Middlesex County, Connecticut Genealogy

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

Description
Middlesex County was created on 12 May 1785 and named for the county of Middlesex, England, which is now part of Greater London, England. The counties in Connecticut do not have county seats. The cities and towns are responsible for all local governmental activities. It is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Middlesex County Courthouse 1 Court Street Middletown, CT 06457 Phone: 860-343-6400 Middlesex County Courthouse

There is no county government today. The government is at the town level. Probate records may be kept at regional courthouses. Town Clerks have birth, marriage, death and land records. Clerk of the Superior Court has divorce and court records from 1800. Probate Judge has probate records.

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:

Biographies

 * Wright, Benjamin 1610 - March 26, 1677, at USGenWebArchives
 * History of Middlesex County, Connecticut with biographical sketches of its prominent men, (New YorkJ.B. Beers, 1884). Available online at Internet Libraries. Also available at the FamilySearch Library,
 * Elaine F. Staplins, The Founders of Saybrook Colony and their descendants, 1635-1985, ([S.l. s.n.], 1985). Includes index.Available at the FamilySearch Library, . Also see Saybrook Colony Founders Association.
 * Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, (Chicago, Illinois J.H. Beers, 1903). Includes index. Available at the FamilySearch Library, or FS Library US/CAN Film 982492 Item 4. Also see The Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants,
 * J.A. McKenzie for the Southern California Genealogical Society, An every name index to History of Middlesex County, Connecticut with biographical sketches of its prominent men, (Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2005). Available at the FamilySearch Library,

Census Records
Territory and State Census Records
 * Connecticut Census Records at Census Finder, Online links by county.
 * Middlesex County Census Records at LDSGenealogy.com
 * Linkpendium, Middlesex County, Connecticut Census Records and Indexes at Linkpendium

Federal Census Records
 * US Federal Census Collection at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * Middlesex County, Connecticut Federal Census Index at USGenWeb. Transcriptions in progress.
 * Lowell M. Volkel, An index to the 1800 federal census of Fairfield and Hartford counties, state of Connecticut, ([S.l.] L.M. Volkel, c1968). Available at the FamilySearch Library,

Church Records

 * Middlesex County Church Records at LDSGenealogy.com. Includes church and vital 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
 * Deeds and Land Records at USGenWebArchives
 * Middlesex County Connecticut Court Records Directory at Court Reference
 * Court Records, 1786-1797, Connecticut Superior Court, Middlesex County, (Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1989). Microfilm of original records in the Connecticut State Archives, Hartford Court papers are arranged in several files: miscellaneous, partition of land, jurors, court expense, costs, travel and inquest. Available at the FamilySearch Library,

Directories

 * Directories, Middlesex County at Linkpendium
 * Old Saybrook city directory including Chester, Deep River, Essex, Westbrook, (New Haven [Connecticut] Price &amp; Lee, 1972-). Available at the FamilySearch Library,
 * Middletown, Portland directory, (New Haven [Connecticut] Price &amp; Lee, 1931-). Includes index. Available at the FamilySearch Library,
 * Durham (Middlesex County, Conn.) city directory including Haddam, Higganum, Middlefield, Rockfall, (New Haven [Connecticut] Price &amp; Lee, 1973-). Available at the FamilySearch Library,
 * Connecticut River Valley directories, (Woodbridge, Connecticut Research Publications, 1995). Available at the FamilySearch Library, 1913-14 continues through Item 5 (1928).

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1804-1959 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
 * 1966-2002 Connecticut, Marriages, 1966-2002 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Library of Congress. Geography and Map Division, Middlesex County, Connecticut land ownership map, 1859', (Washington, District of Columbia Library of Congress, 1983). Available at the FamilySearch Library, Also available online at Flickr,

Local Histories

 * History of Middlesex County, Connecticut. 1884. New York, New York : J.B. Beers. Online at: Hathitrust; Internet Archive; . Index (not available online): An every name index to History of Middlesex County, Connecticut. By J.A. McKenzie. 1993. Burbank, California : Southern California Genealogical Society. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2005. Available at FS Library:
 * A Statistical Account of the County of Middlesex in Connecticut. By David D. Field. 1819. Middletown, Conn., Printed by Clark & Lyman. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.
 * Connecticut Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.
 * David Dudley Field, Centennial address with historical sketches of Cromwell, Portland, Chatham, Middle-Haddam, Middletown and its parishes, (Middletown, Connecticut W.B. Casey, 1853). The town of Chatham became East Hampton in 1915. Available at the FamilySearch Library, or  Also found at the FamilySearch Library on the Desktop,

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Middlesex County, Gazetteer at HomeTownLocator
 * Map of Middlesex County (1859) at the Library of Congress. Shows nearly every household name.
 * Maps of Connecticut (1643-1960) at Maps of US
 * Connecticut Maps at the Department of Economic and Community Development. Organized by State and County. Links to road maps, county outlines, colored outlines and lists of towns.
 * Maps and Gazetteers, Middlesex County at Linkpendium
 * F.W. Beers &amp; Co., County Atlas of Middlesex, Connecticut from actual surveys / by and under the direction of F.W. Beers. (1874), (New York:F.W. Beers &amp; Co., (1874). Available online at Internet Archives. Also available at the FamilySearch Library,
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Civil War
 * Civil War Research Database at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database at the National Park Service
 * Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Grave Database at Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
 * Middlesex County In The Civil War, Chapter VIII, History of Middlesex County, by J.B. Beers &amp; Co., publishers; Henry Whittemore; New York, 1884. American Libraries Online Book. A list of volunteers by town starts on page 44.

Regiments. Servicemen from Middlesex County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Most of the men in the following companies were from Middlesex County.
 * -1st Regiment, Connecticut Heavy Artillery - Company G and H, (Middletown)
 * -2nd Regiment, Connecticut Infantry - Infantry Company A
 * -14th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry - Company B
 * -20th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry - Company D
 * -21st Regiment, Connecticut Infantry - Company I
 * -24th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry - Company A, B, D, F and G.

 World War I 
 * 1917 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1917-1918 World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1942 of men age 45-64 (born 1877-1897) at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection;  index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * For more databases, see Connecticut Naturalization and Citizenship and U.S. Naturalization Online Genealogy Records

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1791-1906 US Naturalization Records, New England, 1791-1906 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
 * 1790-1996 Connecticut, Federal Naturalization Records, 1790-1996 Middlesex Superior Court at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1795-1942 Middlesex County Superior Court at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; List of Records Included in Collection; index and images
 * 1841-1945 Connecticut. Superior Court (Middlesex County), Naturalization records (Middlesex County, Connecticut), 1841-1945, (Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1984-2008). Indexes are found within each volume. Vol. 1, 1906-1909, Declarations of intention is missing and was not filmed. The records are filmed in certificate number order. Available at the FamilySearch Library, (12 films)
 * 1844-1871 Connecticut County Court and Superior Court, (Middlesex County), Naturalization records, 1844-1871, (Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1984). Contains declarations of intent, and records of naturalization. Includes records of the County Court and the Superior Court. For index to naturalizations in these records see: Connecticut. Superior Court (Middlesex County). Naturalization index, 1844- 1955. Available at the FamilySearch Library,
 * 1844-1909 Connecticut Superior Court (Middlesex County), Naturalization records, 1844-1909, (Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1984). Indexes are found with most volumes. Naturalization records 1847-1859, includes also declarations of intent 1844-1856. For general index to these records see: Connecticut. Superior Court (Middlesex County). Naturalization index, 1844-1955. Available at the FamilySearch Library, (4 films)
 * 1844-1955 Connecticut. Superior Court (Middlesex County), Naturalization index, 1844-1955, (Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1984). Available at the FamilySearch Library, 1st of 5 films.

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * Connecticut newspapers at the Connecticut State Library. The best-known collection of Connecticut newspapers, including extensive holdings for Middlesex County. Click on "Find Newspapers at the Connecticut State Library" to search by location.
 * Connecticut Newspaper List at All You Can Read (accessed 8 Nov 2014).

Obituaries

 * Obituaries and Funeral Home Records, Middlesex County at Linkpendium. (Scroll to "Obituaries and Funeral Home Records" section.)
 * Middlesex County, Connecticut Obituaries at NewspaperObituaries.net. A directory of obituary databases and archives on the internet.
 * Obits at USGenWebArchives

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1609-1999 Connecticut Wills and Probate Records 1609-1999 at Ancestry — index & 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 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1865-1874 Connecticut, U.S., Excise Tax Lists, 1865-1874 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Birth

 * Pre 1850 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
 * 1639-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images

Marriage

 * Pre 1850 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
 * 1640-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
 * 1966-2002 Connecticut, Marriages, 1966-2002 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Death

 * Pre 1850 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images
 * 1640-1955 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index/images


 * 1949-2012 Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2012 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Divorce

 * 1786-1797 Connecticut Superior Court, Middlesex County, Divorce Records, 6-1797, (Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1989). Microfilm of original records in the Connecticut State Archives, Hartford. Records are in two chronological groupings, 1786 to 1789, 1790 to 1797. Available at the FamilySearch Library,

Archives

 * Connecticut Archives, Middlesex County at USGenWebArchives

FamilySearch Centers

 * Goshen Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Groton Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Madison Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Newtown Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Southington Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Woodbridge Connecticut FamilySearch Center
 * Bridgeport Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Fairfield Museum and History Center - an affiliate library
 * Gadsden Public Library - Main - an affiliate library
 * Hagaman Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * James Blackstone Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * North Branford Libraries - Edward Smith Library - an affiliate library
 * North Haven Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * Southbury Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Wilton Library Association Inc. - an affiliate library

Libraries
Acton Public Library 60 Old Boston Post Road Old Saybrook, CT 06475 Phone: 860-395-3184 E-mail: [mailto:actonlibrary@actonlibrary.org actonlibrary@actonlibrary.org] Facebook Website

Brainerd Memorial Library 920 Saybrook Road Haddam, CT 06438 Phone: 860-345-2204 E-mail: [mailto:library@brainerdlibrary.org library@brainerdlibrary.org] Facebook Website Facebook Website

Chester Public Library 21 West Main Street Chester, CT 06412 Phone: 860-526-0018 E-mail: [mailto:library@chesterct.org library@chesterct.org] Facebook Website

The Henry Carter Hull Library 10 Killingworth Turnpike Clinton, CT 06413 Phone: 860-669-2342 E-mail: [mailto:askus@hchlibrary.org askus@hchlibrary.org] Facebook Website

Cromwell Belden Public Library 39 West Street Cromwell, CT 06416 Phone: 860-632-3460 E-mail: https://www.cromwellct.com/user/1943/contact Facebook Website

Deep River Public Library 150 Main Street Deep River, CT 06417 Phone: 860-526-6039 E-mail: [mailto:deepriverpubliclibrary@gmail.com deepriverpubliclibrary@gmail.com] Facebook Website

Durham Public Library 7 Maple Avenue Durham, CT 06422 Phone: 860-349-9544 E-mail: [mailto:cmichaud@durhamlibrary.org cmichaud@durhamlibrary.org] Facebook Website

East Haddam Library System There are two branches in this library system E-mail: [mailto:MGilroy@easthaddamlibrarysystem.org MGilroy@easthaddamlibrarysystem.org] Facebook Website

East Hampton Public Library 105 Main Street East Hampton, CT 06424 Phone: 860-267-6621 E-mail: [mailto:epaul@easthamptonct.gov epaul@easthamptonct.gov] Facebook Website

Essex Library Association 33 West Avenue Essex, CT 06426 Phone: 860-767-1560 E-mail: [mailto:dsmith@essexlib.org dsmith@essexlib.org] Facebook Website

Godfrey Memorial Library 134 Newfield St Middletown, CT 06457 Phone: 860-346-4375 Fax: 860-347-9874 E-Mail: [mailto:Sharon@godfrey.org Sharon@godfrey.org] Website

The Killingworth Library PO Box 725 S 301 Route 81 Killingworth, CT 06419 Phone: 860-663-2000 E-mail: [mailto:mail@killingworthlibrary.org mail@killingworthlibrary.org] Website

Levi E. Coe Memorial Library 414 Main Street Middlefield, CT 06455 Phone: 860-349-3857 E-mail: [mailto:levicoelibrary@gmail.com levicoelibrary@gmail.com] Website

Middlesex County Public Libraries.

Societies
Chatham Historical Society 6 Bevin Blvd East Hampton, CT 06424 E-mail: [mailto:sandy.doren60@yahoo.com sandy.doren60@yahoo.com] Facebook Website

Chester Historical Society 9 West Main Street PO Box 204 Chester, CT 06412 Phone: 860-526-5781 E-mail: [mailto:info@chesterhistoricalsociety.org info@chesterhistoricalsociety.org]

Clinton Historical Society 103 E Main Street PO Box 86 Clinton, CT 06413 Phone: 860-669-2148 E-mail: [mailto:info@clintoncthistory.org info@clintoncthistory.org] Facebook Website

Cromwell Historical Society, Inc. PO Box 146 395 Main Street Cromwell, CT 06416 Phone: 860 635-0501 Email: [mailto:Cromwellhistory@aol.com Cromwellhistory@aol.com] Website

Deep River Historical Society 245 Main Street Deep River, CT 06417 Phone: 860-526-1449 E-mail: [mailto:info@deepriverhistoricalsociety.org info@deepriverhistoricalsociety.org] Facebook Website

Durham Historical Society 38 Town House Road Durham, CT 06422 Phone: 860-716-5497 E-mail: [mailto:durhamhistoryct@gmail.com durhamhistoryct@gmail.com] Facebook Website

East Haddam Historical Society & Museum 264 Town Street PO Box 27 East Haddam, CT 06423-0027 Phone: 860-873-3944 E-mail: [mailto:museum@easthaddamhistory.org museum@easthaddamhistory.org] Facebook Website

Essex Historical Society PO Box 123 Essex, CT 06426 Phone: (860) 767-0681 Email: [mailto:ehs@essexhistory.org ehs@essexhistory.org] Facebook Website

Haddam Historical Society PO Box 97 14 Hayden Hill Road Haddam, CT 06438 Phone: 860-345-2400 E-Mail: [mailto:research@haddamhistory.org research@haddamhistory.org] Website

Killingworth Historical Society PO Box 707 Killingworth, CT 06419 E-mail: [mailto:​killingworthhs@gmail.com ​killingworthhs@gmail.com] Website

Middlefield Historical Society 405 Main St Middlefield, CT 06455 Phone: 860-349-0665 Facebook

The Portland Historical Society PO Box 98 492 Main Street Portland, CT 06480 E-Mail: [mailto:PortlandHistSoc@Yahoo.Com PortlandHistSoc@Yahoo.Com] Website

Saybrook Colony Founders Association PO Box 1635 Old Saybrook, CT 06475-1000 Email: [mailto:scfainc@snet.net scfainc@snet.net] Website

Old Saybrook Historical Society 350 Main Street PO Box 4 Old Saybrook, CT 06475 Phone: 860-395-1635 Email:[mailto:contact@saybrookhistory.org contact@saybrookhistory.org] Website

The Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants Middletown, CT 06457 Hal Whitmore, Registrar 1301 North Harrison Street, Apt 201 Wilimington, DE 19806 E-mail: [mailto:hbwhitmore@yahoo.com hbwhitmore@yahoo.com] Website

Websites

 * Middlesex County Genealogy at LDSGenealogy.com. 983 Middlesex County genealogy record sources.
 * Middlesex County at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * General Resource Sites at Cyndi's List
 * Middlesex County Genealogy and Family History at Linkpendium
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project
 * CT GenWeb
 * – 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.