Genealogy

The Maine State Archives has many record groups containing information which can be of use to those pursuing family history. These records, many of them on microfilm, can be viewed by the public in our Research Room.

The registration of vital records in the State of Maine dates back, in some towns, to the 17th century. When seeking records for family research in Maine, the important date to remember is 1892. This was the year in which a comprehensive state-wide system of vital records registration was incorporated. Not only were more records kept from that time on, but records began to bear more information, such as parent's names, occupation, and places of birth.

Before 1892, with a few exceptions, vital records registration occurred and remained on the town level, and the information on the records was generally sparser. Marriages and death records, for example, rarely listed parent's names or the party's place of birth. Some towns kept good records, some kept no records, and some kept adequate records only to have them lost to fire, flood, or storage in private homes.

In the 1920s, the State requested copies of pre-1892 vital records from the towns, to which only about 20% responded. Those for which the Archives has these Towns are on the Delayed Vital Records Microfilm (pdf).

The Maine State Archives has become one of the centers to which the state's vital records, both originals and copies, have been gathered. 

Online Resources

• Archives Digital Records on Family Search — To access these records: create a free account; click Search, then Catalog; search by Last Names, Titles, Subjects, or Keywords. Family Search resources include:
  • Military Records
    Maine military records, 1700-1940; Maine militia records, 1812-1814, 1820-1850; Maine World War I records, 1917-1919; Maine, Civil War military rolls, Maine Volunteers, 1861-1866; Maine, Lincoln County, Revolutionary War, pensioners applications, 1820-1824, 1818-1824; Veterans cemetery records
  • Maine Naturalization Records by County 1800-1990 — including Declarations of Intention and Petitions
  • Court Records
    • Maine, Common Court of Pleas
      Franklin County, 1838-1839; Hancock County, 1790-1839; Kennebec County, 1799-1838; Oxford County, 1805-1840; Penobscot County, 1816-1839; Somerset County, 1809-1839; Washington County, 1791-1822; York County, 1695-1800
      York County, record of the courts, 1636-1852
    • Maine Supreme Judicial Court
      Franklin County, 1839-1927; criminal records, 1859-1927; equity records, 1891-1927; executions, 1883-1928; Hancock County, 1801-ca. 1931; Kennebec County, 1799-1929; Knox County, 1860-1929; Oxford County, 1821-1833; Penobscot County, 1903-1927; equity records, 1926-1928; Sagadahoc County, 1854-1929; equity records, 1903-1957; Somerset County, 1821-1929; Waldo County, 1828-1899; Washington County, 1821-1929; case files, 1821-1891; York County, 1798-1929; equity records, 1913-1918
    • District Court     
      Franklin County, Western District, 1840-1852; Hancock County; Kennebec County, Middle District, 1839-1852; Oxford County, Western District, 1840-1851; Penobscot County, 1839-1852; Somerset County, Middle District, 1839-1852; Washington County, Eastern District, 1839-1848; case files, 1839-1852
    • Maine, Hancock County, court index
    • Probate records (Norridgewock); Probate records (Skowhegan, Maine); Probate records (Somerset County, Maine), 1810-1916

Civil War Records

This collection, located on DigitalMaine includes just some of the thousands of records the Maine State Archives holds for the Civil War.

Professional Genealogists

Due to limited resources, Maine State Archives staff cannot undertake genealogical research for patrons. The incomplete, unindexed nature of pre-1892 vital records does not allow us to search them for specific information. 

A list of local professional genealogists (pdf), not connected with the Maine State Archives, will do more extensive research for a fee.