Bristol County, Massachusetts Records

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Bristol County, Massachusetts Courthouse Records
Bristol County, Massachusetts Census Records
Bristol County, Massachusetts Vital Records
Bristol County, Massachusetts Resources
Bristol County, Massachusetts External Links

Bristol County, Massachusetts (Map It) was created on June 2, 1685 as one of three original counties created in the Plymouth Colony. The county was named for its original county seat of Bristol, Massachusetts, which is named for the English port city of Bristol - when the Town of Bristol joined Rhode Island, the name of the county was kept.

Bristol County is bordered by Norfolk County (north), Plymouth County (northeast), Newport County, Rhode Island (southwest), Bristol County, Rhode Island (west), Providence County, Rhode Island (northwest).

Bristol County Cities and Towns include Acushnet, Attleboro, Berkley, Dartmouth, Dighton, Easton, Fairhaven, Fall River, Freetown, Mansfield, New Bedford, North Attleborough, Norton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Taunton, Westport.

MapGeeks.org has is a collection of old Massachusetts maps.

Bristol County, Massachusetts Courthouse Records

Bristol County, Massachusetts Courthouse
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Bristol County, MA Courthouse
Old Bristol County, Massachusetts Courthouse
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Old Bristol County Courthouse

The Bristol County Courthouse is located in Taunton, Massachusetts. The county seat was Bristol until 1746 when succeeded by Taunton. The Taunton seat divided into three districts in 1837 with Taunton remaining as probate office but only registry of deeds for the Northern District. Learn More About State of Massachusetts Court, Tax, Land and Probate Records.

The Clerk's Office DOES NOT DO RESEARCH. Most staff will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the individual to do the research. For Town Records contact the City/Town Hall Clerk.

The following dates indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Bristol county. The date listed for each record is usually the earliest registration filed. The date does not indicate that there are alot records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually filed with the clerk.

  • Bristol County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1685. The County Register of Deeds is the place where all transactions of a Real Property nature are recorded so that the public is made aware of their existence. Deeds, mortgages, tax liens, water liens, declaration of homestead and many other kinds of documents regarding the title and ownership of real estate are noted permanently in official records.
    • Northern District includes the towns of Attleboro, Berkley, Dighton, Easton, Mansfield, North Attleboro, Norton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Taunton.
    • Southern District includes the towns of Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, New Bedford and Westport.
    • Fall River District includes the towns of Fall River, Freetown, Somerset and Swansea.
  • Bristol County Clerk of Probate Court has Probate Records from 1685. The County Clerk of Probate Court has many responsibilities which include the administration of estates, probate of wills, and the appointment of guardians, have been under the jurisdiction of the courts since the 1630s. County courts and later, county judges of probate, were responsible for these functions until 1783, when the probate courts were established. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the probate and family courts were given jurisdiction over adoptions, divorces, name changes, and domestic relations.
  • Bristol County Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1685. The County Clerk of Courts has jurisdiction over all civil, criminal, and equity cases.
  • Bristol County Town Clerks has copies of vital records (birth, marriage, divorce and death records). Clerks respond to inquiries regarding vital records, since most have indexes available. They also have tax lists that may still be available at the town office. Earlier taxes for the towns exist as well.

Bristol County, Massachusetts Census Records

Bristol County, Massachusetts Vital Records

Bristol County, Massachusetts Resources

Bristol County, Massachusetts External Links

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