New Hampshire, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
For a list of records by localities, document type and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

The collection consists of vital and town records acquired from local town clerk offices. The collection covers the years 1636 to 1947.

Record Content
The records may include any of the following:


 * Name of the primary
 * Date and place of event
 * Parents' names, their race and residence
 * Name of spouse
 * Race
 * Residence
 * Birth place of parents
 * Number of child in family
 * Ages
 * Gender
 * Marital status
 * Occupation of deceased
 * Cause of death
 * Date and place of burial

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The place where the event occurred.
 * The approximate date the event occurred.
 * The name of the primary individual or individuals such as the names of the bride and groom, the infant, or the deceased.

Search the Collection
To search the collection ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "County" ⇒Select the "Town" ⇒Select the "Record Type, Date Range and Volume" which takes you to the images.

Some towns have indexed their records and the indexes are listed as a selection within the "Record Type, Date Range and Volume." If the town you are researching has an index you may want to search the index first.

If there is not an index, you will need to look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:


 * Use the names and relationships as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the names and residence or place to find the family in census records and to locate church and land records.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Occupations listed can lead you to employment records or other types of records such as military records.
 * Compiling the entries for every person who has the same surname as the primary individuals is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning or end of each volume. In addition, local historical and genealogical societies may have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Related Websites
New Hampshire Genealogy and Vital Records Links

Related Wiki Articles
New Hampshire Vital Records

Citing Family Search Historical Collections
Citations for individual image records are available for this collection. Browse through images in this collection and click on the "Show Citation" box: New Hampshire, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1636-1947

When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.