Knox County, Maine Genealogy
Guide to Knox County, Maine ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Knox County was created on 1 April 1860[3] and named for General Henry Knox, a founding father of the United States.[4] Its county seat is Rockland.[5] The county is located in the southwestern area of the state.
County Courthouse
Knox County Courthouse
62 Union Street
Rockland, ME 04841-0885
Phone: 207-596-2240
Knox County Website
Town Clerks have birth, marriage, and death records. Clerk Superior Court has divorce and court records. Probate Court has probate records from 1860. Register of Deeds has land records from 1860.[6]
Knox County, Maine Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1892 | 1892 | 1892 | 1860 | 1860 | 1860 | 1790 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this census area:[10]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Unorganized territories | ||
Plantations
Extinct towns and plantations[11]
Criehaven Plantation | Hurricane Isle | Muscle Ridge Plantation
Additional Information
- Named for American Revolutionary War general and Secretary of War, Henry Knox, who lived in the county from 1795 until his death in 1806.
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 1873-1965 Maine & Massachusetts, Case Files of Deceased and Deserted Seamen, 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; image only
Cemeteries
- 1620-2014 Maine, Tombstone Inscriptions, Surname Index, 1620-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1676-1918 Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
- 1718-2014 Maine, U.S., Tombstone Inscriptions, Surname Index, 1718-2014 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1780-1990 Maine, U.S., Faylene Hutton Cemetery Collection, 1780-1990 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- ca. 1780-1999 Maine, J. Gary Nichols Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1800-2007 Maine, Knox County Cemetery Records, ca. 1800-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 32,716 | — |
| 1870 | 30,823 | −5.8% |
| 1880 | 32,863 | 6.6% |
| 1890 | 31,473 | −4.2% |
| 1900 | 30,406 | −3.4% |
| 1910 | 28,981 | −4.7% |
| 1920 | 26,245 | −9.4% |
| 1930 | 27,693 | 5.5% |
| 1940 | 27,191 | −1.8% |
| 1950 | 28,121 | 3.4% |
| 1960 | 28,575 | 1.6% |
| 1970 | 29,013 | 1.5% |
| 1980 | 32,941 | 13.5% |
| 1990 | 36,310 | 10.2% |
| 2000 | 39,618 | 9.1% |
| 2010 | 39,736 | 0.3% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Maine denominations, view the Maine Church Records wiki page.
- 1840-1875 Maine: Marriages Performed by Rev. Enoch M. Fowler, 1840-1875 at American Ancestors — index & images ($)
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
- 1718-1957 Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
- 1860-1929 Maine, Knox County, Supreme Judical Court Records, 1860-1929(*), Court of County Commisioners at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1860-1945 Commissioners Minutes, 1860-1945(*), Supreme Judicial Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1860-1945 Commissioners Minutes, 1860-1945(*), Court of County Commisioners at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1861-1912 County Estimates, 1861-1912(*), Court of County Commisioners at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1870-1905 Sheriffs' and Others' Bonds, 1870-1905(*), Court of County Commisioners at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1884-1900 Insolvency Records, v. 1-3, 1884-1900(*), Court of Insolvency at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1888-1947 Accounts, 1888-1947(*), Court of County Commisioners at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1891-1931 Petitions, 1891-1931(*), Court of County Commisioners at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents. See Maine Land and Property for databases, early land grants to individuals, and more information.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1718-1957 Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1791-1926 Maine, Knox County deed records, 1791-1926(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1836-1860 Lincoln records, Eastern District, 1836-1860(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1835-1838 Maine Revolutionary War Bounty Land Applications, 1835-1838 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
- 1860-1920 Indexes to deed records, 1860-1920(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1873-1917 Deed records, 1873-1917(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Knox County. They may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information, see Maine Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- 1676-1918 Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
- 1718-1957 Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Revolutionary War
- 1835-1838 Maine Revolutionary War Bounty Land Applications, 1835-1838 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
Civil War
- 1862-1865 Maine, Civil War Enlistment Papers, 1862-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Regiments. Civil War service men in Knox County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in this county:
World War I
- 1914-1950 Maine, State Archives, World War I (WWI) Grave Cards, 1914-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1917-1919 Maine, World War I Draft Registration Index, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1718-1957 Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1918-1991 Maine, United States Naturalization Records, 1918-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/images
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Maine, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- Maine Newspaper Project at DigitalMaine Repository
- Maine, Obituaries and Death Notices at MyHeritage — index ($)
Obituaries
- Maine, Obituaries and Death Notices at MyHeritage — index ($)
Other Records
Periodicals
- The Maine Genealogist at American Ancestors — index & images ($)
Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1584-1999 Maine, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- 1760-1979 Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; image only
- 1861-1915 Maine, Knox County, Probate Estate Files, 1861-1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; image only
- 1861-1915 Maine, Knox County, estate files, 1861-1915(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1860-1928 Index to probate records, 1860-1928(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1861-1979 Probate records, 1861-1979(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1903-1908 Maine, Knox County, estate files, 1903-1908(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Maine tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records. For databases and more information, see Maine Taxation
Vital Records
In Maine, vital records are kept by town clerks or selectmen. Although some towns have existed since the 1650s, most vital records date from about 1700. The vital statistics are often arranged by family. For more information, see the Wiki page for the town and the Wiki page, Maine Vital Records.
Birth
- 1670-1921 Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1715-1922 Maine, Birth Records, 1715-1922 at Ancestry ($)
- 1739-1900 Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Marriage
- 1589-1966 Maine, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1670-1921 Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1670-1921 Maine, Marriage Index, 1670-1921, at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1713-1922 Maine, Marriage Records, 1713-1922, at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1759-1777 Lincoln County, ME: Commissioners Marriage Records, 1759-1777 at American Ancestors — index ($), includes counties: Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadhoc, and Washington.
- 1771-1907 Maine Marriages, 1771-1907 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1892-1966; 1977-1996 Maine, Marriage Index, 1892-1966, 1977-1996 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1892-1996 Maine, Marriage Index, 1892-1996, at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1892-1966 Maine Marriages, 1892 - 1966 at MyHeritage - index ($)
- 1897-1920 State of Maine, certificates of marriage, East Penobscot Bay Region, Maine, abt. 1897-1920(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1977-Onward Maine, Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
Death
- 1670-1921 Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1761-1922 Maine, Death Records, 1761-1922, at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1841-1910 Maine Deaths and Burials, 1841-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1960-1996 Maine Death Index, 1960-1996 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1960-1997 Maine, Death Index, 1960-1997, at Ancestry - index & images ($)
Divorce
- 1892-1963 Maine Divorces at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
Research Facilities
Archives
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Rockland Maine FamilySearch Center
- Waterville Maine FamilySearch Center
- Belfast Free Library - an affiliate library
- Camden Public Library - an affiliate library
- Maine State Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Maine Genealogy Knox County
Website
Museums
Societies
Websites
- Knox County, Maine History and Genealogy (Genealogy Trails)
- Maine, Knox County Cemetery Records, 1800-2007 - FamilySearch Historical Records
- The Knox County MEGenWeb Project, an member of The MEGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 181. [FS Library book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 181. [FS Library book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 181. [FS Library book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ Henry Knox, Wikipedia]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Massachusetts.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Knox County, Maine page 304, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Knox County, Maine. Page 304-305 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 275.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 181. [FS Library book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Massachusetts.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Knox County, Maine," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox_County,_Maine, accessed 4 July 2019.
- ↑ Before an extinct town (or plantation) was discontinued, it created official town records of interest to genealogists. For preservation these records were usually turned over to a nearby functioning town in the same county.