NANTUCKET COUNTY, MA HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

The History of Nantucket, Massachusetts by Alexander Starbuck (1924) – 910 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.08.28.2028.AR

Nantucket County, Massachusetts: A Genealogical Overview

Nantucket County is a unique jurisdiction in Massachusetts, an island located approximately 30 miles south of Cape Cod. Its geography has profoundly shaped its distinct history, culture, and records. For genealogists, the most critical fact to understand is that the Town of Nantucket and the County of Nantucket are a consolidated entity, sharing a single government since their inception. This town-county’s history is dominated by the rise and fall of the global whaling industry, which brought the island immense wealth, a diverse population, and created a rich documentary heritage for researchers to explore.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Understanding Nantucket’s unique jurisdictional path, including its time as part of colonial New York, is essential for locating the earliest records of its inhabitants.

  • 1695: County Formed: Nantucket County was officially established on June 22, 1695, as part of the Province of Massachusetts Bay.
  • Parent Entity: From 1671 until 1691, Nantucket was part of Dukes County, New York. The original patent from the Duke of York included Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and the Elizabeth Islands. In 1691, these islands were officially transferred to the newly chartered Province of Massachusetts Bay. Therefore, the earliest colonial-era records may be found within New York archives or reflect New York’s legal framework.
  • Subsequent County Formations: Nantucket’s boundaries are the shores of the islands of Nantucket, Tuckernuck, and Muskeget. Its territory has not been partitioned or altered since its formation.
  • Name Origin: The name is derived from a Wampanoag language term, variously translated as “faraway land” or “that sandy, sterile soil which is parched by the sun.”
  • County Seat History: Due to the consolidated town-county government, the Town of Nantucket has always served as the county seat. All governmental and judicial functions are centralized in the main town.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: Prior to European contact, the island was the homeland of the Nantucket Wampanoag people, who had inhabited the island for thousands of years. They were a thriving community who taught the early English settlers critical survival and maritime skills, including the art of offshore whaling.
  • Colonial Settlement and Economy: The first English settlement was established in 1659 after the island was purchased by a group of proprietors led by Tristram Coffin. The early economy was agricultural, focused on farming and sheep herding. By the early 18th century, settlers had embraced offshore whaling, a practice learned from their Wampanoag neighbors. This industry grew exponentially, and by the early 19th century, Nantucket was the “Whaling Capital of the World.” This era, heavily influenced by Quakerism, brought unprecedented prosperity and a diverse population of mariners. The discovery of petroleum in 1859 and the silting of Nantucket’s harbor led to the industry’s rapid decline, after which the island’s economy transitioned to tourism.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records, which are highly centralized due to the town-county structure.

  • Town and County Building: The primary repository for most official records is the Nantucket Town & County Building at 16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. This building houses the Town Clerk, the Registry of Deeds, and the Registry of Probate. Land, probate, and vital records are all conveniently located here.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth, Death, and Marriage Records: The Office of the Town & County Clerk holds a remarkably complete set of vital records dating from 1662 to the present day. These are the primary source for Nantucket vital statistics. The state of Massachusetts also holds records from 1841-present, but the local records are indispensable. The published N.E.H.G.S. volume, Vital Records of Nantucket, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850, is a key compiled resource.
  • Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
    • Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) Research Library: Located at 7 Fair Street, this is the single most important destination for Nantucket genealogical research. The NHA holds an unparalleled collection of ship’s logs, crew lists, family papers, Quaker meeting records, account books, photographs, and compiled genealogies.
    • The Nantucket Atheneum: The island’s public library, located at 1 India Street, also has a significant collection of published genealogies, local history materials, and Nantucket newspapers on microfilm.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • As an island county, Nantucket shares no land borders with any other county. Its borders are maritime, with its closest neighbor being Dukes County, Massachusetts (Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands) to the west.

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