Worcester County, Massachusetts Records

Worcester County, Massachusetts (Map It) was created on April 2, 1731 from Hampshire County, Middlesex County and Suffolk County. The county was named for its county seat of Worcester, which is named in honor of the English city of Worcester and the English Civil War Battle of Worcester in 1651, a Parliamentarian victory.

Worcester County is bordered by Cheshire County, New Hampshire (north), Hillsborough County, New Hampshire (north/northeast), Middlesex County (east/northeast), Norfolk County (east/southeast), Providence County, Rhode Island (south/southeast), Windham County, Connecticut (south), Tolland County, Connecticut (south/southwest), Hampden County (west/southwest), Hampshire County (west), Franklin County (west/northwest).

Worcester County Cities and Towns include Ashburnham, Athol, Auburn, Barre, Berlin, Blackstone, Bolton, Boylston, Brookfield, Charlton, Clinton, Douglas, Dudley, East Brookfield, East Douglas, East Templeton, Fitchburg, Gardner, Grafton, Harvard, Holden, Hopedale, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leicester, Leominster, Lunenburg, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, New Braintree, North Brookfield, North Grafton, Northborough, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Rutland, Shrewsbury, South Grafton, South Royalston, Southborough, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, Warren, Webster, Westborough, West Boylston, West Brookfield, Westminster, Winchendon, and Worcester.

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

Worcester County, Massachusetts Courthouse Records

Worcester County, Massachusetts Courthouse
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Worcester County, MA Courthouse
Old Worcester County, Massachusetts Courthouse
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Old Worcester County Courthouse

The Worcester County Courthouse is located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The county government was abolished on July 1, 1998. Though Worcester County still remains, the county governmenthas been "abolished" , their offices being put under the direction of certain state offices. Example: the Registry of Deeds offices in abolished counties are now under the direction of the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Office;  Sheriffs and jails are under the Secretary of Public Safety. 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 Worcester 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.

  • Worcester County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1731. 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.
    • Worcester District includes the towns of Athol, Auburn, Barre, Berlin, Blackstone, Bolton, Brookfield, Charlton, Clinton, Douglas, Dudley, East Brookfield, Gardner, Grafton, Hardwick, Harvard, Holden, Hopedale, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leicester, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Northboro, Northbridge, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipstown, Princeton, Royalston, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southboro, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, Warren, Webster, Westboro, West Boylston, West Brookfield, Winchedon and Worcester.
    • Northern District includes the towns of Ashburnham, Fitchburg, Leominster, Lunenburg and Westminster.
  • Worcester County Clcerk of Probate Court has Probate Records from 1731. 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.
  • Worcester County Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1731. The County Clerk of Courts has jurisdiction over all civil, criminal, and equity cases.
  • Worcester 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.

Worcester County, Massachusetts Census Records

Worcester County, Massachusetts Vital Records

Worcester County, Massachusetts Resources

Worcester County, Massachusetts External Links

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