Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Genealogy
Guide to Hillsborough County, New Hampshire ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
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.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
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.[3]
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1771 | 1771 | 1771 | 1773 | 1773 | 1771 | 1790 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Historic communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- 1800-2007 New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, Manchester, Cemetery Records, 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
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1790 | 32,883 | — |
| 1800 | 43,899 | 33.5% |
| 1810 | 49,249 | 12.2% |
| 1820 | 53,884 | 9.4% |
| 1830 | 37,724 | −30.0% |
| 1840 | 42,494 | 12.6% |
| 1850 | 57,478 | 35.3% |
| 1860 | 62,140 | 8.1% |
| 1870 | 64,238 | 3.4% |
| 1880 | 75,634 | 17.7% |
| 1890 | 93,247 | 23.3% |
| 1900 | 112,640 | 20.8% |
| 1910 | 126,072 | 11.9% |
| 1920 | 135,512 | 7.5% |
| 1930 | 140,165 | 3.4% |
| 1940 | 144,888 | 3.4% |
| 1950 | 156,987 | 8.4% |
| 1960 | 178,161 | 13.5% |
| 1970 | 223,941 | 25.7% |
| 1980 | 276,608 | 23.5% |
| 1990 | 336,073 | 21.5% |
| 2000 | 380,841 | 13.3% |
| 2010 | 400,721 | 5.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about New Hampshire denominations, view the New Hampshire Church Records Wiki page. For tips on how to determine denomination, view the New Hampshire Research Tips and Strategies Wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Online Court Indexes and Records
- 1772-1827 Supreme Judicial Court at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
- 1782-1816 Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
- 1783-1859 Court Judgements, Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
- 1837-1901 Supreme Court, Court of Common Pleas, Judicial Court, Supreme Court of Judicature, Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
- 1855-1901 Supreme Court, Circuit Court, Supreme Judicial Court at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
- 1878-1933 Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
- 1901-1916 Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog(*)
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 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 ($)
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents. See New Hampshire Land and Property for additional information about early New Hampshire land grants. A
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1771-1776 Deeds, 1771-1776 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1771-1901 Deed records, 1771-1901 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section New Hampshire 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[edit | edit source]
for more resources
For historical publications and online resources for the state, see the pages: New Hampshire Maps and New Hampshire 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
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
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 New Hampshire Revolutionary War Records, 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 New Hampshire Civil War Service and Pension Records 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[edit | edit source]
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 New Hampshire, United States Naturalization Records, 1906-1993 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. You can search this free at Family History Centers. Their database has Portsmouth newspapers (1898-2007), The Lowell Sun (Massachusetts), and Fitchburg newspapers (Massachusetts) covering local news that included residents from Hillsborough County communities.
There are many community newspapers, for example, the Nashua Telegraph newspaper, published since 1832, 17 Executive Drive, Hudson, NH 03051, tel. 603-594-6535, www.nashuatelegraph.com. Contact the public library, or historical society where your ancestor lived to learn about newspapers.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in New Hampshire, probate records have been kept by the county. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1635-1753: New Hampshire Probate Records 1635-1753 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
- 1643-1982: New Hampshire Wills and Probate Records 1643-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
- 1769-1800 Index to probate records, 1769-1800, Hillsboro County, New Hampshire at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1771-1775 Wills and administrations, Court of Probate, 1771-1775, Hillsboro County, New Hampshire at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1771-1859 Indexes to probate records, 1771-1859 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1771-1884 Register of probate index, 1771-1884 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1771-1921 Probate records, 1771-1921 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1771-1933 New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, probate records, 1771-1933 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1878-1933 New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, Probate Court records : petition of change of name, and decree, 1878-1933 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1885-1961 Indexes to probate records, 1885-1961 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1899-1930 New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, probate records, 1899-1930 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
- 1636-1947 New Hampshire, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1636-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1656-1938 New Hampshire, Vital and Town Records Index, 1656-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- Early-1900 New Hampshire Birth Records, Early to 1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1901-1915 New Hampshire Birth Certificates, 1901-1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1636-1947 New Hampshire, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 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 New Hampshire Marriage Records, 1637-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1656-1938 New Hampshire, Vital and Town Records Index, 1656-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1948-1959 New Hampshire Marriage Certificates, 1948-1959 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1636-1947 New Hampshire, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1636-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1654-1947 New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1656-1938 New Hampshire, Vital and Town Records Index, 1656-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- 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
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
City and Town Historical Societies
- Hillsborough Historical Society
PO Box 896
Hillsborough, NH 03244
603.464.3637
E-mail: inquiry@hillsboroughhistory.org
Website Facebook
Hillsborough County Historical Societies as listed by CountyOffice.orgWebsite
Websites[edit | edit source]
- 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)
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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[edit | edit source]
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.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Newbery
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hillsborough County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_County,_New_Hampshire accessed 25 September 2018.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Grafton County, New Hampshire page 452, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. Page 452-453. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 436.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 181. [FHL book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), New Hampshire.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hillsborough County, New Hampshire," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_County,_New_Hampshire, accessed 21 November 2018.
- ↑ Michael J. Leclerc, Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research, 5th ed. (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012), 277. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974 D27g 2012.
