Another underutilized genealogy resource is Church Records. We tend to focus our research on civil records, but need to be aware that often church records pre-dated civil records and are a great resource as well. In the BMD Records section of this website, there are about 15,000 collections of civil records that are available online. Yes, that’s a lot, but we need to also search church records as well.
What can we find in church or synagogue records? Here’s just a shortlist of what nuggets we can find:
Baptisms and Christenings
Marriages
Deaths
Burials
Confirmations
Membership lists
Church Minutes
Church Directories
Transfer Letters
Bar or Bat Mitzvahs
Sunday School lists
Church newsletters
In addition, many folks also documented important events in family bibles, so they need to be searched as well if the event information has been digitized.
Here are a couple of articles that you might find useful:
There is a large number of Free Online Church Record collections; the links for the state are below:
Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.
(Updated January 2020; recently added links are in BOLD):
- Abington, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1714-1877)
- Adams, Quaker Church, 1783-1842
- Adams,Society of Friends. East Hoosuck Monthly Meeting Book of Records for East Hoosuck Monthly Meeting to record births and burials
- Athol, Church Records 1831-1835
- Attleboro, Second Congregational Church Membership and Vital Records 1900-1989
- Barnstable, East Parish Church, Church Records (1717-1816)
- Barnstable, West Parish Church, Church Records (1639-1853)
- Berkley, Congregational Church, Church Records (1737-1814)
- Berkshire County, Miscellaneous Church Records
- Beverly, Records of the First Church in Massachusetts, 1667-1772
- Beverly, First Church Records, 1667-1772
- Beverly, First Parish Church Register of baptisms 1667-1710
- Boston, Old South Church, Church Records (1669-1882)
- Boston, Grace Church Church Records, 1828-1865
- Boston, New Brick Church Church Records, 1722-1776
- Boston, South Congregational Church Church Records; marriages, baptisms, burials, 1828-1885
- Boxford, First Church, Church Records (1703-1823)
- Boylston, First Church, Church Records (1718-1859)
- Bradford, First Church of Christ, Church Records (1682-1915)
- Braintree, First Church, Church Records (1697-1825)
- Brattle Square, Boston, The Manifesto Church, Records, lists of communicants, baptisms, marriages, and funerals, 1699-1872
- Brewster, Congregational Church Records 1700-1792
- Brockton, First Parish Congregational Church, Church Records (1738-1852)
- Byfield Massachusetts Parish Records
- Byfield, Byfield Parish Church, Church Records (1709-1845)
- Cambridge, First Church, Church Records (1638-1783)
- Cambridge, Records of the Church of Christ, 1632-1830
- Cambridge, Second Church, Church Records (1739)
- Cambridge, Church of Christ at Cambridge Records , 1632-1830
- Cheshire, First Baptist Church, Records
- Cheshire, Lanesborough Baptist Church Records
- Danvers, First Church, Church Records (1689-1845)
- Dedham, First Church Church Records, ca. 1588-1736
- Dorchester, First Church, Church Records (1727-1784)
- Dorchester, First Church Records, 1636-1734
- Enfield Congregational Church Records (vol. 4) , 1861–1885
- Essex, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1681-1879)
- Falmouth, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1731-1790)
- Franklin, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1737-1887)
- Georgetown, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1736-1886)
- Grafton, Congregational Church, Church Records (1731-1828)
- Granville, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1757-1848)
- Greenfield, St. James’ Church, Records of proceedings from the first formation of the society, 1812
- Groton, Early Church Records, 1761-1830
- Hadley, First Church in Hadley Records, 1832-1900
- Hanover, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1728-1800)
- Harwich, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1745-1899)
- Haverhill, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1719-1756)
- Haverhill, West Parish Congregational Church, Church Records (1734-1900)
- Hopkinton, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1708-1880)
- Hull, Congregational Church, Church Records (1725-1767)
- Ipswich, First Church, Church Records (1724-1830)
- Ipswich, South Church, Church Records (1747-1868)
- Lancaster, Birth, marriage, and death Register, Church Records, 1643-1850
- Lancaster, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1708-1846)
- Lancaster, Birth, marriage, and death register, Lancaster, 1643-1850
- Lanesborough, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church Records, 1767 to 1900
- Lexington, Church Records, Church of Our Redeemer, 1884-1916
- Lynnfield, First Church, Book of Records
- Manchester, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1717-1881)
- Marblehead, Old North Church, Church Records (1684-1886)
- Marblehead, Second Church, Church Records (1714-1850)
- Marblehead, Third Church, Church Records (1858-1877)
- Marlborough, First Church, Church Records (1704-1839)
- Massachusetts, Church Records, 1630-1943
- Mattapoisett, Congregational Church, Church Records (1736-1886)
- Medfield, First Parish Unitarian Church, Church Records (1697-1880)
- Medway, First Church of Christ, Church Records (1730-1876)
- Merrimac, Pilgrim Congregational Church, Church Records (1725-1848)
- Methuen, First Congregational Church Baptisms and marriages
- Middleboro, First Church, Church Records (1707-1865)
- Milton, First Congregational Church, Church Records, 1681-1754
- Natick, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1721-1862)
- New Bedford, Catholic Church. Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Records, 1897-1912
- Newbury, First Church, Church Records (1634-1828)
- Newbury, Second Church, Church Records (1696-1857)
- Newburyport, First Religious Society, Church Records (1725-1816)
- Newton, First Church, Church Records (1773-1827)
- North Middleboro, Backus Memorial Baptist Church Church Records, 1756-1894
- Northampton, First Church of Christ (1661-1846)
- Northampton, First Church Records of Deaths in Mass. (1653-1880)
- Northbridge, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1782-1836)
- Norwell, First Parish Church, Church Records (1642-1908)
- Oxford, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1721-1850)
- Pembroke, First Church, Church Records (1711-1887)
- Phillipston, Church Records, 1785-1876
- Pittsfield, Zion’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Birth and Baptism Records 1860 – 1923
- Plymouth, Church Records 1620–1859
- Plymouth, First Church Church Records, 1620-1859
- Quincy, Bethany Church Records, 1832-1857
- Reading, Second Church of Christ, Church Records (1720-1806)
- Rehoboth, First Church of Christ, Church Records (1785)
- Rehoboth, Congregational Church Records,
- Rockport, First Congregational Church Records of the Fifth parish 1752-1771
- Rowley, First Church Early Records
- Rowley, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1664-1835)
- Rowley, First Church, Record of Deaths
- Rowley, first and second parishes, Record of baptisms, marriages, and deaths 1665 to 1838.
- Roxbury, First Baptist Church Church Records, 1821-1884
- Roxbury, Third Parish Church Church Records, 1771-1860
- Salem, East Church Record of the Parish list of deaths, 1785-1819
- Salem, East Church, Church Records (1717-1806)
- Salem, First Church, Church Records (1629-1843)
- Salem, North Church, Church Records (1772-1831)
- Salem, South Church, Church Records (1774-1805)
- Salem, Tabernacle Church, Church Records (1743-1850)
- Salisbury, First Church, Church Records (1746)
- Salisbury, First Church Records 1752-1805
- Sandwich, First Church, Church Records (1691-1853)
- Scituate, Second church records
- Scituate, Second Church Records (in abstract) 1645-1850.
- Scituate, St. Andrew’s Protestant Episcopal Church, History and Records, 1725-1811
- Sheffield, Second North Housatonic Parish of Sheffield, Church Records (1743)
- Sheffield, Early Records, Congregational Church
- Shelburne, Congregational Church Record Book, 1773-1880
- Somerset, Congregational Christian Church, Church Records (1840-1912)
- Southampton, Congregational Church Records
- Springfield, Sixth Church of Christ, Record book, 1762-1819
- Sterling, First Congregational Church Church Records, 1744-1813
- Stoneham, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1728-1889)
- Sturbridge, Congregational Church, Church Records (1736-1831)
- Sturbridge, Separatist Church, Church Records (1749-1762)
- Topsfield, Baptismal Records 1727-1779
- Topsfield, Congregational Church, Church Records (1684-1869)
- Topsfield, Congregational Church Baptismal Records 1779-1841
- Topsfield, Congregational Church Early Records
- Wareham, First Congregational Church Records 1739-1850
- Watertown, West Church, Church Records (1709)
- Wendell, Congregational Church, Church Records (1783-1847)
- Wenham, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1643-1847)
- West Brookfield, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1754-1867)
- West Stockbridge, First Congregational Church, Church Records (1789-1889)
- Westborough, Church of Christ, Church Records (1724-1787)
- Westfield, First Church, Marriage Records 1781-1835
- Weston, First Parish Church, Church Records (1709-1864)
- Weymouth, Old South Church, Church Records (1723-1886)
- Williamsburg, Church of Christ Records 1804-1839
- Winchendon, Church records, 1801-1834
- Worcester County, Church Records of the Congregational Society of Leominster
- Worcester, First Congregational Church, Records 1747-1892
- Wrentham, Second Church, Church Records (1767)
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
For other Free Massachusetts Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Obituaries
BMD Records
Photos
Yearbooks
Directories
Divorce Records
Naturalizations
Church Records
School Records
Coroner Records
Voter Records
Probate and Wills
Immigration
Mortuary Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on email
