Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of vital and town records acquired from local town clerk offices for the years 1626 to 2001. Some of these records have been indexed and are searchable. Additional images and indexed records will be published as they become available. The counties included in this collection are as follows: • 3

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

Birth
 * Date of registration
 * Name and gender of child
 * Date and place of birth
 * Parents' names and place of residence
 * Father's occupation
 * Parents' birthplace

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Names of the bride and groom
 * Ages of the bride and groom
 * Marital status of each
 * Occupation of groom
 * Birthplace(s) of bride and groom
 * Residence at the time of marriage
 * Parents' names and their residence
 * Name, residence and office of officiator
 * Name of informant

Death
 * Name and gender of deceased
 * Marital status of deceased
 * Age of deceased in years, months, days
 * Cause of death
 * Place of internment
 * Birthplace of deceased
 * Parents' names of name of spouse if married
 * Name of informant

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching the collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual or individuals
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The place where the event occurred

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.

What Do I Do Next?
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.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records
 * The name of the undertaker, mortuary, or cemetery could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname. This is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died 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
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * The information in the records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as more recent records.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record

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

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes created by local genealogical and historical societies
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties

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

 * Carroll D. Wright. A guide to Massachusetts public records : parishes, towns, and counties. Boston, Massachusetts : New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. FHL 974.4 N23w
 * Ann Smith Lainhart. Digging for genealogical treasure in New England town records.Boston, Massachusetts : New England Historic Genealogical Society, c1996. FHL 974 N2L

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

 * Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920
 * Massachusetts, Births, 1636-1924
 * Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915
 * Massachusetts Town Births Index, ca. 1630-1905
 * Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, 1921-1924
 * Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915
 * Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915, 1921-1924
 * Massachusetts Town Deaths Index, ca. 1640-1961
 * Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003
 * Massachusetts Town Records, ca. 1638-1961

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Historical Record Survey. Guide to the public vital records of Massachusetts. Boston, Massachusetts : Historical Records Survey, 1942
 * Carroll D. Wright, commissioner. 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.