Suffolk County, Massachusetts Genealogy

United States Massachusetts  Suffolk County

Brief History
Suffolk County was one of the four original counties when Massachusetts Bay Colony created counties in 1643 and had an undefined western border. It established and claimed as far west as Woodstock, Connecticut. Initially, the county included Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, Dedham, Braintree, Weymouth, Hingham, and Nantasket [now Hull]. In 1671, Mendon was added from Middlesex. For a brief time, the county was part of the Dominion of New England from 1686 to 1689. The county eventually became part of the Royal colony of Massachusetts Bay. All towns to the south were lost to the creation of Norfolk County in 1793, leaving only Boston and Chelsea. Hingham and Hull protested their removal and thus remained in Suffolk County until they were transferred to Plymouth County in 1803. Boston was incorporated as a city in 1822. The city started annexing towns back: Roxbury (1868), Dorchester (1870), Brighton (1874), Charlestown (1874), West Roxbury (1874), and Hyde Park (1912). The county government was abolished in 1999, but its former jurisdiction is used for state offices as a district.

Historical Data
The basic data are from the historical county boundary series with additions from various sources.

Top of Page

Towns and Cities
The following list of present-day Suffolk County towns and cities links them to their individual pages. There you will find a list of other names used for the town or city and of villages and sections of the town or city. A master list of these names will be included in the Massachusetts state page. Boston (1630) - Chelsea (1739) - Revere (1846) - Winthrop (1852) Boston needed to grow its tax base, so over the years, various towns were annexed to Boston. These towns had a vibrant history and their own set of records before they became part of Boston and thus Suffolk County. These towns are: Roxbury (1630-1868) Dorchester (1630-1870) Brighton (1807-1874) Charlestown (1630-1874) West Roxbury (1851-1874) Hyde Park (1868-1912) Top of Page

County Histories
Works written on the county include:

Top of Page
 * B. B. Edwards, "Complete List of the Congregational and Presbyterian Ministers in Suffolk Co." in American Quarterly Register, 7 [1834]: 28-30. Digital version at Google books.
 * Alden Bradford, "Juridical Statistics for the County of Suffolk viz. Judge of Superior Court of Judicature and of Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts; and Barristers, Counsellors, and Attorneys, with brief notices of those who have deceased or retired from public life" in American Quarterly Register, 13 [1840-1841]: 417-432. Includes birth, education, bar admission, associates, and death. Digital version at Google books.
 * N. I. Bowditch, Suffolk Surnames (Boston, 3rd ed., 1861), xxv, 757 pp. Digital version at Internet Archive and Google books. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Justin Winsor, The Memorial History of Boston, Including Suffolk County, Massachusetts, 1630-1880 (Boston, 1880-1883), 4v. v. 1 - The early and colonial periods; v. 2 - The provincial period; v. 3 - The Revolutionary period and the last hundred years, pt. 1; v. 4 - The last hundred years, pt. 2, and special topics (education, libraries, philosophic thought, women, drama, Fine Arts, music, architecture, science, medicine, bench and bar, horticulture, and charities). Digital versions at Internet Archive (v. 1, v. 2, v. 3, v. 4), Google books (v. 1, v. 2, v. 3, v. 4), and Ancestry ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with digital links).
 * Professional and Industrial History of Suffolk County, Massachusetts (Boston, 1894), 3v. Digital versions at Internet Archive (v. 1, v. 2, v. 3) and Google books (v. 2 only). (Other Libraries);.
 * George H. Brennan, "The Early Massachusetts Court Records" in New England Magazine, 17 [1894]: 301-310.
 * John Tyler Hassam, "Early Records and Registers of Deeds for the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts, 1639-1735" in Massachusetts Society Society Publications, 2nd Ser., 12 [1895-1896]: 203-250. Digital versions of off print at Internet Archive and Google books. Also part of the introduction of Suffolk Deeds, v. 10 (see below). . Reprint of continuation as "Registers of Deeds for the County of Suffolk," 2nd Ser., 14 [1900-1901]: 34-104..
 * John Tyler Hassam, "Registers of Probate for the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts, 1639-1799" in Massachusetts Society Society Publications, 2nd Ser., 16 [1902]: 23-125. Digital versions at Internet Archive and Ancestry ($). WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Richard D. Brown, "The Confiscation and Disposition of Loyalists' Estates in Suffolk County, Massachusetts" in William and Mary Quarterly, 3rd Ser., 21 [1964]: 534-550. Digital version at JStor ($ - for free at some libraries).
 * The Suffolk County MA GenWeb Project, an member of The MAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Suffolk County
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Suffolk County (backup site)
 * Suffolk County Wikipedia page.

Land Records and Atlases
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 Suffolk County, they start in 1639.

Suffolk Registry of Deeds 24 New Chardon Street Boston MA 02114 Phone 617-788-6250 Email [mailto:Suffolk.Deeds@sec.state.ma.us Suffolk.Deeds@sec.state.ma.us] Original records The records since 1976 can be viewed from their Search Page. Note the search criteria and search option menus in the upper left corner. This is a relatively new site (2012) and less transparent than before.


 * Land Record books. Note: Records from 1893 (v. 2171) are online as "unindexed property." From the search page above, go to the Search Criteria menu and click on "Unindexed Property Search" and enter the volume and page you want and click search. A dialogue box appears below. Click on any link and another dialogue box appears to the right. Click on the tab "View Images" and a pop-up window will display the page (if it does not, you need to allow this site or disable your pop-up blocker). Record location: Deeds, v. 7871 (1964) to present are in the main section of the Registry. Deeds, v. 4553-7870 (1924-1964) are in the "Old" Bookroom at the back of the Registry building. Deeds, v. 2171-4552 (1893-1924) are not currently physically accessible (but are online as mentioned above). Deeds, v. 101-2170 (1800-1893) are at:


 * Massachusetts Archives 220 Morrissey Blvd. Boston MA 02125 Phone 617-727-2816 (ask for Archives Reference Desk).
 * Deeds, v. 1-100 (1639-1799) are at the Archives above, but restricted. These deeds can be seen on microfilm and have been transcribed verbatim to 1688 (see published records below).

Original records on microfilm Published records Suffolk Deeds Online
 * Land Court records.
 * Grantor/Grantee index, 1961-1978 (online).
 * Old Recorded Land Plan books, v. 1-5, 7 (from 1800s).
 * Recorded Land Plan Index, 1935-1999 (online).
 * Suffolk County Atlases (online): Boston, 1874, 1890 (w/Roxbury), 1899, 1910, 1917, 1938 (all w/S. Boston). Brighton, 1897, 1917, 1925. Charlestown, 1875, 1901, 1912 (w/E. Boston). Chelsea, 1874, 1914, 1981. Dorchester, 1904, 1910, 1933. East Boston, 1892, 1901, 1912 (see Charlestown). Hyde Park, 1912. Roxbury, 1890 (see Boston), 1895, 1899, 1906, 1931. West Roxbury, 1874, 1896, 1905, 1914.
 * Suffolk County Deeds, 1639-1885, grantor/grantee index, 1639-1920, miscellaneous index, 1639-1799. . Massachusetts Archives has only the index up to 1799 and NEHGS (Boston) has all of these microfilms.
 * Suffolk County Deeds, 1885-1900 [vols. 1707-2727]..
 * Suffolk County Miscellaneous Papers (chronological), 1679-1808, includes deeds.
 * Suffolk Deeds (Boston, 1880-1906), 14v. Covers from 1629 to 1688 and some of 1697. Each book includes a grantor and grantee index that gives an abstract of the record, an other names index, place index, and miscellaneous (i.e. subject) index. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Volume - Years covered - Links


 * - 1629-1653 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1653-1656 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1656-1661 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1661-1665 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1665-1668 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1668-1672 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1670-1672 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1672-1674 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1674-1676 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1676-1678 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1678-1680 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1680-1683 - Internet Archive and Google books.
 * - 1683-1686 - [No Internet Archive version found] and Google books.
 * - 1686-1688, 1697 - Internet Archive andGoogle books.

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.

Suffolk County Probate and Family Court PO Box 9667 24 New Chardon Street - 3rd Floor Boston MA 02114 Phone 617-788-8300 Older records are held by: Supreme Judicial Court Archives (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] Original records Microfilm records Published records
 * First series, 1636-1893: Record books: [Contact Court Archivist] File papers: [Contact Court Archivist] Published Index: Index to the Probate Records of the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts from the year 1636 to and including the year 1893 (Boston, 1895), 3v. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Second series, 1894-1909: Record books: [Contact Court Archivist] File papers: [Contact Court Archivist] Published Index: Index to the Probate Records of the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts from the year 1894 to and including the year 1909 (Boston, 1911-1913), 2v. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Third series, 1910-1922: Record books: [Contact Court Archivist] File papers: [Contact Court Archivist] Published Index: Index to the Probate Records of the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts from the year 1910 to and including the year 1922 (Boston, 1927), 2v. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Fourth series, 1923-1935: Record books: [Contact Court Archivist] File papers: [Contact Court Archivist] Published Index: Index to the Probate Records of the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts from the year 1923 to and including the year 1935 (Boston, 1941), 3v. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Fifth series, 1936-1947: Record books: [Contact Court Archivist] File papers: [Contact Court Archivist] Published Index: Index to the Probate Records of the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts from the year 1936 to and including the year 1947 (Boston, 1951), 3v. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Sixth series, 1948-1958: Record books: [Contact Court Archivist] File papers: [Contact Court Archivist] Published Index: Index to the Probate Records of the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts from the year 1948 to and including the year 1958 (Boston, 1961), 2v. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Seventh series, 1959-1968: Record books: [Contact Court Archivist] File papers: [Contact Court Archivist] Published Index: Index to the Probate Records of the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts from the year 1959 to and including the year 1968 (Boston, 1969), 3v. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL, but at NEHGS (Boston).
 * Eighth series, 1969-1979: Record books: [Contact Court Archivist] File papers: [Contact Court Archivist] Published Index: Suffolk County Probate Court 10 Year Index, 1969-1979 (Boston, 1995?), 3v. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL, but at NEHGS (Boston).
 * Nineth series, 1980-1997: Record books: [Contact Court Archivist] File papers: [Contact Court Archivist] Published Index: Public Index of Matters Concerning Probate, 1980-1987 Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Suffolk Probate &amp; Family Court (Boston, 2000), 3v. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL, but at NEHGS (Boston).
 * Probate records, 1636-1899, with published index (1636-1893, 1894-1909), miscellaneous docket (1636-1923) [lists estates not appearing in files, etc.], docket books nos. 1-118206 (1636-1901), record books v. 1-769 (1628-1899), New Series record books v. 1-42 (1636-1766). . Massachusetts Archives and NEHGS (Boston) have these microfilms.
 * Probate records, 1901-1916, docket books v.95-144, no. 118207-172206 (1901-1916) and record books v. 770-1102 (1900-1916). . Massachusetts Archives and NEHGS (Boston) have these microfilms.
 * Winifred Lovering Holman and Mary Lovering Holman, "Suffolk County Probate (1686-1692)" in The American Genealogist, 12 [1935-36]: 175-184, 222-234; 13 [1936-37]: 98-106; 14 [1937-38]: 34-45. This was the probate records during the unpopular Andros Administration that combined several colonies into one seated at Boston. This article starts with a Miscellaneous Index of estates that do not appear in the probate file papers. The bulk is the regular docket entries. Digital version at American Ancestors ($) linked to the pages above. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Suffolk County Wills: Abstracts of the earliest wills upon record in the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts: from the New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Baltimore, 1984), 432 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * Melinde Lutz Sanborn, Miscellaneous Docket Index, Suffolk County, Mass. Probate Records, 1639-1866 (Derry, N.H., 1997 or Rockport, Me., 1997), 31 pp. This booklet indexes several hundred early Suffolk County probate records where the original file papers were lost prior to the Civil War and only the entries in the copybook remain today. The booklet includes the individual's name, date of the earliest entry, type of entry, and volume and page reference in the copybook series. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.

Top of Page NOTE: This page is being uploaded in sections as it is ready.