Massachusetts, Delayed and Corrected Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
These records include Index and images of births, marriages and deaths housed at the Massachusetts State Archives in Boston. The collection covers the years 1753 to 1900. The collection includes forty-two volumes of birth registers, amendments to births, 1841-1920,and state amendments to births.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:


 * The name of the individual
 * Date and place of event
 * Parents' names, their race and residence
 * Name of spouse
 * Race


 * Residence
 * Birth place of parents
 * Number of child in family
 * Ages
 * Gender


 * Marital status
 * Occupation of deceased
 * Cause of death
 * Date and place of burial

Coverage Map
To see a coverage map of FamilySearch's holdings of Massachusetts marriages click here.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The place where the event occurred
 * The approximate date the event occurred

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the names and residence or place to find the family in census records
 * Search for church and land records
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * Occupations listed can lead you to employment or military records
 * Compiling the entries for every person who has the same surname as the primary individuals is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning or end of each volume. In addition, local historical and genealogical societies may have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Massachusetts.
 * Massachusetts Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.