New Hampshire Genealogy
Guide to Ancestry and Family Tree Records

Captain John Smith sent settlers to the area that is now near Dover and Rye, along the Piscataqua River, in 1623. They were to establish a fishing village as part of a land grant from England. In 1630, Captain John Mason founded Portsmouth,

New Hampshire, and he also named the state at that time. In 1679, after 38 years of being part of a union with Massachusetts, New Hampshire was given its own royal colony status.

New Hampshire Counties – The Province of New Hampshire was organized on 1629. The State of New Hampshire was created as the 9th state on June 21, 1788. New Hampshire borders MaineMassachusettsVermont and Canada. New Hampshire has 10 Counties. The New Hampshire State Capital is in Concord and the state government website is www.nh.gov.

Select a New Hampshire county to view information & records pertaining to each County

New Hampshire Genealogy Record Guides

Getting Started with New Hampshire Genealogy and Family Trees

Your Guide for New Hampshire Genealogy – The “live free or die” state, New Hampshire has a diverse history. From Native American heritage, Revolutionary heroes, and many thousands of unique farmers, trappers, and travelers who settled in this region, there is a large demand for genealogical information. This is available online and in the many small historical societies, libraries, and museums that dot the state. This site will detail how to find the genealogical information that you need.

Good Tactics for New Hampshire Genealogy – As you begin exploring resources for New Hampshire genealogy, regardless of where you are doing this research, you will be happy to discover that many essential resources are available in the online and offline worlds.

Though it seems like everything is now digital or on the Internet, there are still a lot of private or town collections and local archives that have yet to be converted into online formats. This means that your first step in research for New Hampshire genealogy is to identify how to find and obtain the records you want. This is why it is necessary to become familiar with the “basics” that all researchers for New Hampshire genealogy will use.

Records for New Hampshire Genealogy – The public records that can be found in many physical locations are also found readily online too. You must know how to look for them, however, and using the following labels is going to be very useful in your search for New Hampshire genealogy information:

  • State Records – this group includes probate information, birth certificates, cemetery information, death records, deeds, estate information, genealogical folders, land records, maps, marriage details, military or veterans information, newspapers, private manuscripts, state census information, surname lists and more. These are available as online and offline resources for New Hampshire genealogy.
  • Local Records – traditionally, state research requires a visit to a county clerk’s office or website. From there you will often find yourself at small local libraries, historical societies, local genealogical societies, and school or college libraries for New Hampshire genealogy information. These are items that are usually offline and viewable by appointment or special arrangement.
  • Vital Records – these are the birth, marriage, divorce and death records from county, state, and national archives. They include newspaper items, military records, immigration and naturalization details, cemetery or obituary information, census records, and passenger lists and records as well. These tend to be available as online or offline resources for New Hampshire genealogy.

Best Resources for New Hampshire Genealogy – You will be surprised by the amount of data available for New Hampshire genealogy projects. The following records for New Hampshire genealogy can be found either in person or online at:

Additionally, many of the vital, state and local records can be found at the following:

  • New Hampshire State Library, Genealogy Section, 20 Park Street, Concord NH 03301;
    This genealogy page provides access to town and county histories, town reports, census data, newspapers, biographies, directories, military indexes, and even professional research assistance.

You will also want to explore all of the incredible resources at the New Hampshire State Archives too.

New Hampshire Genealogy Databases and other Helpful Links

The websites indicated below will provide state-specific details that can give a large amount of information to those in search of facts for their New Hampshire genealogy projects.