Norfolk County is located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the population was 725,981.[1] Its county seat is Dedham.[2] It is the fourth most populous county in the United States whose county seat is neither a city nor a borough, and it is the second most populous county that has a county seat at a town. The county was named after the English county of the same name.[3] Two towns, Cohasset and Brookline, are exclaves.
Norfolk County, Massachusetts was created on March 26, 1793, by legislation signed by Governor John Hancock. Most of the towns were originally part of Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The towns of Dorchester and Roxbury were part of Norfolk County when it was created but, as Boston annexed each town, they became part of Suffolk County again. Hingham and Hull were originally part of the Norfolk County legislation but petitioned to remain in Suffolk county and in June 1793 their removal to Norfolk county was repealed. In 1803, they were moved into Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
Norfolk County is the birthplace of four Presidents of the United States (John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John F. Kennedy, and George H. W. Bush), resulting in the moniker "County of Presidents."[4]
The Registry was originally housed in one of the first floor rooms of the home of Eliphalet Pond, the first registrar, at 963 Washington Street in Dedham.[12] A sign was nailed to a tree out front informing the public of its location.[12] It then moved to the original Norfolk County Courthouse and remained there for about three decades.[12] When the new Norfolk County Courthouse was built in 1827, the middle office on the west side of the lower level was used by the Registry.[12] When the population of the county grew and the number of real estate transactions increased apace, a new building was constructed for the Registry across the street at 649 High Street.[12] The Boston firm Peabody & Stearns was hired to design the current Registry of Deeds, built in 1905. The main section of the building measures 52 feet by 186 feet, is two stories high with a copper hipped roof, and is built of Indiana limestone with details made of granite from Deer Isle, Maine.[13]
Other
In the mid-1800s, Jonathan H. Cobb was the clerk of courts.[6]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 444 square miles (1,150 km2), of which 396 square miles (1,030 km2) is land and 48 square miles (120 km2) (11%) is water.[14] It is the third-smallest county in Massachusetts by total area. The county is not completely contiguous; the towns of Brookline and Cohasset are each part of Norfolk County but are separated from the majority of Norfolk County (and each other) by either water or other counties. At the county's formation, Hingham and Hull were to be part of it, but joined Plymouth County instead, leaving Cohasset as the initial exclave of Norfolk County and an enclave of Plymouth County. Brookline became the second exclave of Norfolk County in 1873 when the neighboring town of West Roxbury was annexed by Boston (thus leaving Norfolk County to join Suffolk County) and Brookline refused to be annexed by Boston after the Brookline-Boston annexation debate of 1873.
Of the 248,827 households 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.20% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 26.80% of households were one person and 10.80% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.14.
The age distribution was 23.40% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 31.60% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.60 males.
The median household income was $63,432 and the median family income was $77,847 (these figures had risen to $77,294 and $95,243 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[21]). Males had a median income of $51,301 versus $37,108 for females. The per capita income for the county was $32,484. About 2.90% of families and 4.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.40% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 670,850 people, 257,914 households, and 168,903 families residing in the county.[22] The population density was 1,693.6 inhabitants per square mile (653.9/km2). There were 270,359 housing units at an average density of 682.5 per square mile (263.5/km2).[23] The racial makeup of the county was 82.3% white, 8.6% Asian, 5.7% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.3% of the population.[22] The largest ancestry groups were:[24]
31.8% Irish
15.5% Italian
11.0% English
7.0% German
4.6% French
4.3% Chinese
4.1% Polish
3.2% Russian
3.1% American
2.8% Scottish
2.6% French Canadian
2.4% Scotch-Irish
2.0% West Indian
2.0% Sub-Saharan African
1.9% Portuguese
1.8% Swedish
1.6% Indian
1.4% Arab
1.4% Greek
1.2% Canadian
1.1% Vietnamese
1.1% Lithuanian
Of the 257,914 households, 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.5% were non-families, and 27.6% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.15. The median age was 40.7 years.[22]
The median income for a household in the county was $81,027 and the median family income was $101,870. Males had a median income of $68,070 versus $51,870 for females. The per capita income for the county was $42,371. About 4.1% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.[25]
The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list are reflective if the census-designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.[26][27][28]
County Commissioners are elected for a four-year term; two Commissioners are elected to coincide with presidential elections, and one Commissioner is elected during the midterm elections. All three Commissioners must hail from a different municipality. The District Attorney is elected every four years coinciding with the midterm elections. The Clerk of Courts and Register of Deeds are elected every six years coinciding with the elections of Class I US Senators. The County Treasurer and Register of Probate are elected every six years coinciding with the elections of Class II US Senators. The Sheriff is elected every six years coinciding with the elections of Class III US Senators.
Like the rest of Massachusetts, Norfolk County is a Democratic stronghold. The last time it voted for a Republican presidential candidate was in 1984, during Ronald Reagan's landslide victory in which he carried every state except Minnesota and the district of Washington, D.C.
Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 13, 2010[35]
Note: West Roxbury (annexed to Boston 1874), Roxbury (annexed to Boston 1868), Dorchester (founded 1630, annexed to Boston 1870), Hyde Park (incorporated 1868 from Dorchester, Milton, and Dedham, annexed to Boston 1912), and Hingham and Hull were originally part of Norfolk County when the county was incorporated in 1793. As of August 2012, Hingham's Precinct 2 will be part of the Fourth Norfolk District.[38]
^Foord lived on School Street near the Centre School and Franklin Square in Dedham. He was the father of James. His wife "was an active, sprightly woman, who was interested in every good social enterprise."[10]
^Foord was the son of Enos. He moved to California following his father's death with his mother.[11]
^ abcdefRegisters of Deeds The Modern Years, Norfolk County Registry of Deeds: Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, 225th Anniversary Notable Land Records Project
^ abcdeRegisters of Deeds The Early Years, Norfolk County Registry of Deeds: Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, 225th Anniversary Notable Land Records Project
History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, by Duane Hamilton Hurd. Published by J.W. Lewis & Co., 1884. 1001 pages.
United States
Massachusetts
Geographic data related to 
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
