This page contains most of the resources you will need to research the history of your house. If you are new to house history research, please visit the Get Started section. For a quick overview of the process visit 10 Steps to Researching the History of Your House.
Establishment
Brookline was formed in 1705 from Boston.
Land Records / Deed Research
Deeds are found at the county level in Massachusetts. Brookline is in Norfolk County. Deeds for Brookline, Massachusetts are available online in two places:
- The Norfolk County, Massachusetts Registry of Deeds (1793 – present)
- FamilySearch.org (1793-1900) [access with free account]
You can also visit the Registry of Deeds in person.
Norfolk County Registry of Deeds
649 High Street, Dedham, MA 02026
(781) 461-6101
Norfolk County was formed in 1793. The first deed recorded in Norfolk County is dated September 24, 1793. If your house was built before 1794, then you will need to look for the older deeds in the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds.
Census Records (and MA State Census Records)
The most common census records are the US Federal Census Records but Massachusetts also has state census records. Census records help you discover the families that lived in your house. Federal census records are available every 10 years from 1790 to 1950 with the exception of 1890.
U.S Federal Census Records (1790-1950)
Available from:
- Ancestry.com ($) – see if your local library has institutional access free for patrons
- FamilySearch.org (free with account)
- MyHeritage.com ($)
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
- FindMyPast ($)
Massachusetts State Census Records (1855 & 1865)
Available from:
- Ancestry.com ($) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – 1855 census and 1865 census
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
Vital Records
Vital records provide the details about births, marriages and deaths for the people who previously lived in your house.
Find Brookline, MA Vital Records Online:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- FamilySearch.org (free with account)
- AmericanAncestors.org ($)
- MyHeritage.com
- Book – Vital Records of Brookline Massachusetts to 1850 – available online at FamilySearch
- Books – Town Records of Brookline (Internet Archive)
Probate Records
Probate records for the town of Brookline, 1793- present, are found in Norfolk County, Massachusetts Probate Court records which are available both online and in-person.
In-person
Norfolk County Probate Court
35 Shawmut Rd, Canton, MA 02021
(781) 830-1200
Check website for hours
Online
- Ancestry.com ($) – Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 and Norfolk County, MA Probate Index 1793-1900
- AmericanAncestors.org ($) – Norfolk County, MA: Index to Probate records, 1793-1900 and Norfolk County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1793-1900
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – Massachusetts, Norfolk County, probate case files, 1793-1900
- FamilySearch.org (free with account) – Probate docket books, and record books (1793-1916) [Norfolk County, Massachusetts]
Preservation Publications
The Massachusetts Historical Commission provides access to historic building surveys at is website MACRIS: Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS). Once at the site, search specifically by town. You can refine by address and historic name.
Maps
Brookline specific maps:
- 1853 Walling Map of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1858 Walling Map of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1876 Sherman Atlas of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1888 Robinson’s Atlas of Norfolk County (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1893 Map of Brookline by Alexis H. French (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1894 Map of Brookline by Alexis H. French (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1896 Map of Brookline by Alexis H. French (Digital Commonwealth)
- c. 1900 Trees in Brookline by Frances C. Prince (Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center)
- 1906 Map of Brookline and Vicinity by Walker Lith. & Pub. Co. (Digital Commonwealth)
- 1972 Atlas of the Town of Brookline by Brookline D.P.W. (Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center)
- Numerous Brookline maps and Atlases from the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center
- Large online Brookline map collection from the Public Library of Brookline
Maps are also available online from many website such as:
- Ancestry.com ($)
- Hathi Trust,
- David Rumsey Map Collection,
- Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library
- The Library of Congress
- Digital Commonwealth
City Directories & Residents Lists
City Directories were typically published every year. Because of that they are great for filling in the gaps between the 10 year spread of census records. They are also helpful to identify when people move from place to place.
About 58 Brookline city directories are available online from Internet Archive.
City Directories are available online at the major database sites like Ancestry.com ($), MyHeritage.com ($) and FamilySearch.org. They are also found in local libraries and archives.
Tax Records
Tax records provide the value of property through the years. These can be a great indicator of when changes were made to a property. Check your local library, Town Hall or Archive.org for Town Annual Reports which contain the tax records.
Newspapers
The Brookline Tab, the Brookline Citizen, the Brooklie Chronicle and the Brookline Chronicle Citizen are all available from the Public Library of Brookline.
Many old newspapers are available online through Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, AmericanAncestors.org, GenealogyBank.com, Newspapers.com, OldNews.com, the Boston Public Library, the American Antiquarian Society (Worcester, MA), Community History Archives. The Ancestor Hunt website is also great for finding more newspaper resources.
Cemetery Information
Brookline, Massachusetts cemeteries:
- Walnut Street Cemetery (Old Burying Ground (founded in 1717)
- Holyhood Catholic Cemetery (founded in 1857)
- Walnut Hills Cemetery (founded in 1875)
Cemetery Information
- FindaGrave.com – Brookline, MA
- Walnut Street Cemetery – Town of Brookline
- Town of Brookline Cemetery Information
Local Resources
- The Public Library of Brookline – Local History (annual reports, maps, newspapers, photographs, manuscripts, street lists)
- Brookline Historical Society – contains an abundance of online resources
- Muddy River Musings – Meanderings through the thickets of Brookline’s Past
- Town Records of Brookline, Massachusetts (multiple volumes) at Internet Archive
- 1959 Brookline List of Voters – Internet Archive
- Buildings of New England – Brookline
- Brookline Reconnaissance Survey Town Report by the Mass. Historical Commission
Further Reading
Bolton, Charles Knowles. Brookline: The History of a Favored Town. Brookline, Mass.: C.A.W. Spencer, 1897. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/brooklinehistory00bolto/page/n7/mode/2up
Brookline Education Society. A Guide to the Local History of Brookline, Mass. Brookline, Mass.: The Riverdale Press, 1897. Available at Internet Archive – https://archive.org/details/guidetolocalhist00broo
Campaniolo, Jennifer. Legendary Locals of Brookline. Charlston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2014.
Curtis, John Gould. History of the Town of Brookline, Massachusetts. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1933.
Denehy, John William. A History of Brookline Massachusetts, 1630-1906. Brookline, Mass.: The Brookline Press Company, 1906. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/ahistorybrookli00denegoog/page/n8/mode/2up
Hardwicke, Greer and Roger Reed. Brookline (Images of America series). Charlston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 1998.
Hurd, D. Hamilton, History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1884. Available at Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historyofnorfolk00hurd
Little, Nina Fletcher. Some Old Brookline Houses. Brookline Historical Society, 1949.
Kramer, Jean. Brookline, Massachusetts: A Pictorial History. Boston, MA: Historical Publishing Co., 1989.
McCain, Bob et al. Black in Brookline: a history of Afro-Americans in Brookline 1630-1993 (VHS Video). Brookline, MA: Chapman/BCCT, 1993. Available at the Public Library of Brookline.
Woods, Harriett F. Historical Sketches of Brookline, Mass. Boston, MA: Robert S. David and Company, 1874. Available at Internet Archive – https://archive.org/details/historicalsketchbm00wood/page/n5/mode/2up
