Genealogy

To the Researcher

The State Library's genealogy collection spans a large geographical area, primarily emphasizing Maine, with good coverage of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Other parts of New England are included as well, with some additional sources on northeastern states. We also have a growing collection of materials relating to Quebec Province and the Maritimes.

Check out the latest Genealogy Newsletter. [PDF,171KB] This file requires the free Adobe Reader.

FamilySearch

The State Library is affiliated with FamilySearch International. You may search their catalog, select the microfilm that you'd like to borrow, submit the appropriate fees online using PayPal or credit card, and have it delivered to us for your viewing. Fees start at $7.50 per roll of film; microfiche is also available for a very small amount.

Please contact us if you need assistance!

Subscriptions

The Maine State Library subscribes to:

• Ancestry Library Edition [Use is ONLY from within a public library] - access to thousands of vital records online
  • Narrated Webinars
    • Ancestry.Com Introduction
    • Ancestry Documents
    • Searching Ancestry
• HeritageQuest - census data, local history articles, Revolutionary War records and more.
  • For HeritageQuest use in the library
  • For HeritageQuest use from home and enter your Maine State Library (MSL) barcode. (back of your MSL library card)

Available Materials

• Microfilm Availability List: Newspapers/journals with available publication dates
• More detailed list to get started [RTF, 40.2 KB]
• Useful references at MSL [RTF, 12.1 KB]

To find the specific types of materials listed below, search our catalog using subject, author or keyword searches as described.

Tip: Materials in our library will have either “H” or “MSL” beside them on the screen

1. State, county and town histories of Maine and other states.

Search by subject: enter the name of the place.

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2. Town and county reports of Maine.

Search by subject: enter the name of the place with the terms "Periodicals" or "Politics and government".

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3. Vital records.

Search by subject: enter the place name and "Genealogy" or "Statistics vital".

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4. Cemetery records and epitaphs, early church records.

Search by subject: enter the place name followed by "Church history" or "Genealogy"; for cemeteries, use "Cemeteries-(place)".

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5. Wills, deeds, general court and probate, town and province records.

Search by subject: enter: "(place)-Genealogy", or "Wills-(place)", or "Probate records-(place)".

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6. Maine census through 1850 and census indexes for other New England States.

Search by subject: enter: "Maine Census", with or without the year; same format with other states. Ask for help with the microfilm!

Census data available from 1790 through 1850. [RTF, 40.3 KB]

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7. Pension lists, military rosters, regimental histories.

Search by subject: enter "Pensions-(war, group)", or "Military pensions"; "United States History-(war)-Registers", "(War)-Registers"; for regiments: full name of the regiment, or "United States History (War)-Regimental histories".

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8. Indexes, dictionaries and bibliographies.

Search by subject: enter "Genealogy-Indexes", "Genealogy-Dictionaries", "Genealogy-Bibliography".

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9. Surname Index to cemetery records.

The Surname Index (Maine Old Cemetery Association records) is on microfilm; ask for help at the circulation desk."

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10. Individual and collective genealogies and family histories, biographical collections pertaining to Maine and other states.

Search by subject: enter the last name: "(_______) family".

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11. Passenger lists, immigration records to many Atlantic ports.

Search by keywords: "Passengers lists ships" (place may be added); or Search by subject: enter "Emigration and Immigration (place)".

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12. French-Canadian records of neighboring provinces.

Search by subject: enter "(name of province) Genealogy".

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13. Franco-American publications.

Search by subject: enter "Franco Americans".

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14. Church registers of Maine and neighboring states.

Search by subject: enter "Church records and registers (place)".

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15. Acadian and Huguenot records and publications.

Search by subject: enter "Genealogy Acadians" and/or "Genealogy Huguenots".

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16. D.A.R. and other hereditary patriotic organizations, publications, records, rosters, history.

Search by author: "Daughters of the American Revolution", etc.; use the name of the organization.

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17. Periodicals published by the various national, state and local historical societies and associations.

Search by subject: enter "Genealogy Periodicals"; you can also use the name of the society as the author.

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18. British, French and American heraldry.

Search by subject: enter "Heraldry (place)".

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19. Books of instruction for beginners in genealogical research as well as world sources for the professional genealogist.

Search by subject: enter "Genealogy", "Genealogy Dictionaries", "Genealogy Forms" and "Genealogy Methodology".

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20. Internet access to genealogy websites.

Refer to Maine State Library's in-house access to Ancestry.com; HeritageQuest (remote access) and the Civil War Resources (See right sidebar ).

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