Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Genealogy

Guide to Hillsborough County, New Hampshire ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Hillsborough County is located in the southern region of the state. The county was named for Wills Hill, the Earl of Hillsborough who was British Secretary of State for the Colonies at the time.

County Courthouse
Hillsborough County Courthouse South Spring St. Courthouse 30 Spring Stree Nashua, NH 03060 Phone: 603-594-3250 Hillsborough County Courthouse North Chestnut St. Courthouse 300 Chestnut Street Manchester, NH 03101 Phone: 603-627-5605 Hillsborough County Website Town or City Clerks have birth, marriage, death and burial records. The Clerk of the Superior Court has divorce and court records from 1772. The Register of Probate has probate records starting in 1771. The Register of Deeds has land records beginning in 1771.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cemeteries

 * 1800-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * St. Joseph Cemetery in Bedford and Manchester, New Hampshire has its cemetery records available online.
 * Conway Public Library

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1772-1827 at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
 * 1782-1816 at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
 * 1783-1859 at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
 * 1837-1901 at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
 * 1855-1901 at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
 * 1878-1933 at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
 * 1901-1916 at FamilySearch Catalog(*)

Directories

 * The Manchester Directory ..1860. Adams, Sampson & Company, Boston, MA, 1859. Online at:FamilySearch Digital Library
 * The Manchester Directory...1866 Sampson, Davenport & Company, Boston, MA 1865. Online at:Google Books.
 * Manchester Almanac, City Directory, and Business Index..1879 Clarke, Mirror Steam Printing, Manchester, NH. Online at:Google Books.
 * 1822-1995 Manchester City Directories at: Ancestry.com ($)

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1771-1776 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1771-1901 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Local Histories
Hillsborough County was named for Wills Hill, known first as the Viscount Hillsborough, and later as the Earl of Hillsborough who was British Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1768-1772. Following is a list of the towns for which the Family History Library has town history books with a section of genealogies of families of that town: Amherst, Antrim, Bedford, Brookline, Francestown, Goffstown, Hancock, Hillsborough, Hollis, Hudson, Lyndeborough, Manchester, Mason, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, New Boston, New Ipswich, Peterborough, Temple, Weare, and Wilton, They are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the town, and then History, or, Genealogy. Other major libraries may also have these books. For example, the Historical Society of Cheshire County, 246 Main St., Keene, NH 03431, has many of those books. The New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, New Hampshire has a large collection of these town histories. The New Hampshire State Library in Concord also has these types of books.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * The Town and City Atlas of the State of New Hampshire (click to see digital images), published in Boston in 1892 by the D. H. Hurd Company. The maps show the locations of homes, and the map gives the name of the person living in the home.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Revolutionary War The most complete listing of New Hampshire Revolutionary War soldiers is found in volumes 14-17 of the New Hampshire State Papers. You can search the New Hampshire State Papers Index to the New Hampshire Papers. New Hampshire State Papers For a military history of New Hampshire, see: Potter, Chandler Eastman, The Military History of the State of New Hampshire. Concord, N.H.: McFarland and Jenks, 1866. (Family History Library film 1033664; fiche 6046858.) You can search this book on-line at ancestry.com. See ancestry's Card Catalog, and type in the title. This history comprises events from the first settlements in New Hampshire to the rebellion in 1861. It includes biographical notices of many of the officers and explanatory notes.
 * 1675-1835 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

War of 1812 Volume two of The Military History of the State of New Hampshire, (see above), has much information about the War of 1812. Volume two includes rosters of men who served in the war. There is an every-name index at the end of volume two.

Civil War Online Civil War Indexes and Records
 * 1861-1866 Another helpful source is the U. S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865, at Ancestry. You will find the names of those who registered, their age, occupation, married or single status, state where born, and earlier military service.
 * 1861-1866 You can go to ancestry.com and search for names in The Revised Register of the Soldiers and Sailors of New Hampshire in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866, by Augustus D. Ayling. This book gives the age, residence, and service information about approximately 32,000 New Hampshire Civil War veterans.
 * 1861-1865: Amherst in the great civil conflict of 1861-65, compiled by Edward D. Boylston - Available on microfiche at the Family History Library.
 * 1861-1865: History and Genealogy of Goffstown, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire - Military Record 1861-65
 * History of Bedford, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire - Participants of the Civil War, see page 281.
 * History of Brookline, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire - Lists participants in the Civil War.
 * 1861-1866: Manchester men soldiers and sailors in the Civil War, 1861-'66, by George C. Gilmore - Online Book - Also available on microfiche at the Family History Library.
 * 1861-1866 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images;  Also at: Ancestry ($)

Regiments. Civil War service men from Hillsborough County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are many companies or regiments that were formed from men of Hillsborough County:
 * - 1st Regiment, New Hampshire Cavalry, Troops A, B, D, K, and M.
 * - 1st Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies E and F.
 * - 1st Regiment, New Hampshire Heavy Artillery, Companies B, C, F, G, and K.
 * - 2nd Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies C, G, H, and I.
 * - 3rd Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies A, C, E, F, and H.
 * - 4th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies B, C, E, G, I, and K.
 * - 5th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies I and K.
 * - 6th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies E and K.
 * - 8th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and K.
 * - 9th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies A, B, C, and H.
 * - 10th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies A and K.
 * - 11th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies C, D, and E.
 * - 13th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies B, G, and I.
 * - 14th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Company D.
 * - 15th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Company E.
 * - 16th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies B, C, G, H, and I.
 * - 18th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry, Companies A, D, and F.
 * - Chandler's Company, National Guards, New Hampshire Militia
 * - Houghton's Company, Martin Guards, New Hampshire Militia (90 days, 1864)
 * - New Hampshire Sharpshooters, 2nd Company F.
 * - New Hampshire Sharpshooters, 2nd Company G.
 * - Martin Guards, New Hampshire Militia
 * - Tarbell's Company, Lafayette Artillery, New Hampshire Militia

World War I
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1917-1918 Milford in the Great War: Memorial Book by Milford Memorial Book Committee (Milford, NH: Town of Milford, 1922) (digitized book). NOTE: although the cover reads Milford in the World War 1917-1918, the title page reads Milford in the Great War: Memorial Book.

World War II
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry ($)

Naturalization and Citizenship
The New Hampshire State Archives in Concord, New Hampshire now has many of the pre-1900 naturalization records of Hillsborough County. They have the naturalization records for 1859-1871, and 1890-1900. The files are in alphabetical order. They also have in a filing cabinet an index to the naturalizations for 1848-1990s. They may receive additional naturalization records.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1906-1993 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Newspapers
Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. You can search this free at Family History Centers. Their database has Portsmouth newspapers (1898-2007), The Lowell Sun (Massachusetts), and Fitchburg newspapers (Massachusetts) covering local news that included residents from Hillsborough County communities. There are many community newspapers, for example, the Nashua Telegraph newspaper, published since 1832, 17 Executive Drive, Hudson, NH 03051, tel. 603-594-6535, www.nashuatelegraph.com. Contact the public library, or historical society where your ancestor lived to learn about newspapers.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1635-1753: New Hampshire Probate Records 1635-1753 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1643-1982: New Hampshire Wills and Probate Records 1643-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1769-1800 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1771-1775 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1771-1859 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1771-1884 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1771-1921 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1771-1933 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1878-1933 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1885-1961 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1899-1930 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records Many town tax records have been preserved by town clerks and town tax officials. Town tax records were generally taken each year. The Family History Library has many town records on microfilms. For microfilm numbers see the FamilySearch Catalog under New Hampshire - Hillsborough County - [name of town] - Town Records. You may wish to contact the Town Clerk's Office to see if they have additional tax records. There is an index to the town records (which include many tax records) from the early settlement of the town to about 1850. This is the Index to Early Town Records of New Hampshire, Early to 1850 (FHL films 14942-15052). The index cards list volume and page numbers for the town records, many of which are on Family History Library microfilms. Ancestry.com has online images of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax lists for New Hampshire and many other states for 1862-1866. Only persons who owned businesses, or valuable items such as carriages, were listed. You may wish to check ancestry.com to see if your ancestor was listed. The record gives the person's name, town of residence, business or valuable item, and amount of tax.

Town Records
Town records are an important source of family history information from the 1600s to about the 1940s. The early New Hampshire town records to about 1850 have an every-name index. The index and film numbers are listed just above in the Taxation section. Many town records are still in the town offices.

Vital Records
Certified copies of of birth, death, and marriage records are available from the State Division of Archives and Records Management or from the local city and town clerk where the event took place. Original records are kept by the city or town clerk and copies are sent to the state. In 1905, when the state created the Bureau of Vital Records and Health, printed cards were distributed to the local clerks so that earlier vital records could be transcribed onto the cards and submitted to the state. However, not all earlier records were sent to the state. If a record is not found in the state's compiled records it may exist in the records of the city or town clerk. Below you will find links to birth, marriage, and death records. These indexes are based on the cards sent to the state of New Hampshire. If you do not find the record you are seeking there, you could search a microfilm of records for the town, or you could write to the city or town clerk.

Birth

 * 1636-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1656-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * Early-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1901-1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Marriage

 * 1636-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1637-1964 New Hampshire, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index, ($) — index $
 * 1637-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1656-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1948-1959 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Death

 * 1636-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1654-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1656-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Family History Centers

 * Concord New Hampshire Family History Center
 * Exeter New Hampshire Family History Center
 * Nashua New Hampshire Family History Center
 * Canadian Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Derry Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Griffin Free Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Halton Hills Public Library Acton Branch - an affiliate library

Societies
City and Town Historical Societies Hillsborough County Historical Societies as listed by CountyOffice.orgWebsite
 * Hillsborough Historical Society PO Box 896 Hillsborough, NH 03244 603.464.3637 E-mail: [mailto:inquiry@hillsboroughhistory.org inquiry@hillsboroughhistory.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Hillsborough NHGenWeb. The USGenWeb.com site lists projects for several counties in New Hampshire.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Hillsborough County
 * Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides
1. Check familysearch.org and see if your ancestor's name is listed there. 2. Check familysearch.org and see if your family's vital records of births, marriages, and deaths are there. A vast indexing program is in place and millions of vital records are now being indexed. 3. Check familysearch.org and see if your family is listed on the U. S. census records of 1850-1940. You can also see those censuses at the Family History Center using Heritage Quest, and ancestry.com. 4. If you know the town where they lived, seek a town history that has a genealogical section (see below). 5. Read through the wiki articles on Hillsborough County, and on New Hampshire, for ideas of sources. Study the Records Selection Table in the New Hampshire article. This can help you think of new sources to try. 6. See valuable internet sites such as familysearch.org, genforum.genealogy.com, rootsweb.com, or ancestry.com. You can share your research with these organizations. You can also share your quest with the local historical society or town library and ask for help. Send them your family group forms and a pedigree chart.