Connecticut Archives and Libraries

United States Connecticut  Archives and Libraries

Many archives and libraries have resources such as maps, gazetteers, and other place-finding aids to help you locate information about Connecticut. They may have collections of previous research, such as family and local histories and biographies. Many have record-finding aids such as guides to their own collections or inventories of records housed elsewhere in the state. The following archives, libraries, and societies have collections or services helpful to genealogical researchers in Connecticut.

Connecticut State Library 231 Capitol Avenue Hartford, Connecticut 06106 Telephone: 860-757-6500 or toll free: 866-886-4478

Holdings include the collection, "Connecticut Archives," 1629–1820. A helpful inventory of this collection is:


 * Connecticut State Library, Guide to Archives in the Connecticut State Library, Third Edition. (Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut State Library, 1981; Family History Library book No. 30).

The State Library also houses the Museum of Connecticut History (860-757-6521).

National Archives Northeast Region (Boston) 380 Trapelo Road Waltham, Massachusetts 02452-6399 Telephone: 781-663-0144 or toll free: 866-406-2379 Fax: 781-663-0154

The National Archives—Northeast Region (Boston) has records created by federal agencies in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The archives has microfilms of all available federal census records, many naturalization records, passenger arrival lists, military records, and other historical resources. Learn more.

Connecticut Society of Genealogists Library 175 Maple Street East Hartford, Connecticut 06118-2634 Telephone: 860-569-0002

The library's holdings are not limited to Connecticut and include census records, tax lists, family histories, church records, local histories, and much more.

Connecticut Historical Society 1 Elizabeth Street Hartford, Connecticut 06105 Telephone: 860-236-5621

The library collections include manuscripts, photos, books, maps, and other Connecticut-related resources.

Godfrey Memorial Library 134 Newfield St. Middletown, Connecticut 06457 Telephone: 860-346-4375

The library is national in scope with a large online collection in addition to its physical collection. Learn more.

New England Historic Genealogical Society Library 99 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116-3007 Telephone: 617-226-1231

The Research Library is national in scope. Learn more.

Yale University

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library 121 Wall Street New Haven, Connecticut 06511 Phone: 1-203-432-2972

Family History Library

35 North West Temple Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 Telephone: 801-240-2584

The Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints houses a collection of genealogical records that include names of more than three billion deceased people. It’s the largest collection of its kind in the world. Collections include digitized historical records, microfilms and microfiche, books, maps, and much more. Explore at FamilySearch.org.

Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources to assist you in the research and study of your genealogy. You may search your address for a center near you on the FamilySearch site. These local centers are staffed by volunteers and have varying hours and resources so call to verify their hours in advance.

Some Connecticut Family History Centers:


 * Godfrey Memorial Library 134 Newfield St. Middletown, Connecticut 06457 Telephone: 860-346-4375


 * Southington Connecticut Family History Center 750 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike Southington, Connecticut Telephone: 860-628-0617


 * Manchester Connecticut Family History Center 30 Woodside St. Manchester, Connecticut Telephone: 860-643-4003


 * Hartford Connecticut Family History Center 1000 Mountain Road Bloomfield, Connecticut Telephone: 860-242-1607


 * Madison Connecticut Family History Center 275 Warpas Road Madison, Connecticut Telephone: 203-245-8267

Research Guides

 * Kemp, Thomas Jay.Connecticut Researcher's Handbook. Detroit, MI: Gale, 1981.
 * Leclerc, Michael J., editor. Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research. Boston, Massachusetts : New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.

Web Sites
You can find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from Connecticut in a variety of sources at local, state, national, and international levels. The list of sources is growing rapidly. Much of the information is available at little or no cost. Addresses on the Internet are subject to frequent changes. The following sites are important gateways linking you to many more sites:

FamilySearch - At this site you can access digitized historical records, the Family History Library Catalog, lists of Family History Centers, and other resources related to family history.

CTGenWeb - a cooperative effort by many volunteers to list genealogical databases, libraries, bulletin boards, and other resources available on the Internet for each county, state, and country

CyndisList - a major portal linking to a variety of family history sites