Massachusetts Church Records

For detailed information about Massachusetts church research, see the Massachusetts Genealogy Guide page.

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Historical Background
Before 1900 the major religious groups in Massachusetts were:


 * Congregationalists
 * Roman Catholics
 * Baptists
 * Methodists
 * Episcopalians

The Congregational Church was the predominant church until the end of the 18th century.

1889 Church Records. There is a list of the churches in each town, the date of organization, kinds of records kept, years covered, and condition of the records as of 1889 in Wright's Report on the Custody and Condition of the Public Records (see Massachusetts Archives and Libraries).

Information Found in the Records
To effectively use church records, become familiar with their content. Click on these links to learn about a specific record type:

Look for online records.
'''Ancestry.com, FindMyPast.com, and MyHeritage.com can be searched free of charge at your local family history center or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Online Resources
Dunham-Wilcox-Trott-Kirk indexes church, cemetery, probate and other early New England, New York and New Jersey records with links to abstracts of the records.
 * Massachusetts, Compiled Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1700-1850, ($), index and images.
 * Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 ($)
 * Index only.
 * Massachusetts, Church Records, 1630-1943, index and some images, incomplete
 * United States Marriages – Massachusetts, 1600-1961 ($) index and images
 * Massachusetts, Marriages, 1633-1850 ($)
 * Index only.
 * United States Marriages – Massachusetts, 1600-1961 ($) index and images
 * Massachusetts, Marriages, 1633-1850 ($)
 * Index only.
 * American Marriages Before 1699 ($)
 * U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 ($)
 * Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800, Vol. I($)
 * Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 ($)
 * Index.

Congregational

 * Online Congregational Church Records, images

Look for digital copies of church records listed in the FamilySearch Catalog.

 * The Family History Library (FHL) has a substantial collection of original church records and transcripts on microfilm for churches in the United States.
 * Online church records can be listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the state, county, or town.
 * If you find a record that has not yet been digitized, see How do I request that a microfilm be digitized?
 * Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a Family History Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations.
 * To find records:
 * a. Click on the records of United States, Massachusetts.
 * b. Click on Places within United States, Massachusetts and a list of counties will appear.
 * c. Click on your county if it appears.
 * d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * e. Click on Places within United States, Massachusetts [COUNTY] and a list of towns will appear.
 * f. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
 * g. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * h. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.

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 * Bailey, Frederic W. Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800. Three Volumes in one, 1897–1914. 1968 Reprint: ; and . 1991 Reprint:  1991. This book has records of marriages for more than 111 towns. Digital versions:
 * Vol. I: Ancestry ($), Genealogy Today, Internet Archive, World Vital Records ($)
 * Vol. II: Ancestry ($), Google Books, World Vital Records ($)
 * Vol. III: Ancestry ($), World Vital Records ($)
 * Vol. IV: Ancestry ($)

Consult available finding aids.
These aids generally provide lists of records that are known to exist and information on their location.

Correspond with or visit the actual churches.
Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
 * Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
 * To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
 * Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
 * A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
 * If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
 * See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
 * Each denomination page offers an online address directory of local churches for that denomination.

Check the church records collections in archives and libraries.
Some church records have been deposited for preservation in government archives or in libraries. Watch for links to digitized, online records offered by the archives. Some archives provide research services for a fee. For others, if you cannot visit in person, you might hire a researcher. '''Here you will find archive information unique to the state. Many more archives are kept by denomination. For denominational archives, go to  Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

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Baptist
American Baptist Historical Society The Library in Rochester is now closed to researchers, with interim director Betsy Dunbar working full-time, preparing collections for packing. We are not accepting any more research requests "by mail" in 2007 nor are we scheduling appointments to our Rochester Library at this time. We will also close the Valley Forge Archives Center to visitors beginning in mid-June. We are inviting researchers to plan to visit us in 2008 at our new location on the Atlanta campus of Mercer University.

An informative history is:


 * Brush, John Woolman. Baptists in Massachusetts. Valley Forge, Pennsylvania: Judson Press, 1970.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Early church records, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for Massachusetts Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The film numbers, for each ward, can be locate through the FamilySearch Catalog. Or by refering to Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. and. These volumes contain the film numbers for many (but not all) membership and temple record films.

Congregational
The Congregational Library 14 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108 Phone: (617) 523–0470 Fax: (617) 523–0491 E-mail: [mailto:jsteytler@14beacon.org jsteytler@14beacon.org ]

A historical perspective is found in:


 * Goodwin, John A. The Pilgrim Republic: An Historical Review of the Colony of New Plymouth, with Sketches of Other New England Settlements, the History of Congregationalism, and the Creeds of the Period. Boston, Mass.: Tickner, 1888.

Episcopal
The Diocesan Library and Archives The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts 138 Tremont Street Boston, MA 02111 Phone: (617) 482–5800; (800) 696-6079 Fax: (617) 482–8431 E-mail: [mailto:mgardiner@diomass.org archivist@diomass.org ]

For histories of the Episcopal Church see:


 * Duffy, Mark J., ed. The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts 1784-1984. [Boston, Mass.]: Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, 1984.
 * Tyng, Dudley. Massachusetts Episcopalians, 1607-1957. [Boston, Massachusetts]: Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, [1960].

Society of Friends (Quakers)
Rhode Island Historical Society 121 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 Phone: (401) 273–8107 Fax: (401) 751–7930

Informative history of Massachusetts Quakers include:


 * Bowden, James. The History of the Society of Friends in America. 2 vols. London: W. &amp; F.G. Cash, 1850-1854. Digital version of Vol. 1 at Google Books; [Volume 1 includes New England.]
 * Hallowell, Richard P. The Quaker Invasion of Massachusetts. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 1883. ; digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books. Illustrates the persecution the Quakers received from colonial authorities. Has examples of the strength and conviction of the Quakers' religious beliefs.

Jewish
American Jewish Historical Society 160 Herrick Road Newton Centre, MA 02459 Phone: (617) 559-8880 Fax: (617) 559-8881

Lutheran
Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia The Krauth Memorial Library 7301 Germantown Avenue Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19119-1794 Phone: (215) 248-6383 Fax: (215) 248-6327 E-mail: [mailto:mtairyarchives@ltsp.edu mtairyarchives@ltsp.edu]

Methodist
Boston University School of Theology Library 745 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215 Phone: (617) 353–3034 Fax: (617) 358–0699

Presbyterian
Presbyterian Historical Society 425 Lombard Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 Phone: (215) 627–1852 Fax: (215) 627–0509

Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of Boston 66 Brooks Drive Braintree, MA 02184-3839 Phone: (617) 254-0100

The Archdiocese includes the counties of: Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk

Diocese of Fall River Archives 362 Highland Avenue P.O. Box 2577 Fall River, MA 02722 Phone: (508) 675-1311

The diocese includes the counties of: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes and Nantucket

Diocese of Springfield 65 Elliott St. P.O. Box 1730 Springfield, MA 01102 Phone: (413) 732-3175

The diocese includes the counties of: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire

Diocese of Worcester 49 Elm Street Worcester, MA 01609 Phone: (508) 791-7171

The diocese includes the county of: Worcester

The Drouin Collection Early U.S. French Catholic Church Records, 1695-1954 ($) (Ancestry). This database only contains the French Catholic parish records from the United States in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Pennsylvania. It is the U.S. part of the U.S. and French-Canadian Drouin Collection. For more details see "The Drouin Collection: Six Databases"

The types of records include baptisms, marriages, and burials as well as confirmations, dispensations, censuses, statements of readmission to the church, and so on. They are written mainly in French, as well as English, Latin, and Italian.

Unitarian/Universalist
Andover-Harvard Theological Library Harvard Divinity School 45 Francis Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 Phone: (617) 495–5788 Fax: (617) 496–4111

Correspond with genealogical or historical societies.
Some church records have been given to historical societies. Also, historical societies may be able to tell you where the records are being held. To find a society near you, consult these lists:
 * Society Hill List of Massachusetts Societies

Carefully compare any record you find to known facts about the ancestor
You will possibly find many different people with the same name as your ancestor, especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the grandparents or aunts and uncles. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor as possible:
 * name, including middle name and maiden name
 * names of all spouses, including middle and maiden name
 * exact or closely estimated dates of birth, marriage, and death
 * names and approximate birthdates of children
 * all known places of residence
 * occupations
 * military service details

Carefully evaluate the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a "near match". If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, Evaluate the Evidence.