Maine, United States Genealogy

United States Maine

Guide to Maine ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records


 * British fisherman permanently settled Maine before the Pilgrims in 1620
 * Maine was part of Massachusetts until the 1820 Missouri Compromise
 * Numerous border, county, and name changes affected record keeping
 * Maine has the most uneven quality of vital town records of New England

Counties
Click on the map below to go to a county page. Hover over a county to see its name. To see a larger version of the map, click here. Extinct or Renamed Counties:  Cornwall· Devonshire· Dominion of New England· East· Lincoln (old)· Massachusetts Bay Colony· New Ireland Colony· New Somerset· West· Yorkshire

Major Repositories
Maine State Archives· Maine State Library· Maine Historical Society· Cutler Memorial Library (Farmington)· Allen County Public Library· New England Historic Genealogical Society· National Archives Northeast Region (Boston)

Migration Routes
Atlantic Coast Ports· Kennebec River· Penobscot River· Saco River· Saint John River (Maine)· Down East· Kennebunk Road· King's Highway

Did you know?
Maine was formed by glaciers in the Ice Age. The state covers 33,387 square miles which ranks it 39th in size among all states. Understanding the lay of the land can help you find records for your ancestors. The Maine Maps article provides more information about the state.

Research Tools

 * The Maine GenWeb Project provides county information about formation date, parent county, county seat, bibliography, cemeteries, census, churches, towns, history, look ups, obituaries, queries, repositories, surname registry, and many Internet links.
 * Maine Genealogy offers databases, transcribed records, and a social network for Maine researchers.
 * Looking 4 Kin Genealogy &amp; Family History Network - Maine
 * David Rumsey Map Collection for Maine contains a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures.

Wiki articles describing these collections are found at:


 * Maine Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Maine Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Maine Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Maine, Aroostook County Deed Books (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Maine, Knox County Probate Estate Files (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)



Obtain additional help

 * Call or chat with an experienced researcher
 * Join a Facebook Group
 * Consult a Professional Genealogist

Things you can do
Below list some of the many tasks you can help with:

To add your knowledge and help expand the wiki click here: