The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is January 2025)
______________________________________
Institutional records are another class of collections that should be part of one’s genealogy research repertoire. Although most of your ancestors may not have spent time in an institution, I’ll bet that almost every family tree has several that have. So they are worth your effort to research.
Here are a few good primers for searching institutional records:
- FamilySearch – Institution and School Records
- Finding Your Ancestors in Poor House or Poor Farm Records
- Researching Ancestors in Asylums
What kind of institutions and types of records can we discover?
- Poorhouse
- Poor Farm
- Orphanage
- Orphan Train
- Mental Hospital
- Workhouse
- Almshouse
- Institutional School
- Sanitarium
- Asylums
- Correctional institutions
Acquiring records from each of these types of institutions may be difficult because of privacy concerns, but they are worth the effort.
Below you will find free online institutional records you can use to help you discover more about your relatives who have spent time in an institution.
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.
Maine Free Online Institutional Records
- Cumberland County, Alms House Yard Cemetery
- Cumberland County, Maine Jail Records
- Knox County, Prison Cemetery
- Knox County, Rockland Almshouse Burying Ground
- Knox County, Thomaston State Prison Cemetery
- Maine Military Childrens Home, 1874-1906
- Maine, 1836 (circa) List of State Paupers At the Maine Insane Hospital
- Maine, 1887-1902 Register of Patients, Maine Insane Hospital Superintendent’s Office
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Autopsy Files, 1912-1913
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 1 – 1840-1842
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 10 – 1854-1857
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 11 – 1856-1858
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 12 – 1857-1861
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 14 – 1862-1866
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 15 – 1864-1868
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 16 – 1866-1868
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 17 – 1868-1869
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 2 – 1842-1844
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 3 – 1844-1845
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 4 – 1845-1847
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 5 – 1847-1848
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 6 – 1848-1849
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 7 – 1849-1850
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 8 – 1850-1852
- Maine, Maine Insane Hospital Patient Cases, Volume 9 – 1852-1854
- Maine, Pauper Accounts by Town, 1863-1907
- Maine, Pineland Center AKA Maine School for the Feeble-Minded Case Files
- Maine, Volume 1, Book of Admissions to the Maine Insane Hospital from October 13, 1840 to April 12, 1856
- Maine, Volume 2, Book of Admissions to the Maine Insane Hospital from April 12, 1856 to February 15, 1871
- Portland, City of Portland Records, 1786-1882
- Sagadahoc County, Old Alms House Burying Ground
- York County, 1850 Alms House Census
- York County, Kennebunk Poor Farm Cemetery
- York County, Poor Farm Cemetery
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!