Franklin County Marriage Records
Marriage records in Franklin County are held by individual city and town clerks across all 26 communities, not by any county office. This page explains how to find records in Greenfield and other Franklin County towns, how to access state archives, and what court resources are available in the county.
Franklin County Overview
How Marriage Records Work in Franklin County
Franklin County was formed in 1811 when it split from Hampshire County. The county seat is Greenfield. With 26 towns spread across the northern Connecticut River Valley and into the hill towns of western Massachusetts, this is a largely rural county with a small total population. All marriage records are kept by the individual town and city clerks. There is no county-level office that stores vital records.
To find a marriage record from Franklin County, identify the town where the couple filed their intentions. That town's clerk holds the original record. If you do not know the exact town, the Massachusetts State Archives database is the best starting point for records from 1841 to 1930. For records after 1930, the RVRS in Dorchester holds the state copy.
Franklin County communities include Greenfield, Athol, Orange, Montague, Deerfield, Shelburne Falls (a village in Shelburne), Turners Falls (a village in Montague), Northfield, Erving, Gill, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Monroe, New Salem, Rowe, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell, and Whately. Each has its own clerk.
No cities in Franklin County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. Greenfield is the county seat and is mentioned here as text only.
Greenfield City Clerk - Marriage Records
Greenfield is the county seat and largest city in Franklin County. The Greenfield City Clerk is in City Hall at 14 Court Square, Room 104, Greenfield, MA 01301. The phone is 413-772-1555. You can reach the clerk by email at townclerk@greenfield-ma.gov. The city's clerk page at greenfield-ma.gov has current forms and information on how to request a certified copy.
To apply for a marriage license in Greenfield, both parties must appear at the clerk's office in person. Bring valid photo ID. Under M.G.L. c. 207, Section 28, the three-day waiting period starts when you file your intentions. The license is issued after the waiting period and is valid for 60 days. Both parties must be at least 18 under M.G.L. c. 207, Section 7.
The Greenfield City Clerk can search records by name and year. For older records that may have been transferred to the state, the clerk's office can advise you on where to look. The Greenfield Public Library also holds some local history materials that may be useful for genealogical research in the area.
Franklin County Courts and Registry
The Franklin County Registry of Deeds is at 30 Olive Street, Suite 2, Greenfield, MA 01302. Phone: 413-772-0239. The registry website is at franklindeeds.com. This office handles land records for the county, not vital records like marriage licenses.
The Franklin County Probate and Family Court is at 43 Hope Street, Greenfield, MA 01302. Phone: 413-774-7011. This court handles probate matters, guardianship, name changes, and family law proceedings. It does not maintain marriage license records, but it handles court proceedings related to marriage, such as annulments or legal name changes following a marriage.
The Franklin County Superior Court handles major civil and criminal cases in the county. It is not an office for marriage records, but it may be relevant if a court case involves parties from a Franklin County marriage.
The Franklin County Registry of Deeds website covers property records for the county. It is a useful contact for researching property transactions connected to Greenfield-area families.
The Franklin County Registry of Deeds in Greenfield covers land records; vital records like marriage licenses are held by each town's clerk.
The Franklin County Probate and Family Court in Greenfield handles family law and probate matters for the county, including name changes that often accompany marriages.
Contact the Probate Court at 43 Hope Street in Greenfield for any court filings or proceedings related to marriage in Franklin County.
The Franklin County Superior Court handles major civil and criminal matters and may be relevant for court cases connected to marriages in the county.
The Franklin County Superior Court in Greenfield is accessible through the mass.gov courts directory for case lookups and court filings.
Getting State Copies of Franklin County Records
If you cannot get to the local town clerk, the state holds copies of all Franklin County marriage records. The right agency depends on the year of the record.
Records from 1841 through 1930 are at the Massachusetts State Archives, 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125. Phone: 617-727-2816. The free online search is at sec.state.ma.us. You can search by name and narrow by county and year. Certified copies cost $3. For a rural county like Franklin where some towns have limited clerk hours, this online option is particularly convenient.
Records from 1931 to the present are at the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, 150 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125. Phone: 617-740-2600. In-person copies are $20. Mail orders are $32. The state ordering page at mass.gov has the current form.
The RVRS homepage on mass.gov lists all the ways to request certified copies of vital records including Franklin County marriage records from 1931 onward.
Massachusetts Marriage Law Requirements
All 26 communities in Franklin County follow the same state marriage statutes. There are no local variations. The rules come from M.G.L. Chapter 207.
Both parties must be at least 18 under Section 7. Both must appear in person at the town clerk when filing intentions. Under Section 28, there is a three-day waiting period before the license is issued. The license is then valid for 60 days from the date of issue. No Massachusetts residency is required. Any couple can marry in any of the 26 Franklin County towns.
The Getting Married in Massachusetts guide on mass.gov explains each step clearly, from filing intentions through the post-ceremony return. The Massachusetts law about marriage page gives a broader legal overview for those who want to understand the statute in more depth.
For the full statute, M.G.L. Chapter 207 is available on the Massachusetts Legislature's website and covers all aspects of marriage law that apply in Franklin County.
Genealogy Resources for Franklin County
Franklin County has a strong tradition of town record keeping going back to the 1600s in many communities. Deerfield, for example, was settled in 1669 and has some of the oldest surviving town records in Massachusetts. Researchers tracing Franklin County families have several good options.
FamilySearch has a Franklin County Massachusetts Genealogy page with links to indexed vital records, research guides, and digitized documents. Many town records from Franklin County have been microfilmed and some are available online through FamilySearch. The site is free to use.
Historic Deerfield is a museum and research center in the village of Deerfield. It holds significant archival materials on the history of the Connecticut River Valley and may have records relevant to older Franklin County families. Their library and archives are open to researchers by appointment.
The New England Historic Genealogical Society at AmericanAncestors.org holds Massachusetts vital records including collections from Franklin County. Their database includes transcriptions of early town records, church registers, and probate records that can supplement official vital record searches.
Local libraries in Greenfield, Northfield, and other Franklin County towns hold town histories and genealogical materials. The Greenfield Public Library has a local history section. For very old records, these local collections often hold materials that have not been digitized and are not available anywhere else.
What the Records Contain
A standard Franklin County marriage record includes both parties' full names, ages, residences, parents' names and birthplaces, date of the intention filing, and date and place of the ceremony. The record also names the officiant. Older records from the 1800s may include occupation and whether this was a first or later marriage for each party.
The marriage return, filed by the officiant after the ceremony, is combined with the intentions to form the full official record. Certified copies issued by the town clerk or the state carry an official seal and are accepted for legal purposes including name changes, immigration documents, and estate proceedings.
Plain (uncertified) copies are often enough for personal research and genealogy. They cost less than certified copies. When you contact a Franklin County town clerk or a state agency, specify which type you need and they can quote you the current fee.
Cities and Towns in Franklin County
No cities in Franklin County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. Greenfield is the county seat. Other towns include Athol, Orange, Montague, Deerfield, Northfield, Shelburne, Conway, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Erving, Gill, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Monroe, New Salem, Rowe, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell, and Whately.
Nearby Counties
Franklin County shares borders with four Massachusetts counties and borders Vermont and New Hampshire to the north. The Massachusetts counties to the south and east offer more resources for researchers tracing families that crossed county lines.