Portland, Cumberland County, Maine Genealogy

United States

New England

Maine

Cumberland County

Portland

Town Information

Description

• Portland, Maine at Wikipedia.

Populated Places

Includes Neighborhoods, Villages, Unincorporated Communities,
Districts, and Census-Designated Places:

Town Records

In New England most original vital records of birth, marriage, and death can be found at the town clerk's office

City of Portland Town Clerk

City of Portland City Clerk
389 Congress St., Room 203
Portland, ME 04101
Phone (207)874-8610
Portland Website

Vital Records

Births

• 1670-1921 Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1712-1891 Index to births, 1712-1891(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1720-1910 Index to deaths, v. 1-3, 1720-1910(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1739-1900 Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1740-1875 Portland, Cumberland, Maine computer printout ; births or christenings, 1740-1875(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1773-1814 The second book of records of the town of Portland, of marriages, births and deaths, ca. 1773-1814(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1782-1892 Records of births, v. 4-10, 1782-1892(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1880-1884 Consulate registers, 1880-1884(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1900-1929 Consulate registers, 1900-1929(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Marriages

• 1670-1921 Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1720-1910 Index to deaths, v. 1-3, 1720-1910(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1733-1886 Index of intentions of marriage, 1733-1886(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1748-1912 Index to marriages, 1748-1912(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1771-1907 Maine Marriages, 1771-1907 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1773-1814 The second book of records of the town of Portland, of marriages, births and deaths, ca. 1773-1814(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1814-1910 Records of marriages and marriage intentions, 1814-1910(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1837-1891 Records of intentions of marriage, 1837-1891(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1871-1899 Records of intentions of marriage, 1871-1899(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1977-Onward Maine, Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Deaths

• 1670-1921 Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1720-1910 Index to deaths, v. 1-3, 1720-1910(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1773-1814 The second book of records of the town of Portland, of marriages, births and deaths, ca. 1773-1814(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1800-1910 Records of deaths, v. 4-10, 1800-1910(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1841-1910 Maine Deaths and Burials, 1841-1910 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1880-1884 Consulate registers, 1880-1884(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1900-1929 Consulate registers, 1900-1929(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1960-1996 Maine Death Index, 1960-1996 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Divorce

• 1892-1963 Maine Divorces at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Resources

For more County and State resources see:

Cemeteries

• Portland Cemeteries List at Find a Grave
• Portland Cemeteries at FamilySearch Catalog
• Cumberland County Cemeteries at FamilySearch Catalog
• Cumberland County Cemeteries at FamilySearch Places

Church Records

Historically, the largest religious groups in Maine were the Congregational, Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Methodist churches. For general information about Maine denominations, view the Maine Church Records wiki page.

To see the churches in Portland, visit FamilySearch Places.

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. The following are church records available online for the town of Portland:

• 1734-1907 Maine, Church Records, 1734-1907 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1735-2006 Maine, Genealogical Collection: Vital Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, County and Biographical Histories, 1735-2006(*) Allen County Public Library at FamilySearch Catalog - images only

• 1789-1920 Massachusetts: (Image only) Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920 at American Ancestors - images ($)
• Maine Church Records

City Directories

• 1831-1964 U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Portland at Ancestry - index & images ($), some years may be missing
• 1831-1964 Maine, U.S., City Directories, Portland at Ancestry - index & images ($), some years may be missing
• Various Dates U.S. City Directories, 1860-1960 at MyHeritage - index & images ($) some towns and years may be missing

Immigration

• 1893-1954 Passenger lists of vessels arriving at Portland, Maine, 1893-1943 ; Index, 1893-1954 : NARA publications T524 and T1151)(*) US Immigration and Naturalization Service at FamilySearch Catalog - images
• 1907-1930 Book indexes, Portland, Maine, passenger lists, 1907-1930 : NARA RG85 publication T793(*) US Immigration and Naturalization Service at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Land Records

The following are online land records for the town of Portland:

• 1760-1904 Index to Land Records, 1760-1904 (Cumberland County, Maine)(*) Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
• 1824-1861 Record of Deeds of the Land Office of Maine, 1824-1861(*) Manuscript on Film; Maine Land Office at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
• 1824-1964 Maine, State-Wide Land Records, 1824-1964(*) Manuscript on Digital Images; Maine State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
• 1825-1874 Maine and Massachusetts State Wide Land Records, 1825-1874(*) Maine Land Agent; Maine State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
• 1832-1853 Mass. and Maine Deeds, V. 1-2, 1832-1853(*) Maine Land Agent at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
• 1835-1838 Maine Revolutionary War Bounty Land Applications, 1835-1838 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1841-1884 Maine, Land Office Records, 1841-1884(*) Maine Land Agent; Maine State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
• 1850-1916 Homestead Exemption, Vol. 1, 1850-1916 (Cumberland County, Maine)(*) Register of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
• Maine Land and Property

Maps

This selection incudes town, county, state, and historical maps

• Boundary Map of Portland at HomeTownLocator
• McConnell's Historical Maps of the United States at Library of Congress
• Old Maps of Maine at Old-Maps.com
• Portland at FamilySearch Places
• Portland at Google Maps
• Portland at Maine.gov
• Portland at Mapcarta
• Maine Maps State Page

Military

Some Records are Searchable by Town

Revolutionary War, 1775-1783

For more Revolutionary War Military Records see:

• Maine Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
• United States Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783

Civil War, 1861-1865

For more Civil War Military Records see:

• Maine Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865
• United States Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865

World War I, 1917-1918

For more World War I Military Records see:

• Maine Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918
• United States Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918

World War II, 1941-1945

For more World War II Military Records see:

• Maine Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945
• United States Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945

Newspapers

• 1784-2023 York County, Maine Newspaper Archive at York Public Library - index & images
• Maine, Obituaries and Death Notices at MyHeritage — index ($)

Obituaries

• Maine, Obituaries and Death Notices at MyHeritage — index ($)

Other Town Records

In Maine, most records are kept at the town level and generally began being kept at the founding of the town. These records may include the following:

Births Marriages Deaths Burials Cemetery records Appointments Earmarks Estrays (stray animals) Freemens' oaths (men eligible to vote) Land records Mortgages Name changes Care of the poor School records Surveys Tax lists Town meeting minutes Voter registrations Warning outs (of town)

The following are Portland town records available online:

• 1786-1882 City of Portland records, 1786-1882(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Probate Records

In Maine, most probate records are kept at the town level. The following are online probate records for the town of Portland:

• 1584-1999 Maine, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• 1640-1760 Maine Wills, 1640-1760(*) Compiled and Edited with Notes by William M. Sargent at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
• 1760-1979 Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
• Maine Probate Records

Research Facilities

FamilySearch Centers & Affiliate Libraries

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

• Oxford Maine FamilySearch Center
• Portland Maine FamilySearch Center
• Kennebunk Free Library - an affiliate library
• Scarborough Public Library - an affiliate library
• Springvale Public Library - an affiliate library

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

Due to contractual agreements, some images and/or databases on FamilySearch.org may only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

FamilySearch affiliate libraries may have access to center-only databases, but do not always have all services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.