The information contained in this book is taken from the compiled lists of name changes that were published in the various session laws of the General Court. The contents of those lists were provided pursuant to statute and printed with those session laws in the sections indicated in the footnotes. After 1947, the requirement of publication apparently was repealed. Many of the name changes reflected in these pages demonstrate the demographic changes in the state's population and the influx of immigrants from various other nations. Many of the others simply are the product of a divorce or an adoption. In either case, the compilation of these name changes should provide a useful tool for genealogists seeking a missing link or breaking through the proverbial brick wall. Name changes are grouped within two-year time periods, then divided between probate courts and superior courts (for divorce proceedings), and arranged according to the county. The old name and the new name are given, and name changes related to adoption are indicated. A surname index adds to the value of this work.
Richard P. Roberts
2006, 5.5" x 8.5", paper, index, 276 pp.
ISBN: 9780788432705
101-R3270
