Barnstable County, Massachusetts Genealogy
This is a historical and genealogical guide to the county of Barnstable. You will find help with town histories, vital records, deeds and land records, city directories, cemetery records and cemeteries, churches, town records, newspapers, maps, and libraries.
- Massachusetts Genealogy Guide - Guide to Massachusetts State-wide Records
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Barnstable County Massachusetts History
- 3 Barnstable County Massachusetts Genealogy Resources
- 4 Barnstable County Massachusetts Libraries and Genealogy Societies
- 5 Populated Places
- 6 Barnstable County Massachusetts Genealogy References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for Barnstable, England.[1] It is located in the southeast area of the state.[2]
Barnstable County, Massachusetts Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| at town creation | at town creation | at town creation | 1828 | 1827 | 1686 | 1779 |
Barnstable County Massachusetts History[edit | edit source]
Brief History[edit | edit source]
Barnstable County is often called Cape Cod and both refer to the same region. This is area where the Mayflower first landed at what is now called Provincetown. The area was a frequent stop for early fishermen before the arrival of the Pilgrims, and settlements started here not long after the founding of Plymouth Colony. The earliest records will be found in the Colony's records and those of the individual towns. Plymouth Colony did not establish a county system until 1685. This county became part of Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. Since settlers generally used the water for transportation, it is not uncommon to find Cape Codders on the coast of Maine, New Jersey, Barbados, and places in between. There was a fire in 1827 that destroyed almost all the deeds to that point. Fortunately, the probate records survive.
Historical Data[edit | edit source]
The basic data are from the historical county boundary series[4] with additions from various sources.
| Dates | Events |
|---|---|
| 2 June 1685 | Barnstable was one of three original counties created by New Plymouth Colony. [Ply. Laws, Ch. 6, p. 19] |
| 7 Oct. 1691 | Barnstable became a county in the rechartered Massachusetts Bay Colony with no change to its borders. [Mass. Col. Acts, Vol. 1, Ch. 27 [1692/3], Sec. 1, p. 63] |
| 19 Nov. 1707 | Lost the town of Rochester when it was moved into the jurisdiction of Plymouth County. [Mass. Col. Acts, Vol. 21, Ch. 60 [1707], p. 755] |
| 14 Apr. 1897 | Border between Bourne and Wareham, Plymouth Co., clarified - no change. [Mass. Acts, 1897, Ch. 281, Sec. 1, p. 258] |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
Fire destroyed nearly all the early deed books and probate files, but probate books survived. Although the official deed books only begin in 1827, many deeds were pre-recorded back to about 1783, though these are far from complete.
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
- Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle.
- When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog.
- Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.
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:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
|
|
|
| Census-designated places | ||
County Histories[edit | edit source]
Works written on the county include:
- "Chronology of Events in Cape Cod History" in Cape Cod Magazine, 1: [June 1915]: 29-31; [July 1915]: 36-38; [Sept. 1915]: 38; [Oct. 1915]: 37-38; [Nov. 1915]: 35-37; [Dec. 1915]: 32-34; [Jan. 1916]: 38-39; [Feb. 1916]: 39; [Mar. 1916]: 37.
WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL.
Digital version at Internet Archive for May 1915 - Apr. 1916 issue. - Congregational Churches in Massachusetts. Barnstable Association. The Barnstable Conference of Evangelical Churches, comprising the constitution of the conference, with a concise history of the churches (Yarmouthport, Mass., 1866), 50 pp.
WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL.
No digital version found. - Simeon L. Deyo, ed., History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts: 1620-1637-1686-1890 (New York, 1890), xii, 1010 pp.
WorldCat (Other Libraries); FHL book 974.492 H2d and film 1000064 Item 1 (with index and digital link).
Digital versions at Internet Archive and Ancestry ($). - John Hoag Dillingham, The Society of Friends in Barnstable County, Massachusetts (New York, 1891), 39 pp.
WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL.
Digital versions at Google Books and Ancestry ($). - Frederick Freeman, The History of Cape Cod: the Annals of Barnstable County, including the District of Mashpee (Boston, 1858-1862), 2v.
WorldCat (Other Libraries); FHL book 974.492 H2f and film 1698285 Items 1-2 or FHL book 974.492 H2ff (1965 rep.).
Digital versions at Internet Archive (v. 1 and V. 2), Google Books (v. 1 and v. 2), and Ancestry ($). - Claude E. Heaton, "The Indians had a name for it" in Cape Cod Compass, 20 [1967]: 34-35, 78-79, OR 7 [1952]: 53-56.
WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. - Henry Crocker Kittredge, Shipmasters of Cape Cod (Boston, 1935), 319 pp.
WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. - Enoch Pratt, "Complete List of the Congregational Ministers in the County of Barnstable, Mass. from the settlement of the country to 1842" in American Quarterly Register, 15 [1842/3]: 58-72.
WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. - Three Centuries of the Cape Cod County: Barnstable, Massachusetts, 1685 to 1985 (West Yarmouth, Mass., 1985), 437 pp.
WorldCat (Other Libraries); Not at FHL. - Cape Cod Gravestones, a comprehensive inventory of gravestones up to 1880 [and now working up to 1900] for all fifteen towns on the Cape - many early ones include a photograph.
- Robbin's Favorite Genealogy Sites, a collection of Cape Cod genealogy links for libraries and resources available on the Internet.
- The Barnstable County MA GenWeb Project, an member of The MAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- The USGenWeb Archives Project for Barnstable County
Manuscripts digitized online:
- Lydia B. Brownson, Grace W. Held, and Doris V. Norton, "Genealogical Notes of Cape Cod Families" (Duxbury, Mass., typ., 1966), 50v.
This manuscript is part of the Special Collections at the Sturis Library in Barnstable. It is alphabetically by surname and then by given name below that. It is a culmination of research in published histories and genealogies, and from the vital records of the various towns.
Digital version of the 50 volumes is at Internet Archive. To go directly to an individual volume, use this guide below:
Barnstable County Massachusetts Genealogy Resources[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
In Massachusetts, the original vital records (of births, marriages, and deaths) have been created and maintained by the town or city in which the event occurred. In very early colonial times, copies of these records were submitted to the county, but that practice died out before 1800. There were marriage intentions commonly recorded in the bride's home town and additional recordings maybe found in the groom's home town and their current residence.
Massachusetts was the first state to bring a unified state-level recording of these events (but not marriage intentions) in 1841 (Boston excluded until 1850). The associated records of divorce and adoption are handled by the courts. The state has maintained a state-wide index to divorces since 1952, but adoption records will require more researching to discover.
It is easiest to start with the state vital records for events since 1841, though realize the original record is with the town or city. More details can be found on the Massachusetts Genealogy Guide page.
Online Vital Records
- 1626-2001 - Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1638-1961 - Massachusetts Town Records, ca. 1638-1961 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1841-1920 - Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1666-1970 - Massachusetts, Delayed and Corrected Vital Records, 1753-1900 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 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 ($)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1600-1961 - Massachusetts, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1841-1915 - Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- Massachusetts, Marriages, 1841-1915 at MyHeritage - index ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1840-1910 Massachusetts Death Index at MyHeritge - index only ($)
Cemetery[edit | edit source]
| Tombstone Transcriptions Online | Tombstone Transcriptions in Print | List of Cemeteries in the county |
| Findagrave.com | Family History Library | Findagrave.com |
| USGenWeb | WorldCat | Billion Graves |
| MAGenWeb Archives | FamilySearch Places | |
| Tombstone Project | ||
| MAInterment | ||
| MAGravestones | ||
| Billion Graves | ||
| See Massachusetts Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1790 | 17,342 | — |
| 1800 | 19,293 | 11.3% |
| 1810 | 22,211 | 15.1% |
| 1820 | 24,026 | 8.2% |
| 1830 | 28,514 | 18.7% |
| 1840 | 32,548 | 14.1% |
| 1850 | 35,276 | 8.4% |
| 1860 | 35,990 | 2.0% |
| 1870 | 32,774 | −8.9% |
| 1880 | 31,897 | −2.7% |
| 1890 | 29,172 | −8.5% |
| 1900 | 27,826 | −4.6% |
| 1910 | 27,542 | −1.0% |
| 1920 | 26,670 | −3.2% |
| 1930 | 32,305 | 21.1% |
| 1940 | 37,295 | 15.4% |
| 1950 | 46,805 | 25.5% |
| 1960 | 70,286 | 50.2% |
| 1970 | 96,656 | 37.5% |
| 1980 | 147,925 | 53.0% |
| 1990 | 186,605 | 26.1% |
| 2000 | 222,230 | 19.1% |
| 2010 | 215,888 | −2.9% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- 1837 - 1965 - Maine & Massachusetts Case Files of Deceased and Deserted Seamen 1837-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Land Records[edit | edit source]
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.
Barnstable County Registry of Deeds
PO Box 368
3195 Main Street
Barnstable MA 02630
Phone 508-362-7733
The Registry burned in 1827 and almost all records were lost before that point. Indexes go back to 1703, so it can be seen what is missing. Land owners were asked to re-record their deeds. These go back to 1783. Volume 61 (1804-1808) survived. Many unrecorded deeds have been given to the Sturgis Library below. These have been published piecemeal over the years. The FamilySearch Catalog has these individual deeds cataloged.
Records are available at the Registry. Most of the following records are available online at Barnstable Record Access:
- Recorded land [deeds], indexes and deeds, 1704-present.
- Recorded land plans, indexes and deeds, all.
- Land Court name index, incomplete, see changing caveat on search screen.
- Land Court Documents, 1899-present.
- Wills, inventories, etc., 1637-1685, FHL film 904595 Item 1 and New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Note: These records were copied in 1893 from the original records of Plymouth Colony that reference to land that became Barnstable County. - Deeds, v. 1-88 (1815-1868), and Indexes, 1703-1868, FHL film 843118 (1st of 51).
- Deeds recopied, 1783-1870 (volumes by town), Mashpee, 1831-1870, FHL film 846000 (1st of 18).
- Mashpee (district and town), deeds, 1842-1901, from Superior Court, FHL film 1846563 Items 5-7.
- Deeds, vol. 61, 1804-1808, FHL film 843116.
Town Records[edit | edit source]
- 1626-2001 - Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate and Family Court is organized on a county level in Massachusetts since the creation of the counties. The main records genealogists seek are testate (wills), intestate (administrations), guardianships, and divorces (since 1922), though there are many more that are valuable to any researcher, too. See a further discussion of the topic in general on the Massachusetts Genealogy Guide.
Barnstable County Probate and Family Court
PO Box 346
3195 Main Street
Barnstable MA 02630
Phone 508-375-6710
Email Barnstableprobatebarnstablecountypfc.com
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 Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us
- 1635 – 1991 Massachusetts Wills and Probate Records 1635-1991 at Ancestry.com — index and images, $
- Wills, inventories, etc., 1637-1685, FHL film 904595 Item 1 and New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Note: These records were copied in 1893 from the original records of Plymouth Colony that reference to land that became Barnstable County. - Probate and guardianship records, 1674-1950, FHL film 1838958 (1st of 66) and New England Historic Genealogical Society.
- Probate records, 1696-1894, being Index to v. 1-64; Consolidated general index, 1686-1950; and probate records, v. 1-102 (1686-1863+), FHL film 904595 (1st of 51) and New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Microfilmed records found at the Massachusetts Archive (16 mm film):
- General index, 1686-1950, 5 v.
- General index, 1951-1955, 1956-1960, 1961-1965, 1966-1970.
- Divorce index, 1922-1965, 1966-1970, 1971-1975.
- Docket books, v. 25-43.
- Record books, v. 1-403 (v. 396-399 do not exist).
- File papers, reels 1-64 - missing, no film for #1-22744.
- File papers, reels 65-299, #22745-48415.
- Scott Andrew Bartley, "Barnstable County Probate Index, 1686 to 1850" in the Mayflower Descendant:
- Abraham to Avery, 53 [2004]: 29-45.
- Backus to Butler, 53 [2004]: 149-170; 54 [2005]: 31-47, 152-164.
- Series never finished as the plan was to place it the society website, but they never got to Barnstable County.
- Abraham to Avery, 53 [2004]: 29-45.
Other Court Records[edit | edit source]
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 Elizabeth.Bouvier@sjc.state.ma.us
Quarterly Court of General Sessions of the Peace[edit | edit source]
This court was active from 1692 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.
No microfilmed records found at the Family History Library or Massachusetts Archives. See the Supreme Judicial Court Archives above for the original records. These records are likely all lost in the fire of 1827.
Inferior Court of Common Pleas[edit | edit source]
This court was active from 1692 to 1859. The court heard all civil cases over 40s unless a case involved freehold or was appealed from a justice of the peace.
The record up to 1827 were likely lost in the fire of 1827, but this needs to be verified.
The records microfilmed:
- Court records, v. 1-5, 1827-1859, FHL films 1846338-1846340 and Massachusetts Archives.
Superior Court[edit | edit source]
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.
- Plaintiff index, 1885-1913, FHL film 1846237 Item 1.
- Court records, v. 1-17, 1859-1932, FHL film 1846340 (1st of 7) and Massachusetts Archives.
Supreme Judicial Court[edit | edit source]
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.
No microfilmed records found at the Family History Library or Massachusetts Archives. See the Supreme Judicial Court Archives above for the original records. The records before 1827 are likely all lost in the fire of 1827.
Naturalization Records[edit | edit source]
- 1871-1991 - Massachusetts, United States Naturalization Records, 1871-1991 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1906-1917 - Massachusetts, Naturalization Records, 1906-1917 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
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.
| Record | Dates | Location | Index | Microfilm/Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Judicial Ct. | 1827-1886 | National Archives - Waltham | Part of Card Index to New England Naturalization Petitions, 1791-1906, NARA M1299, FHL film 1429671 (1st of 117) | FHL Digital Capture 7469485 (part of above); Part of the United States, New England Petitions for Naturalization Index, 1791-1906 - How to Use this Collection |
| Record | Dates | Location | Index | Microfilm/Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior Court | Declarations, 1907-1935 | Barnstable courthouse, Hyannis | Index in each volume | FHL film 1846562-1846563. |
| Superior Court | Naturalizations, 1907-1933 | Barnstable courthouse, Hyannis | Index in each volume | FHL film 1846237-1846238, 1846338. |
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
for more resources
There are so many published maps of interest to genealogists and historians that this list will not be recreated here. The focus is with resources you can access online and in the Family History Library.
- George H. Walker, Atlas of Barnstable County, Massachusetts (Boston, 1880) at FHL film 1321461 Item 1 and online for view or sale at Historic Map Works.
- Henry F. Walling, Map of the Counties of Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket, Massachusetts (1858) at the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, Boston Public Library and FHL fiche 6079543.
Military[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War[edit | edit source]
- 1775 - 1783 - Massachusetts, Revolutionary War, Index Cards to Muster Rolls, 1775-1783 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1805 - 1845 - Massachusetts Revolutionary War Bounty Land Applications, 1805-1845 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Barnstable County Massachusetts Libraries and Genealogy Societies[edit | edit source]
Sturgis Library
PO Box 606
3090 Main Street
Barnstable MA 02630
Phone 508-362-6636
Email sturgislibrary@comcast.net
This is the best genealogical library on the Cape with newspaper archive for the Barnstable Patriot, 1830-1930, with links ot other Cape archives; and Lothrop Genealogy and Local History Collection.
The Barnstable Historical Society
3084 Main St., P.O. Box 829
Barnstable, MA 02630
508-362-2982
E-mail: barnstablehistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Website Facdebook
Cape Cod Genealogical Society
PO Box 1394
Harwich MA 02645
This Society maintains a Genealogy Room at the Dennis Public Library, 5 Hall Street, Dennisport.
Email: info@capecodgenealogy.org
Website Facebook
The Falmouth Genealogical Society
PO Box 2107
East Falmouth MA 02536
Email: jluby02@aol.com
Website
Barnstable County Historical Societies CountyOffice.org
For information on additional archives and repositories, see
- List of Massachusetts Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
- Massachusetts Archives for information on additional archives and repositories
- List of Massachusetts Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
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
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
or 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:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
|
|
|
| Census-designated places | ||
Barnstable County Massachusetts Genealogy References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Britannica, “Barnstable County, Massachusetts, https://www.britannica.com/place/Barnstable-county-Massachusetts
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Barnstable County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnstable_County%2C_Massachusetts
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Barnstable County, Massachusetts . Page 329-331 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), 322-323.
- ↑ Massachusetts Atlas of Historical County Boundaries
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Barnstable County, Massachusetts," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnstable_County%2C_Massachusetts, accessed 06 March 2020.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Barnstable County, Massachusetts," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnstable_County%2C_Massachusetts, accessed 06 March 2020.
