Lookup Public Records in Bristol County, Massachusetts. Including Vital Birth and Death Records, Deeds, Probate, Property Records, Mortgages, Liens, Judgments, Marriage Licenses, Voter Registrar, Payroll, Military Discharges.
Bristol County, Massachusetts
Bristol County is located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The county was formed by the Plymouth Colony on June 2, 1685, and named after its “shire town” (county seat), Bristol. In 1691, the Plymouth Colony merged into the Massachusetts Bay Colony. New Bedford is the largest city in the count, while Taunton is the county seat; other cities in the county include Attleboro and Fall River. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a population of approximately 548,284 people and a total area of 691 square miles, of which 138 square miles is water and 553 square miles is land. Bristol County borders the following counties: Norfolk County to the north; Plymouth County to the east; Newport County, Rhode Island, to the southwest; Bristol County, Rhode Island, to the west; and Providence County, Rhode Island, to the northwest.
The Bristol County Registry of Deeds is charged with the responsibility of maintaining public records in the county. Some of the records maintained by the office include but are not limited to leases, plats and surveys, deeds, mortgages, easements, real estate, assignments, releases, federal and state tax liens, and condemnations.
Records maintained by the office of the registry can be obtained by doing a background check online. To do a public records search online, you will have to visit the Bristol County Registry of Deeds Website. Records available online include common record indices from 01/02/1978 through 12/4/2015 and land court indices from 01/01/1990 through 12/02/2015. In addition, most recent images are available for recorded land, but land court plan images are not yet available on the website.
Records that cannot be accessed online can be obtained by visiting the Registry of Deeds in person during office hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30p.m.) at 25 N. 6th Street in New Bedford, MA 02740. You will be required to present a completed records request form.
Bristol County, Massachusetts Overview
Located at the southern tip of the state of Massachusetts, Bristol County is 691 square miles in total area, with 138 of those being water. It is bordered to the north by Norfolk County, the east by Plymouth County, the southwest by Newport County, Rhode Island, the west by Bristol County, Rhode Island and the northwest by Providence County, Rhode Island. Approximately 552,780 people lived in the county at the time of the 2013 census. There are 36 zip codes in Bristol County, with the most populous being 02703, 02720, 02721, 02740, 02745, 02760 and 02780.
Bristol County Officials Information
The Registry of Vital Records and Statistics is responsible for personal legal documents within the state.
Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
150 Mount Vernon St., 1st Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125
Phone: 617-740-2600
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Closed legal and county holidays
The Registry of Vital Records and statistics handles information related to marriage, divorce, birth and death. These documents and more are available through the online portal and can be requested directly from the court as well. These documents are not considered public record but they can be requested by those who they are written about with only a limited number of exceptions.
The Register of Deeds is responsible for property related documents, which include mortgages, liens, leases and more. These documents are considered public record and can be requested directly from the office as well as being available online. There are fees associated with all document requests though searches can be conducted for free.
Bristol County Court Information
Court records are considered public record once the case has been completed and the files have all been recorded completely. These records can then be requested by anyone and at any time because they are public record. Court documents are not currently available online, however they can be requested directly from the office of the court.
| Bristol, MA Genealogy and Ancestry Records | |
|---|---|
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Counties Data File Downloads | |
| Total Ancestries Reported 2005-2009 | 707,920 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - United States or American - 2005-2009 | 15,862 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Arab - 2005-2009 | 5,932 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - British - 2005-2009 | 1,448 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Czech - 2005-2009 | 426 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Danish - 2005-2009 | 658 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Dutch - 2005-2009 | 2,813 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - English - 2005-2009 | 67,657 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - European - 2005-2009 | 2,079 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - French (except Basque) - 2005-2009 | 72,394 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - French Canadian - 2005-2009 | 32,191 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - German - 2005-2009 | 27,465 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Greek - 2005-2009 | 3,791 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Hungarian - 2005-2009 | 1,252 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Irish - 2005-2009 | 103,147 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Italian - 2005-2009 | 51,269 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Lithuanian - 2005-2009 | 2,214 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Norwegian - 2005-2009 | 2,392 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Polish - 2005-2009 | 24,971 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Portuguese - 2005-2009 | 162,982 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Russian - 2005-2009 | 3,907 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Scotch-Irish - 2005-2009 | 7,336 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Scottish - 2005-2009 | 10,521 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Slovak - 2005-2009 | 275 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Subsaharan African - 2005-2009 | 16,922 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Swedish - 2005-2009 | 7,882 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Swiss - 2005-2009 | 766 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Ukrainian - 2005-2009 | 917 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Welsh - 2005-2009 | 1,408 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - West Indian (excluding Hispanic groups) - 2005-2009 | 3,063 |
| Persons Reporting Total Ancestry As - Other Groups - 2005-2009 | 59,761 |
Bristol Registry of Deeds Office
County Government Office
Address: 441 N Main St, Fall River, MA 02720, United States
Phone: 508-673-2910