Massachusetts City Directories Online

Find Street and Residential Information for Family History

Title Page of an 1837 City of Salem, Massachusetts City Directory

Salem, Massachusetts 1837 City Directory

Why should I use old, outdated Massachusetts city directories for my family history research?

From as far back as the colonial days of George Washington in 1798 and up through the early 1980s, existing Massachusetts city directories offer many terrific clues and research tips about finding people and institutions from the past.

You cannot find most of this information anywhere else.

Older city directories are much like telephone books from the 90s, except they offer a better panorama or "birds' eye view" into the makeup of a community at a particular time.

For example, do you need to know the names of all Boston Methodist church organizations in 1900? The names of all cemeteries in existence in Lowell in 1870? A list of all civic and social organizations in 1925 Worcester?

About the Author

J. James Simonson, a Suffolk University Journalism graduate, has been a key player in genealogy research since the 1990s. Renowned for his work in Massachusetts vital records, census, city directories, probate and naturalization records, he has helped piece together complex family histories. Simonson’s talent for revealing hidden family connections and unknown relatives has greatly enriched family trees. His research stretches from local New England records to global historical sources. Actively participating in genealogy conferences, Simonson is dedicated to helping people uncover their ancestral stories, significantly impacting the field.

What City Directories are Available for Research?

The most comprehensive guide available by far is the Massachusetts City Directories and Voting Lists from the Massachusetts State House Library, Special Collections Department in Boston.

This is not an all-inclusive list of extant city directories in the state but is more of a list of directories accessible to us and you as researchers.

Additional directories for specific years for some cities and towns not listed, may be available elsewhere.

Local Massachusetts city and town libraries, town halls, or historical societies may also have the only surviving set of city directories for a specific year or span of years.

For individuals listed in city directories from the 1930s onward, you can verify address changes, family relationships, and life events by ordering birth, marriage, or death records through our document retrieval service. These vital records often explain changes observed in consecutive directory listings.

What are the Best Research Centers with a Collection of City Directories?

Massachusetts State Library, Special Collections Division, State House on Beacon Hill (original volumes, a pleasure to peruse...)

The Boston Public Library (mostly on old microfilm, can be difficult to read)

Massachusetts State Archives at Columbia Point (limited selection)

New England Historic Genealogy Society (society membership or a per-day fee to use library required)

Lastly, you can always contact us if you need a quote to help find your ancestor's Massachusetts city directory information.