Massachusetts Genealogy Records

Many people today are interested in learning more about their past and their ancestors. As a result Genealogy is one of the most common terms in search engines on the World Wide Web. For those who are new to the world of Genealogy, there are many ways one can find information regarding their ancestors. Some of the most common forms of public records used for genealogy are: For Birth Records In Massachusetts has been keeping birth records since 1635. The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics holds birth records as far back as 1916 to the present. Older records since 1841 and after are kept in the Massachusetts State Archives. For Death Records Death records in Massachusetts date back almost 400 years to 1635 in some cases. The oldest records, those from 1635 to 1840, are available in the municipality or city where they were created. Death records from 1841 to 1915 are kept in the Massachusetts State Archives. Death records from 1916 to the present, are available by contacting the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. For Obituaries Finding Massachusetts obituaries is easy thanks to the incredible power of the Internet. There are several huge databases maintained in the state itself and around the country that look to document these important events, and best of all, almost all of these databases are free to use. You can begin your search for Massachusetts obituary records by using the search engine at the Boston Public Library. The Boston Globe and Boston Herald obituary search engine has information on listings from 1971-1974 and from 1983-2002, so if the listings you are looking for are for this area and for this timeline than you'll be all set. If you are looking for someone who was of the Jewish faith, you may want to consider using the Boston Jewish Advocate Database. It contains over 23,000 listings from 1905-2004. The small town of Natick has its own online system you can check out. It is the vital records index from 1874-1913 and contains information for residents of Middlesex County. Finally, the Vineyard Gazette newspaper has many of their old listings online as well, including information from as far back as 1850. You can also check the local newspaper website for the town or region you are trying to search. For Marriages In Massachusetts, public records from the modern era (since 1916) can be found at the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.