Norfolk County, Massachusetts Records

Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Map It) was created on March 26, 1793 from Suffolk County. The county was named for the English county of Norfolk. Old Norfork County was formed on May 10, 1643 and abolished on February 4, 1680, the towns remaining in Norfolk County were re-annexed to Essex County. Exeter, Salisbury, Hampton, Haverhill, Dover, and Portsmouth (formerly Strawberry Banke) were town in this county until it was abolished. All but Salisbury and Haverhill are now in New Hampshire. Records for these towns in this period are located here.

Norfolk County is bordered by Middlesex County (north), Suffolk County (northeast), Plymouth County (southeast), Bristol County (south), Providence County, Rhode Island (southwest), Worcester County (west).

Norfolk County Cities and Towns include Avon, Bellingham, Braintree, Brookline, Canton, Chestnut Hill, Cohasset, Dedham, Dover, East Walpole, East Weymouth, Foxborough, Franklin, Holbrook, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Milton, Needham, Norfolk, North Weymouth, Norwood, Plainville, Quincy, Randolph, Sharon, South Weymouth, Stoughton, Walpole, Wellesley, Westwood, Weymouth, Wollaston, Wrentham.

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

Norfolk County, Massachusetts Courthouse Records

Norfolk County, Massachusetts Courthouse
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Norfolk County, MA Courthouse

The Norfolk County Courthouse is located in Dedham, Massachusetts. Plymouth County towns of Hingham and Hull were part of Norfolk County from 1793-1803. Exeter, Salisbury, Hampton, Haverhill, Dover, and Portsmouth (formerly Strawbery Banke) were in this county until it was abolished. All but Salisbury and Haverhill are now in New Hampshire. Probate and deed records for these towns in this period are located here. 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 Norfolk 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.

  • Norfolk County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1793. 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.
  • Norfolk County Clerk of Probate Court has Probate Records from 1793. Probate Records 1643 - 1714 are at Essex County Probate Court, Salem. 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.
  • Norfolk County Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1793. The County Clerk of Courts has jurisdiction over all civil, criminal, and equity cases.
  • Norfolk 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.

Norfolk County, Massachusetts Census Records

Norfolk County, Massachusetts Vital Records

Norfolk County, Massachusetts Resources

Norfolk County, Massachusetts External Links

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