Connecticut Colonial Records

Probate Districts
Probate districts comprised several towns and often crossed county boundaries. These were the only districts created before 1775:
 * Colchester District. Probate records, 1741-1922 . Contains the records of East Haddam District, 1741-1832, and Colchester District, 1832-1922. The original records are at the Colchester Town Hall.
 * Danbury District. Probate records, 1744-1916 . The original records are at the Danbury Town Hall.
 * Fairfield District. Probate records, 1648-1916 . The original records are at the Fairfield Town Hall and State Library in Hartford.
 * Farmington District. Probate records, 1769-1926 . The original records are at the Farmington Town Hall.
 * Guilford District. Probate records, 1720-1920 . The original records are at the Guilford Town Hall.
 * Hartford District. Probate records, 1649-1917 . The first six volumes also contain records of the county courts in Hartford County, sometimes called quarter courts, court of magistrates, particular courts, special courts, etc. The original records are at the Court of Probate in Hartford and the State Library in Hartford.
 * Litchfield District. Probate records, 1743-1917 . The original records are at the Litchfield Town Hall.
 * Middletown District. Probate records, 1752-1917 . The original records are at the Middletown Town Hall.
 * New Haven District. Probate records, 1647-1916 . The original records are at the Court of Probate in New Haven.
 * New London District. Probate records, 1675-1916 . The original records are at the New London Town Hall.
 * Norwich District. Probate records, 1748-1917 . Records of court proceedings, 1748-1852 . The original records are at the Norwich Town Hall.
 * Plainfield District. Probate records, 1747-1918 . The original records are at the Plainfield Town Hall.
 * Pomfret District. Probate records, 1754-1919 . The original records are at the Pomfret Town Hall.
 * Sharon District. Probate records, 1757-1922 . The original records are at the Sharon Town Hall.
 * Simsbury District. Probate records, 1769-1917 . The original records are at the Simsbury Town Hall.
 * Stafford District. Probate records, 1759-1931 . The original records are at the Stafford Town Hall.
 * Stamford District. Probate records, 1728-1916 . The original records are at the Stamford Town Hall.
 * Stonington District. Probate records, 1767-1933 . The original records are at the Stonington Town Hall.
 * Windham District. Probate records, 1719-1918 . probate records, special 1734-1917 (film 0005925 ff.). The original records are at the Willimantic Town Hall.
 * Woodbury District. Probate records, 1719-1916 (film 0006171 ff.). The original records are at the Woodbury Town Hall.

History
The Dutch were the first to establish a settlement in Connecticut at Hartford (Suckiaug) in 1633. British Massachusetts settlers began migrating into Connecticut in the 1630s. Settlers from Watertown, MA moved to Wethersfield (Pyquag) in 1634. Settlers from Plymouth and Dorchester, MA moved into Windsor (Mattaneaug) in 1635. In 1635, Puritans from Newtown, Cambridge, England emigrated to Hartford. In 1646, settlers independently founded New London (Nameaug).

Quinnipiac (New Haven) was founded in 1638. The New Haven Colony included several shoreline towns:
 * Guilford (Menunketuck, 1639)
 * Milford (Wepawaug, 1639)
 * Southold, Long Island (1640)
 * Stamford (Rippowam, 1641)
 * Branford (Totoket, 1644)

In 1662, an English Royal charter established Connecticut as a separate colony from Massachusetts and the New Haven Colony was absorbed into Connecticut. Long Island towns became part of New York.