Plymouth County, Massachusetts Genealogy

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

Description
Plymouth County was one of the three original counties when Plymouth Colony made such subdivisions in 1685. It then included the towns of Bridgewater, Duxbury, Marshfield, Middleborough, Plymouth, and Scituate. For a brief time, the county was part of the Dominion of New England from 1686 to 1689, then in limbo until the "Colony" was merged with Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691 to form the Royal colony of Massachusetts Bay.

The county was named for Plymouth. It is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Plymouth County Courthouse 52 Obery Street Plymouth, MA 02360 Phone: 508-747-8400 Plymouth 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.

Census Records

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

Church Records
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.

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. A county copy of marriages were recorded here from 1726 to 1737.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1686-1817(*) Plymouth County Court of General Sessions of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1686-1859 Plymouth County, MA: Plymouth Court Records, 1686-1859 at American Ancestors — index & images, ($)

Published Books:
 * David Thomas Konig, ed., Plymouth Court Records 1686-1859 [General Sessions of the Peace, 1686-1827, and Court of Common Pleas, 1686-1859] (Wilmington, Del., 1978-1981), in 16v. Searchable database at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with digital link). v. 1 - General Sessions of the Peace, 1686-1721 and Court of Common Pleas, 1686-1702. v. 2 - General Sessions of the Peace, 1719-1749 (includes marriages, 1726-1737). v. 3 - General Sessions of the Peace, 1748-1781. v. 4 - General Sessions of the Peace, 1782-1827.

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. A county copy of births, marriages, and deaths were recorded here from 1724 to 1788 for the towns of Abington, Bridgewater, Duxbury, Halifax, Hanson, Kingston, Marshfield, Middleborough, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Scituate, and Wareham. Note: Volume 19 of original records contains marriages from 1771 to 1795.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1702-1859 (*) Plymouth County Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Published Books: v. 1 - General Sessions of the Peace, 1686-1721 and Court of Common Pleas, 1686-1702. v. 5 - Court of Common Pleas, 1702-1736. v. 6 - Court of Common Pleas, 1736-1744. v. 7 - Court of Common Pleas, 1744-1760. v. 8 - Court of Common Pleas, 1760-1772. v. 9 - Court of Common Pleas, 1773-1785. v. 10 - Court of Common Pleas, 1785-1796. v. 11 - Court of Common Pleas, 1796-1807. v. 12 - Court of Common Pleas, 1807-1815. v. 13 - Court of Common Pleas, 1816-1825. v. 14 - Court of Common Pleas, 1825-1834. v. 15 - Court of Common Pleas, 1835-1845. v. 16 - Court of Common Pleas, 1846-1859.
 * David Thomas Konig, ed., Plymouth Court Records 1686-1859 [General Sessions of the Peace, 1686-1827, and Court of Common Pleas, 1686-1859] (Wilmington, Del., 1978-1981), in 16v. Searchable database at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with digital link).

Superior Court This court was created in 1859 and combines the authority of the two courts listed above. Though one court, the civil and criminal matters are handled separately and today that is achieved through two physical courts: Plymouth (civil) and Brockton (criminal).

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1813-1950(*) Plymouth County Supreme Judicial Court and Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Original Records available at: Massachusetts Archives
 * Original Criminal Sessions of Superior Court: Massachusetts Archives

Supreme Judicial Court Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1813-1950(*) Plymouth County Supreme Judicial Court and Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Original Records available at Massachusetts Archives

Emigration and Immigration

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

Land and Property Records
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. For Plymouth County, they start in 1685.

The Plymouth County Registry of Deeds has a main office at Plymouth and two satellite offices: Plymouth County Registry of Deeds 50 Obery Street Plymouth. MA 02360 Phone: 508-830-9200 Email: [mailto:admin@plymouthdeeds.org admin@plymouthdeeds.org] Brockton Satellite Office 155 West Elm Street Brockton, MA 02301 Phone: 508-586-6998  Rockland Satellite Office 920 Hingham Street Rockland, MA 02370 Phone: 781-792-2800

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1620-1699 (*) Massachusetts Secretary of State at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1643-1679 (*) New Plymouth Colony at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1664-1699 (*) Plymouth County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1664-1900 (*) Plymouth County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1666-1682 (*) Massachusetts Secretary of State at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Registry of Deeds Search at Plymouth County Registry of Deeds
 * Land Record books, 1685 to present.
 * Grantor/Grantee Index, 1685 to present.
 * Plan books and index, 1899 to present.
 * Highway, county taking, and other road related.
 * Land Court records, 1899 to present.
 * Land Court registered land.

Published Abstracts: Search available online images of The Mayflower Descendant journal at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * Pilgrim Notes and Queries, 1916 to 1917, by George Ernest Bowman. Available digitally online at Hathi Trust.
 * The Mayflower Descendant, 1933 to 1937, by George Ernest Bowman, completing the first 117 pages from volume 1.
 * The Mayflower Descendant, 1985 to 1998, by Ann Smith Lainhart, completing up to volume 2, page 41.
 * The Mayflower Descendant, 2000 to 2005, by Ann Smith Lainhart, abstracts ending at volume 3, page 13.

Local Histories
Works written on the county include:
 * Thomas Noyes, "Complete List of the Congregational Ministers, in the County of Plymouth, Mass. from the Settlement of the Country to the Present Time" in American Quarterly Register, 8 [1835-1836]: 144-159. Digital versions at Internet Archive.
 * The Plymouth County Directory, and Historical Register of the Old Colony, Containing Historical Sketch of the County, and of each Town in the County; a Roll of Honor, with the Names of all Soldiers of the Army and Navy, from this County, who lost their lives in service; an alphabetical list of voters; a complete index to the mercantile, manufacturing, and professional interests of the county. (Middleboro, Mass., 1867), v.p. [ca. 450 pp.] Digital versions at Internet Archive. WorldCat (Other Libraries); ;.
 * D. Hamilton Hurd, ed., History of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men. (Philadelphia, 1884), viii, 1199 pp. Digital versions at Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with digital link).
 * William Root Bliss, Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay. (Boston, 1888). 238 pp. Digital versions at Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Lloyd Vernon Briggs, History of Shipbuilding on North River, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, with Genealogies of the Shipbuilders, and Accounts of the Industries upon its Tributaries 1640 to 1872. (Boston, 1889), xv, 420 pp. Digital versions at Internet Archive. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Biographical Review ... containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Plymouth County, Massachusetts .... (Boston, 1897), 638 pp. Digital versions at Internet Archive and on Ancestry ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Lucy Hall Greenlaw, ed., The Genealogical Advertiser: A Quarterly Magazine of Family History, v. 1-4 [1898-1901]. This journal included many Plymouth County record abstracts. Digital versions at Internet Archive: Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol. 4. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Lincoln Newton Kinnicutt, Indian Names of Places in Plymouth, Middleborough, Lakeville and Carver, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, with Interpretations of Some of Them. (Worcester, Mass., 1909), 64 pp. Digital version at Internet Archive. WorldCat (Other Libraries).
 * Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts, Containing Historical sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families .... (Chicago, 1912), 3 v. Digital versions at Internet Archive: (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3), Ancestry ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Elroy Sherman Thompson, History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable Counties, Massachusetts. (New York, 1928), 3 v. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Ebenezer W. Peirce, Peirce's colonial lists. Civil, military and professional lists of Plymouth and Rhode Island colonies, comprising colonial, county and town officers, clergymen, physicians and lawyers. With extracts from colonial laws defining their duties, 1621-1700. (Boston, 1881; rep. Baltimore, 1968). . Online at: Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries).
 * James Baker, A Guide to Historic Plymouth (Charleston, S.C., 2008), 142 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries).
 * Plymouth County at Wikipedia.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

This list includes maps of particular interest to genealogists, and is not an effort to trace the vast cartographic history of the county in full.
 * Henry F. Walling, Map of the County of Plymouth, Massachusetts (Boston, 1857). WorldCat (Other Libraries); . Digital version at Harvard University.
 * Atlas of Plymouth County, Massachusetts (Boston, 1879). WorldCat (Other Libraries); (in high density). There are several sites that sell reproductions of the individual maps of this atlas. Search the web for this atlas and you will find several sites that will provide the image online. We cannot endorse any one site here.
 * John H. Long, ed., Atlas of Historical County Boundaries: Connecticut-Maine-Massachusetts-Rhode Island (New York, 1994). WorldCat (Other Libraries); . Digital version at Newberry Library.

Migration
Migration routes for early European settlers to and from Plymouth County, Massachusetts included:
 * Atlantic Ocean
 * Bay Road about 1652 from Boston, Massachusetts to New Bedford, Massachusetts
 * Coast Path 1630 from Boston, Massachusetts to Plymouth, Massachusetts
 * King's Highway, also known as the Boston Post Road, 1650s from Boston, Massachusetts to Charleston, South Carolina
 * Old Roebuck Road 1636 from Boston, Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island

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 Naturalization Indexes and Records - Covering Multiple Courts Federal Naturalization Records for Plymouth County Plymouth County Naturalization 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

Mayflower
For more information about the history of the Mayflower passengers who settled in Plymouth Colony in 1620, go to the Mayflower Pilgrims and Colonists Wiki page.

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 page.

Plymouth County Probate and Family Court 52 Obery Street Plymouth, MA 02360 Phone: 508-747-6204 Email: [mailto:plymouthprobate@dacbase.com plymouthprobate@dacbase.com]

Brockton Satellite Office 215 Maine Street, Suite 220 Brockton, MA 02301 Phone: 508-897-5400 Online Probate Indexes and Records Original Records at Various Locations:
 * 1633-1686 (*) Massachusetts Secretary of State at FamilySearch Catalog; images only
 * 1633-1967 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1635-1991 Massachusetts Wills and Probate Records 1635-1991 at Ancestry.com — index and images, ($)
 * 1685-1967 (*) Plymouth County Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1686-1881 (*) Plymouth County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images; Also at: Plymouth County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686-1881 at American Ancestors - index and images ($)
 * 1686-1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1881-1939 (*) Suffolk County Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * First series, 1685-1881: Record books: Supreme Judicial Court Archives has in off-site storage (microfilm available). (and at the New England Historic Genealogical Society). File papers: [Note: Missing case numbers 1-1881 and 13134-13176] Supreme Judicial Court Archives has these files.
 * Second series, 1882-1935: Record books: Plymouth County Probate and Family Court has all the record books. File papers: Supreme Judicial Court Archives has in the archives to 1915 and the files from 1916-1935 is in off-site storage.
 * All records, 1936-present: Plymouth County Probate and Family Court has all these records except for domestic abuse and paternity records that are stored at the Brockton Satellite Office.
 * Probate records, 1686-1903, with index (1685-1881, 1881-1939) and docket (1881-1967), 1685-1967.

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
The county had the power to tax its citizens through action of the Quarterly Court of General Sessions (listed above). Most taxes after this time are levied by the state or town.

Town Records
Warnings Out Warning Out was the court's action under the poor laws of the colony and commonwealth to create a legal public notice that a town was not responsible for the welfare of a new person or family settling there. That responsibility remained with the town from which they had come. People were not forced out of the new town, but could not expect to be supported if they were unable to sustain themselves. Warnings Out were issued by the Inferior Court of Common Pleas to the Selectmen of the town for notification of persons named in them.
 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images


 * Ruth Wilder Sherman, Robert M. Sherman, and Robert S. Wakefield, An Index to Plymouth County, Massachusetts Warnings Out from The Plymouth Court Records 1686-1859 (Plymouth, Mass., 2003). WorldCat (Other Libraries);.

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
 * 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 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. Also 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 ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Divorce
Jurisdiction over divorce matters changes over time. The Governor and Council heard cases before 1785, then it was the Supreme Judicial Court until 1887, followed by the Superior Court until 1922, and presently this is a matter for the Probate and Family Court (with minor exceptions in all periods).

Online Divorce Indexes and Records
 * 1813-1950 (*) Plymouth County Supreme Judicial Court and Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Boston Massachusetts FamilySearch Center
 * Franklin Massachusetts FamilySearch Center
 * Hingham Massachusetts FamilySearch Center
 * Mount Hope Massachusetts FamilySearch Center
 * Providence Rhode Island FamilySearch Center
 * General Society of Mayflower Descendants - an affiliate library
 * Thayer Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Middleborough Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Plymouth County Societies, Libraries and Museums Website See Massachusetts Archives for information on additional archives and repositories

Museums
Plymouth County Societies, Libraries and Museums Website

Societies
Plymouth County Genealogists PO Box 167 East Bridgewater, MA 02333 Email: [mailto:plymcountygen@gmail.com plymcountygen@gmail.com] Website Facebook Plymouth County MA Historical Societies Website Plymouth County Societies, Libraries and Museums Website

Websites

 * – 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