Dukes County, Massachusetts Records

Table of Contents hide
Dukes County, Massachusetts Courthouse Records
Dukes County, Massachusetts Census Records
Dukes County, Massachusetts Vital Records
Dukes County, Massachusetts Resources
Dukes County, Massachusetts External Links

Dukes County was established twice, the first was by New York on November 1, 1683 until 1691 and the second time by Massachusetts on June 22, 1695 from Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands, which had been part of Dukes County, New York until Massachusetts gained it in 1691. The county was named for  Dukes County, New York, the land at one time was literally the possession of the Duke of York.

Dukes County is bordered by Plymouth County (north), Nantucket County (west), Barnstable County (northeast), Bristol County (northwest).

Dukes County Cities and Towns include Aquinnah (formerly Gay Head), Chilmark, Edgartown, Gosnold, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, West Tisbury.

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

Dukes County, Massachusetts Courthouse Records

Dukes County, Massachusetts Courthouse
  • Save

Dukes County, MA Courthouse

The Dukes County Courthouse is located in Edgartown, Massachusetts. Records from 1665 deal with Martha's Vineyard. 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 Dukes 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.

  • Dukes County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1686. 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.
  • Dukes County Clerk of Probate Court has Probate Records from 1696. 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.
  • Dukes County Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1665. The County Clerk of Courts has jurisdiction over all civil, criminal, and equity cases.
  • Dukes 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.

Dukes County, Massachusetts Census Records

Dukes County, Massachusetts Vital Records

Dukes County, Massachusetts Resources

Dukes County, Massachusetts External Links

genealogybank
  • Save
  • Save
fold3
  • Save
newspaper
  • Save
Amazon Books
  • Save