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Free Massachusetts Online Church Records

1/28/2020

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Another under utilized 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:
​
  • U.S. Church Records Research Guide
  • United States Church Records
  • A Genealogist’s Guide to Using Catholic Records in Genealogy Research

There is a large number of Free Online Church Record collections; the links accessible by state 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
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