Dorchester County Maryland Genealogy and History

County Seat: Cambridge

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Search our Free Dorchester County, Maryland Genealogy and Family History Records Online including census, cemetery, vital, military and other genealogical and historical records that can be used for your family history research.

Dorchester County, Maryland genealogy and family history page is a place where you can come in and research your genealogy and family history. We also do our best to provide a history of the area, to provide you with an overview of the time in which your ancestors lived.

We regret that we are unable to do personal research for you. All genealogical and family history records we come across are being added to this website. Please keep checking back.

Dorchester County History Overview

The county was formed in 1669 and named for the Earl of Dorset, a family friend of the Calverts (the founding family of the Maryland colony). The county is part of the Mid-Eastern Shore region of the state. Its county seat is Cambridge.

Dorchester County Communities

City: Cambridge (county seat).

Towns: Brookview, Church Creek, East New Market, Eldorado, Galestown, Hurlock, Secretary, Vienna.

Census-designated places: Algonquin, Elliott, Fishing Creek, Madison, Taylors Island.

Non-census designated places: Salem, Woolford.

Historic Genealogy Records Available for Research

Vital Records

• Birth, marriage, and death records start officially in 1898, with some delayed local records earlier.
• Marriage licenses and church registers bridge gaps before vital registration began.

Census Records

• Federal census records span from 1790 through 1950, tracking household names, ages, and birthplaces.
• Census Mortality Schedules were taken for the years 1850-1880.

Wills & Probate & Records

• Wills and administration papers date back to the late 17th century in county courthouse files.
• Equity and court minute books provide details on estate settlements and local lawsuits.

Land Records

• Land patents and deed books track property ownership, sales, and family divisions.

African American Genealogy

• Manumission records document enslaved individuals gaining freedom prior to the Civil War.
• Estate inventories list enslaved people by name alongside property valuations.
• Local freedom records and post-Civil War bureau files assist in tracing lineages in the Eastern Shore region.

Search Our Free Dorchester County Maryland Genealogy Records Online

Genealogical Research in Dorchester County, Maryland

• Dorchester County Historical Society: Holdings include an extensive library, the Todd Research Center located in the Robbins Heritage Center. This collection includes a broad selection of reference materials including books (many out of print), atlases, compilations and transcriptions, photographs, ledgers, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks and more. The Moxey Collection contains 400+ volumes of material, mostly gleaned from newspapers (obituaries, marriages, etc.) and is arranged alphabetically. Also included in this room are published family genealogies and histories.
• Genealogical Publishing Company: Access the GPC eBook Library at your convenience with a new subscription platform, 800+ of the best titles in genealogy & family history. $

If you know of a Dorchester County Genealogy link that should be added to this list, please Contact us

Adjacent counties

• Caroline County (north and northeast)
• Sussex County, Delaware (east)
• Talbot County (north)
• Somerset County (southeast)
• Saint Mary's County (southwest)
• Wicomico County (east and southeast)
• Calvert County (west)