Barnstable County, Massachusetts Genealogy

Guide to Barnstable County, Massachusetts ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Barnstable County is often called Cape Cod and both refer to the same region. This is area where the Mayflower first landed at what is now called Provincetown. The area was a frequent stop for early fishermen before the arrival of the Pilgrims, and settlements started here not long after the founding of Plymouth Colony. The earliest records will be found in the Colony's records and those of the individual towns. Plymouth Colony did not establish a county system until 1685. This county became part of Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. Since settlers generally used the water for transportation, it is not uncommon to find Cape Codders on the coast of Maine, New Jersey, Barbados, and places in between. There was a fire in 1827 that destroyed almost all the deeds to that point. Fortunately, the probate records survive.

The county was named for Barnstable, England. It is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Barnstable County Courthouse 3195 Main St. Barnstable, MA 02630 Phone: 508-375-6684 Barnstable County Website

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:

History Timeline
The basic data are from the historical county boundary series with additions from various sources.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only

Cemeteries

 * Cape Cod Gravestones, a comprehensive inventory of gravestones from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries or later, for all fifteen towns on the Cape - many early ones include a photograph.

Census Records

 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Church Records

 * Congregational Churches in Massachusetts. Barnstable Association. The Barnstable Conference of Evangelical Churches, comprising the constitution of the conference, with a concise history of the churches (Yarmouthport, Mass., 1866), 50 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries).


 * Enoch Pratt, "Complete List of the Congregational Ministers in the County of Barnstable, Mass. from the settlement of the country to 1842" in American Quarterly Register, 15 [1842/3]: 58-72. WorldCat (Other Libraries).


 * John Hoag Dillingham, The Society of Friends in Barnstable County, Massachusetts (New York, 1891), 39 pp. Online at: Ancestry ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries).

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
The court system can appear to be complex. The system was reorganized in 1686/1692, 1859, and 1978. Described below are the most commonly used records for history and genealogy, but realize that this list is incomplete. For more detailed information regarding court structure, see Understanding the Massachusetts Court System.
 * Supreme Judicial Court Archives (Older records) (administration - records stored in several off-site facilities and the Mass. Archives) 16th Floor, Highrise Court House 3 Pemberton Square Boston MA 02109 Phone 617-557-1082 Email [mailto:Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us]

Quarterly Court of General Sessions of the Peace This court was active from 1692 to 1827. The court heard criminal cases and had authority over county affairs that included levying taxes, reviewing town bylaws, highways, licensed liquor, regulated jails, supervised the administration of the poor laws, and appointed some county officials. No microfilmed records found at the Family History Library or Massachusetts Archives. See the Supreme Judicial Court Archives above for the original records. These records are likely all lost in the fire of 1827.

Inferior Court of Common Pleas This court was active from 1692 to 1859. The court heard all civil cases over 40s unless a case involved freehold or was appealed from a justice of the peace. The record up to 1827 were likely lost in the fire of 1827, but this needs to be verified. Online Court Index and Records:
 * 1827-1859 (*) Barnstable County Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images; Also at: Massachusetts Archives.

Superior Court The Quarterly Court of General Sessions was merged into the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in 1827, and that court was reorganized in 1859 to created the Superior Court as the new lower (i.e. trial) court. It covers both criminal and civil matters. Online Court Index and Records:
 * 1885-1913 (*) Barnstable County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index
 * 1859-1932 (*) Barnstable County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images; Also at: Massachusetts Archives.

Supreme Judicial Court The Supreme Judicial Court was established by the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 that combined the former Governor and Council with the Superior Court of Judicature creating the highest state court. This court hears appeals, writ of error, capital offenses, and crimes against the public good. That included divorces until that action was moved to the lower court in 1887. No microfilmed records found at the Family History Library or Massachusetts Archives. See the Supreme Judicial Court Archives above for the original records. The records before 1827 are likely all lost in the fire of 1827.

Genealogies

 * Lydia B. Brownson, Grace W. Held, and Doris V. Norton, "Genealogical Notes of Cape Cod Families" (Duxbury, Mass., typ., 1966), 50v. This manuscript is part of the Special Collections at the Sturgis Library in Barnstable. It is alphabetically by surname and then by given name below that. It is a culmination of research in published histories and genealogies, and from the vital records of the various towns. Digital version of the 50 volumes is at Internet Archive. To go directly to an individual volume, use this guide below:

Land and Property Records

 * See Plymouth Colony Genealogy

Land transfers, commonly called deeds, are recorded on the county level in Massachusetts. Not all deeds were recorded as is common practice today. The earliest transactions were charters or grants from the English Crown. Once local government was established, the colony would grant land to settlers directly or to towns to dole out. Some towns first start out as proprietorship and records were recorded there. Once towns were established, deeds were recorded on the county level.


 * Barnstable County Registry of Deeds PO Box 368 3195 Main Street Barnstable MA 02630 Phone 508-362-7733
 * The Registry burned in 1827 and almost all records were lost before that point. Indexes go back to 1703, so it can be seen what is missing. Land owners were asked to re-record their deeds going back to 1783. Volume 61 (1804-1808) survived. Many unrecorded deeds are located at Sturgis Library. The FamilySearch Catalog has these individual deeds cataloged.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Recorded Registry/Land Court Plans at Barnstable County Register of Deeds - index and images
 * 1637-1685 (*) Barnstable Probate Registry at FamilySearch Catalog - images; Also at: New England Historic Genealogical Society, Note: These records were copied in 1893 from the original records of Plymouth Colony that reference to land that became Barnstable County.
 * 1704-present Recorded Registry/Land [Deeds, Indexes and Deeds, 1704-present] at Barnstable County Register of Deeds - index and images
 * 1703-1868 (*) Barnstable County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images.
 * 1783-1871 (*) Barnstable County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images.
 * 1804-1808 (*) Barnstable County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images.
 * 1842-1901 (*) Mashpee Commissioners at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1899-present Land/Registry Court Records, 1899-present at Barnstable County Register of Deeds - index and images

Local Histories

 * Simeon L. Deyo, ed., History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts: 1620-1637-1686-1890 (New York, 1890), xii, 1010 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with index and digital link). Digital versions at Internet Archive and Ancestry ($).
 * Frederick Freeman, The History of Cape Cod: the Annals of Barnstable County, including the District of Mashpee (Boston, 1858-1862), 2v. WorldCat (Other Libraries); or  (1965 rep.). Digital versions at Internet Archive (v. 1 and V. 2), Ancestry ($).
 * Three Centuries of the Cape Cod County: Barnstable, Massachusetts, 1685 to 1985 (West Yarmouth, Mass., 1985), 437 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

There are so many published maps of interest to genealogists and historians that this list will not be recreated here. The focus is with resources you can access online and in the Family History Library.
 * George H. Walker, Atlas of Barnstable County, Massachusetts (Boston, 1880) at and online for view or sale at Historic Map Works.
 * Henry F. Walling, Map of the Counties of Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket, Massachusetts (1858) at the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, Boston Public Library and.

Military Records
Revolutionary War
 * 1775-1783 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1805-1845 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Naturalization records were created on a variety of governmental levels from the Federal down to the city at the same time. The county records for all levels are outlines below. For more information, see the Massachusetts state page for more on naturalization. Online Naturalizations - Covering Multiple Courts Indexes and Images Online Naturalizations - by Court Supreme Judicial Court: Federal - Originals Available at NARA Indexes Records Superior Court: Barnstable County - Originals Avaliable at Barnstable County Courthouse, Hyannis Declarations of Intention - Indexes and Records Petitions - Indexes and Records
 * 1871-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1906-1817 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1791-1906 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1791-1906 at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1827-1886 (*) Supreme Judicial Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1907-1935 (*) Barnstable County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1791-1906 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1827-1886 (*) Barnstable County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1907-1933 (*) Barnstable County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images

Probate Records
Probate and Family Court is organized on a county level in Massachusetts since the creation of the counties. The main records genealogists seek are testate (wills), intestate (administrations), guardianships, and divorces (since 1922), though there are many more that are valuable to any researcher, too. See a further discussion of the topic in general on the Massachusetts Genealogy Guide.

Online Probate Indexes and Records Original Records on Microfilm Microfilmed Records Found at the Massachusetts Archive (16 mm film): Original Records Published
 * Barnstable County Probate and Family Court PO Box 346 3195 Main Street Barnstable MA 02630 Phone 508-375-6710 Email [mailto:Barnstableprobatebarnstablecountypfc.com Barnstableprobatebarnstablecountypfc.com]
 * Supreme Judicial Court Archives (older records) (administration - records stored in several off-site facilities and the Mass. Archives) 16th Floor, Highrise Court House 3 Pemberton Square Boston MA 02109 Phone 617-557-1082 Email [mailto:Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us]
 * 1635-1991 Massachusetts Wills and Probate Records 1635-1991 at Ancestry.com — index and images, ($)
 * 1637-1685 (*) Barnstable County Register of Probate at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1674-1950 (*) Barnstable County Register of Probate at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1686-1894 (*) Barnstable County Register of Probate at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * Wills, inventories, etc., 1637-1685, New England Historic Genealogical Society. Note: These records were copied in 1893 from the original records of Plymouth Colony that reference to land that became Barnstable County.
 * Probate and guardianship records, 1674-1950, New England Historic Genealogical Society.
 * Probate records, 1696-1894, being Index to v. 1-64; Consolidated general index, 1686-1950; and probate records, v. 1-102 (1686-1863+), New England Historic Genealogical Society.
 * General index, 1686-1950, 5 v.
 * General index, 1951-1955, 1956-1960, 1961-1965, 1966-1970.
 * Divorce index, 1922-1965, 1966-1970, 1971-1975.
 * Docket books, v. 25-43.
 * Record books, v. 1-403 (v. 396-399 do not exist).
 * File papers, reels 1-64 - missing, no film for #1-22744.
 * File papers, reels 65-299, #22745-48415.
 * Scott Andrew Bartley, "Barnstable County Probate Index, 1686 to 1850" in the Mayflower Descendant:
 * Abraham to Avery, 53 [2004]: 29-45.
 * Backus to Butler, 53 [2004]: 149-170; 54 [2005]: 31-47, 152-164.
 * Series never finished as the plan was to place it the society website, but they never got to Barnstable County.

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

Town Records

 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Birth

 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1638-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1753-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1800-1855 Rhode Island and Pawtucket, Massachusetts Birth Index, 1800-1855 at Ancestry - index and iages ($)
 * 1840-1910 Massachusetts, Birth Index, 1840-1910 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Marriage

 * 1600-1961 Massachusetts, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index, ($) — index $
 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1638-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1841-1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1841-1915 Massachusetts, Marriages, 1841-1915 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Death

 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1638-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1840-1910 Massachusetts Death Index at MyHeritage - index only ($)

Family History Centers

 * Franklin Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Mount Hope Massachusetts Family History Center
 * North Dartmouth Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Providence Rhode Island Family History Center
 * American French Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * David Allen Lambert Library - an affiliate library
 * Dennis Public Library - Cape Cod Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library
 * Middleborough Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Roger Williams University Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Sturgis Library PO Box 606 3090 Main Street Barnstable MA 02630 Phone 508-362-6636 Email [mailto:sturgislibrary@comcast.net sturgislibrary@comcast.net] This is the best genealogical library on the Cape with newspaper archive for the Barnstable Patriot, 1830-1930, with links ot other Cape archives; and Lothrop Genealogy and Local History Collection. Website

For information on additional archives and repositories, see
 * Massachusetts Archives for information on additional archives and repositories

Societies
The Barnstable Historical Society 3084 Main St., P.O. Box 829 Barnstable, MA 02630 508-362-2982 E-mail: [mailto:barnstablehistoricalsociety@gmail.com barnstablehistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Website Facdebook Cape Cod Genealogical Society PO Box 1394 Harwich MA 02645 This Society maintains a Genealogy Room at the Dennis Public Library, 5 Hall Street, Dennisport. Email: [mailto:info@capecodgenealogy.org info@capecodgenealogy.org] Website Facebook The Falmouth Genealogical Society PO Box 2107 East Falmouth MA 02536 Email: [mailto:jluby02@aol.com jluby02@aol.com] Website Barnstable County Historical Societies CountyOffice.orgWebsite

Websites

 * The Barnstable County MA GenWeb Project, a member of The MAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Barnstable County
 * Cape Code Genealogy, a collection of Cape Cod genealogy links for libraries and resources.
 * – 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

 * Massachusetts Genealogy Guide