Massachusetts

Suffolk

797,936
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Suffolk

Suffolk, Massachusetts, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 44,875. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 797,936.

Its recorded population peaked at 896,615 in 1950, and has since declined by roughly 11 percent.

On the ground today, 23 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Algonquian-Iroquoian Frontier Violence, Squaw Sachem Campaign 1639, Revolt Against Governor Andros (Boston 1689), and 350 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020797,936
2010722,023
2000689,807
1990663,906
1980650,142
1970735,190
1960791,329
1950896,615
1940863,248
1930879,536
1920835,522
1910731,388
1900611,417
1890484,780
1880387,927
1870270,802
1860192,700
1850144,517
184095,773
183062,163
182043,940
181034,381
180028,015
179044,875
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Suffolk

Military engagements that took place in Suffolk, Massachusetts.

Algonquian-Iroquoian Frontier Violence
1300
Squaw Sachem Campaign 1639
1639
Revolt Against Governor Andros (Boston 1689)
1689
Revolt Against Andros 1689 (Boston)
1689
Burning of Charlestown
1775
Battle of Bunker Hill – Rail Fence Line
1775
Battle of Chelsea Creek (1775)
1775
Battle of Chelsea Creek
1775
Battle of Breed's Hill
1775
Battle of Bunker Hill — Breed's Hill
1775
Siege of Boston – Roxbury Lines
1775
Bunker Hill — Prescott's Redoubt
1775
Siege of Boston
1775
Skirmish at Charlestown Neck
1775
Battle of Bunker Hill — Breed's Hill Second Assault
1775
Action at Hog Island
1775
Battle of Bunker Hill
1775
Battle of Dorchester Heights
1776
Seizure of Dorchester Heights
1776
Siege of Boston — Dorchester Heights
1776
British Evacuation of Boston
1776
USS Chesapeake vs HMS Shannon (Jun 1 1813)
1813
USS Constitution vs. HMS Cyane and HMS Levant
1815

Historic places in Suffolk

National Register of Historic Places listings in Suffolk, Massachusetts.

ROSEWAY (schooner)
Boston
Harriswood Crescent
Boston
Church of Christ
Revere
New Riding Club
Boston
Copp's Hill Burial Ground
Boston
Douglass, Frederick, Square Historic District
Boston
Sears, David, House
Boston
Faneuil Hall
Boston
Bellingham Square Historic District
Chelsea
Locke-Ober Restaurant
Boston
Garrison, William Lloyd, House
Boston
Otis, (First) Harrison Gray, House
Boston
Monument Square Historic District
Boston
International Trust Company Building
Boston
Moreland Street Historic District
Boston
Saint Augustine Chapel and Cemetery
Boston
Metropolitan Theatre
Boston
Otis, (Second) Harrison Gray, House
Boston
Park Street District
Boston
Codman Square District
Boston
Quincy Market
Boston
Quincy Grammar School
Boston
Old South Meeting House
Boston
Sherman Apartments Historic District
Boston
Browse all Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Other counties in Massachusetts

Explore census history and historic records for more Massachusetts counties.

FranklinHampdenHampshireMiddlesexNantucketNorfolkPlymouthWorcesterBarnstableBerkshireBristolDukesEssex
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Everything a full report reveals about Suffolk County, Massachusetts

This page charts the census history of Suffolk County, Massachusetts. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Suffolk

When does Suffolk first appear in the US census?
Suffolk, Massachusetts first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 44,875.
What is the population of Suffolk?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Suffolk had a recorded population of 797,936.
When did Suffolk's population peak?
Suffolk's recorded population peaked at 896,615 in 1950.
Were any battles fought in Suffolk?
23 documented military engagements took place in Suffolk, including Algonquian-Iroquoian Frontier Violence, Squaw Sachem Campaign 1639, Revolt Against Governor Andros (Boston 1689).
How many historic places are in Suffolk?
350 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Suffolk, Massachusetts.
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