County of Suffolk Incorporated in 1643
During the colonial period there was no officer bearing the title of Sheriff until 1688. The office of Sheriff later became an elected position in the year 1855.
The following persons have served as Sheriff of Suffolk County under the Province Charter and/or under the Constitution:
| NAME | DATES | ADDL. INFO |
| Steven W. Tompkins | 2013- present | First appointed by Governor Patrick |
| Andrea J. Cabral | 2002-2013 | First appointed by Governor Swift |
| Richard J. Rouse | 1996-2002 | |
| Robert C. Rufo | 1987-1996 | |
| Dennis J. Kearney | 1977-1987 | |
| Thomas S. Eisenstadt | 1969-1977 | |
| John W. Sears | 1968-1969 | |
| Frederick R. Sullivan | 1944-1968 | |
| John F. Dowd | 1938-1944 | |
| John A. Keliher | 1920-1938 | |
| John Quinn, Jr. | 1915-1920 | |
| Fred H. Seavey | 1909-1915 | |
| John B. Moran | 1905-1909 | |
| John B. O’Brien | 1883-1905 | |
| John M. Clark | 1855-1883 | |
| Joseph Eveleth | 1853-1855 | |
| Henry Crocker | 1852-1853 | |
| Joseph Eveleth | 1839-1852 | |
| Charles Pickney Sumner | 1825-1839 | |
| Joseph Hall | 1818-1825 | |
| Samuel Bradford | 1809-1818 | |
| Jeremiah Allen | 1791-1809 | |
| Joseph Henderson | 1780-1791 | |
| William Greenleaf | 1775-1780 | |
| Stephen Greenleaf | 1757-1775 | |
| Benjamin Pollard | 1743-1757 | |
| Edward Winslow | 1728-1743 | |
| William Payne | 1715-1728 | |
| William Dudley | 1714-1715 | |
| William Payne | 1714-1714 | |
| William Dudley | 1713-1714 | |
| Giles Dyer | 1702-1713 | |
| Samuel Gookin | 1692-1702 |
