records, see the Massachusetts Genealogy Guide.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Birth
 * Date and place of record
 * Date and place of birth
 * Name of child
 * Gender and race
 * Names of parents
 * Residence of parents
 * Occupation of father
 * Birthplace of father
 * Birthplace of mother
 * Family History Library Microfilm and
 * item numbers for the source materials

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Full names of bride and groom
 * Residences of each
 * Ages of each
 * Occupation of groom
 * Birthplace(s) of bride and groom
 * Name of bride's and groom’s parents
 * Number of marriages
 * Officiator

Death
 * Date of death
 * Name of deceased
 * Gender, race, and marital status
 * Age of deceased in years, months and days
 * Cause of death
 * Residence or place of death
 * Occupation of deceased
 * Place of birth
 * Parents' names
 * Parents' birthplace
 * Burial information

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * The type of event (birth, marriage, or death)
 * The name at the time of the event
 * Other identifying information such as the approximate date and place of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Massachusetts.
 * Massachusetts Guided Research
 * Massachusetts Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Family History Library Holdings
'''Massachusetts. Secretary of the Commonwealth'''
 * Births, marriages (1841-1895), and deaths (1841-1899)
 * Massachusetts, marriage records, 1921-1924

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915
 * Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915
 * Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915
 * Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920 Include Births, marriage and deaths, 1916-1920
 * Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, 1921-1924 Includes state marriage records 1921-1924
 * Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915, 1921-1924 Includes state death records

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Guide to the public vital records of Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts : Historical Records Survey, 1942
 * Carroll D. Wright. Report on the custody and condition of the public records of parishes, towns, and counties. Boston, Massachusetts : Wright & Potter, 1889

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.