Norfolk County, Massachusetts Genealogy

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

Description
Norfolk County is home to some of the earliest settlements in Massachusetts Bay Colony though it is a relatively recent creation (1793). To learn about the earlier records for this area, see Suffolk County. The northeast portion of the county is the mostly heavily populated. The border towns were so intertwined with Boston, that they were annexed to the city in the late 1800s. Always remember the former towns which are listed in the Towns and Cities section below. It is a county of diversity. It is one of the wealthiest counties and has both rural and urban areas. Weymouth is a noted shipyard. Through politics, Norfolk is separated into three pieces. Hingham and Hull fought to stay part of Suffolk County when Norfolk was formed. Ultimately, Suffolk County succeded them to Plymouth County and thus creating the first break. Boston annexing the northern border towns caused the last break as Brookline refused to be annexed and now is surrounded by the city on 75% of its border.

The county was named for the English county of the same name. It is located in the central area of the state.

Not to be confused with the previous Norfolk (old) County, Massachusetts created an original county in 1643 and discontinued in 1680.

County Courthouse
Norfolk County Courthouse 650 High Street Dedham, MA 02026 Phone: 781-326-1600 Norfolk 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

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. 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] Quarterly Court of General Sessions of the Peace This court was active from 1793 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. Inferior Court of Common Pleas This court was active from 1793 to 1859. The court heard all civil cases over 40s unless a case involved freehold or was appealed from a justice of the peace.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1793-1858 (*) Norfolk County Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1812-1820 (*) Norfolk County Circuit Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog - images

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.


 * 1859 (*) Norfolk County Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images

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.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1764-1859 (*) Norfolk County Supreme Judicial Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images

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.

Norfolk County Registry of Deeds 649 High Street Dedham, MA 02026 781-461-6101 E-mail: [mailto:registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org] Website

Online Land Indexes and Records:
 * 1620-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1793-1890 (*) Norfolk County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1889-1901 (*) Norfolk County Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories
Works written on the county include:
 * Biographical Review; containing life sketches of leading citizens of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Boston, 1898), 710 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); . Digital version at Internet Archive.
 * Elmer O. Cappers, Place Names in Norfolk County, Massachusetts ([Brookline, Mass., 1972?), 40 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL.
 * Louis Atwood Cook, History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, 1622-1918 (S.l., 1918), 2v. WorldCat (Other Libraries);.
 * D. Hamilton Hurd, ed., History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men (Philadelphia, 1884), xii, 1001 pp. WorldCat (Other Libraries); (with digital link).
 * Thomas Noyes, "Complete List of the Congregational Ministers in the County of Norfolk, Mass., from the settlement of the county to the present time" in American Quarterly Register, 8 [1835/6]: 42-58. WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL.
 * The Norfolk County MA GenWeb Project, an member of The MAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Norfolk County.
 * Norfolk County Massachusetts History - Genealogy Blog - by David Allen Lambert.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Migration
Migration routes for early European settlers to and from Norfolk County 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
 * 1871-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1906-1817 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Federal Naturalization Records for Norfolk County Norfolk County Naturalization Records

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1635-1991 Massachusetts Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 at Ancestry.com — index and images, ($)
 * 1793-1900 Norfolk County, Massachusetts Probate Index, 1793-1900 at Ancestry.com — index only, ($)
 * 1793-1900 Norfolk County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1793-1900 at American Ancestors - index and images, ($)
 * 1793-1900 (*) Norfolk County Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images; Also at: American Ancestors
 * 1793-1900 (*) Norfolk County Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1793-1916 (*) Norfolk County Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - 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

Town Records
Norfolk County, Massachusetts Genealogy
 * 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images


 * Massachusetts Genealogy Guide - Guide to Massachusetts State-wide Records

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 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 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 MyHeritge - index only ($)
 * 1841-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Family History Centers
For information on additional archives and repositories, see
 * Boston Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Franklin Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Hingham Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Mount Hope Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Worcester Massachusetts Family History Center
 * David Allen Lambert Library - an affiliate library
 * Thayer Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Thomas Crane Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Massachusetts Archives
 * Franklin Massachusetts Family History Center

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