The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. With a population approaching 6.5 million in a relatively small area, it is mostly urban and suburban in its eastern half and still primarily rural in the west. It is the most populous of the six New England states and contains the region's main urban center, Boston.

     The first Europeans to settle New England landed in present-day Massachusetts. These settlers were Pilgrims and Puritans from England seeking religious freedom. The majority of early settlers came from within 60 miles of Haverhill, England. They founded Plymouth, Salem and Boston, which soon became the hub of the region. A century and a half later, Massachusetts became known as the 'Cradle of Liberty' for the revolutionary ferment in Boston that helped spawn the war of the Thirteen Colonies for independence.

     The map shows the distribution of our family lines in Massachusetts. The darker shaded counties represent those associated with the writer's direct ancestors. Should a collateral line also appear in a darker shaded county, the icon retains the lighter background color. Keep in mind that county lines have changed drastically over the years, and this is a modern map. See individual county pages for more information.

First record–last record of direct ancestors in Massachusetts:
      c1635-1850
      1635-1746
      by 1626-1770