Plymouth County, Massachusetts, was established in 1685 as one of the original counties of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and encompasses the territory formerly governed by Plymouth Colony, which was founded in 1620 by English Separatists known as the Pilgrims. The area was originally inhabited by the Wampanoag people, whose presence predates European settlement by thousands of years. The county seat is divided between Plymouth and Brockton, and county-level land records begin in 1685, while probate records also commence in that same year, making it an essential jurisdiction for genealogical research in southeastern Massachusetts. Geographically, the county is bordered by Cape Cod Bay to the east and includes key rivers such as the Taunton and North Rivers, along with numerous lakes and ponds, notably Long Pond and Great Herring Pond. The region’s historic infrastructure includes Old Colony roads and railways that connected agricultural and maritime communities, many of which were settled in the 17th century, including Duxbury (1637), Marshfield (1640), and Hingham (1635), facilitating detailed genealogical tracing through early town records.
This county project is part of the much larger American History & Genealogy Project or better known by the abbreviation of AHGP. The project has been in existence online since 2000 and over the years has been spread out across the web. These pages are an attempt to consolidate it under one website of the larger project.
Plymouth County History
- Discover the Journey of the Pilgrims in Plymouth – Access Genealogy
In 1606, a congregation formed in Scrooby, England, seeking refuge from persecution, ultimately settling in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in December 1620. Led by prominent figures like John Carver and William Bradford, these Pilgrims faced severe hardships, with many dying in their first winter. They established a treaty with Native Americans, fostering cooperation. Despite challenges, including King Philip’s War, the colony grew slowly, eventually merging into Massachusetts in 1692. The Pilgrims’ legacy of liberty and determination continues to influence the region today. - Churches of Plymouth County Massachusetts – Access Genealogy
- Historical Leaders of Plymouth County Massachusetts – Access Genealogy
- Plymouth County Massachusetts, Honor Roll – Access Genealogy
Plymouth County Genealogy
- 1867 Plymouth County Massachusetts Directory – Access Genealogy
The 1867 Plymouth County Massachusetts Directory is abstracted from the Plymouth County Directory and Historical Register of 1867 and contains a brief history of Plymouth County, MA and each town within it, along with various notes of historical and genealogical importance, such as a list of men from each town who died in the Revolutionary War. It also contains a directory of all heads of household in each town and city of Plymouth County in the year of 1867. - First two hundred years of the Oldham family in America
“First Two Hundred Years of the Oldham Family in America” by Ruth Story Devereux Eddy is a genealogical exploration self-published in 1939, detailing the extensive family history of the Oldham lineage in the United States from its origins. This resource was meticulously compiled from primary records across Plymouth County, capturing a comprehensive record of births, marriages, and deaths up to the year 1800.
Plymouth County Town Projects
- Duxbury
- Copy of the old records of the town of Duxbury, Mass. From 1642 to 1770
Copied by George Ethridge from various manuscript volumes and loose papers, and arranged as nearly as possible by dates. Records of births, marriages, and deaths not included. The bounds of Duxbury originally included what is now within the limits of Duxbury, Marshfield, Pembroke, Hanson, the Bridgewaters and Brockton.
- Copy of the old records of the town of Duxbury, Mass. From 1642 to 1770
- Wareham
List of Plymouth County towns and cities:
Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham, West Bridgewater, and Whitman.
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