
(This page's most recent update is January 2025)
Another type of genealogy record that provides tremendous value is tax records. Like city directories and voting registers, they provide information for us between federal censuses. They also can go back to colonial times.
Types of Taxes
- Income tax
- Federal direct tax
- Poll or head tax
- Real property, e.g., land
- Personal property, e.g., livestock, equipment, carriages, enslaved persons
- Other, such as special levies for roads, schools, etc.
Types of Information
- Date
- Residence address; property, license, or goods; value; tax amount; possibly profession, occupation, or trade
- Name of the taxpayer, usually white adult males
- Town/township/city, county, and state of residence
- Owner and/or renter of the property
- Number of white adult males in the home
- Type and value of property
- Livestock owned
- Personal property owned
- Amount of tax owed
- Profession, occupation, or trade
- Number of school-aged children
- Number of enslaved persons
Derivative information, such as birth date, death date, and date of marriage can often be estimated or determined from the presence or absence of a person in a tax list.
Good primers regarding the genealogical value of tax records and more details can be found in these articles:
- The Genealogical Benefits of Tax Records
- Using Poll Tax Records for Genealogy
- Genealogy 101: Tax Records
- Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 1
- Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 2
- Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 3
- United States Taxation
- The Value of Using US Tax Records in Genealogy Research
Note: Some links listed 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. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
New Hampshire Tax Records
Listed below are links to tax records that are available for free online for the state:
- Alexandria, Town Records, 1800-1849
- Antrim, Invoice and Taxes of the Town
- Benton, Town Records, 1764-1846
- Bretton Wood, Town Records, 1772-1831
- Carroll, Town Records, 1772-1865
- Chatham, Town Records, 1767-1826
- Chesterfield, Annual Reports of the Town
- Columbia, Town Records 1797-1829
- Dalton, Town Records, 1808-1829
- Dover, Tax List, 1647
- Dover, Tax Lists, 17th Century
- Effingham, Assessment Lists, 1834-1844
- Errol, Town Records, 1774-1811
- Exeter, Tax Records, 1763-1830
- Gorham, Town Records, 1836-1908
- Greenland, State’s Copy of Records of Greenland, V. 1-2, 1749-1832
- Hampton Falls, Town Records, 1677-1899
- Hancock, Church Records, 1788-1907
- Hill (New Chester), Merrimack County, Tax List, 1774
- Jefferson, Town Records, 1798-1825
- Keene, Tax Records, 1849-1899
- Kensington, Biographical Volum[e] of Kensington Writings, 1940-1945
- Kensington, Selectmen’s Records 1761-1852
- Lancaster, Town Records 1763-1835
- Nelson, Town Records, 1757-1855
- New Castle, Town Tax, 1720
- New Durham, Invoice Records, 1851-1865
- New Hampshire, Internal Revenue Assessment Lists for 1862-1866
- New Hampshire, Non-resident Tax Lists, 1849-1874
- New Hampshire, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1636-1947
- Rindge, Invoice and Taxes of the Town
- Rochester, Records; Selectmen’s Records 1794-1824
- Shelburne, Town Records, 1820-1825
- Springfield, Springfield Records of Inventory and Taxes, 1794-1824
- Stark, Records; Original Town Records, Proprietor’s Records, Tax Records, 1773-1832
- Stewartstown, Town Records, 1799-1815
- Tax Books, 1727-1788
- United States Internal Revenue Assessment Lists, 1862-1874
- Warren, Grafton County, Tax List, 1781
- Whitefield, Town Records, 1784-1893
- Winchester, Annual Reports of the Town
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!