Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania Allegheny County


 * This article is about a southwestern Pennsylvania county. For other uses, see Allegheny.

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Washington and Westmoreland Counties 24 September 1788.
 * County Seat: Pittsburgh
 * Neighboring Counties: residents may also have records in Butler (north) • Westmoreland (east) • Beaver (northwest) • Washington (southwest)  • and Armstrong (northeast)

Boundary Changes

 * Allegheny County was disputed between Virginia and Pennsylvania until the Mason-Dixon Line was finalized in 1780.
 * 1750: Southern half of Allegheny County was included in Cumberland County when Cumberland was created in 1750; northern half of Allegheny County was not included in any county until 1785.
 * 1771: Southern half of Allegheny County was included in Bedford County when Bedford County was created out of Cumberland County in 1771.
 * 1773: Southern half of Allegheny County was included in Westmoreland County when Westmoreland was created out of Bedford county in 1773.
 * 1783: Northern half of Allegheny became part of Depreciation Lands; part of the southern half of Allegheny County became part of Washington County when Washington County was created in 1781, while the rest remained part of Westmoreland County.
 * 1785: Northern half of Allegheny was annexed to Northumberland County.
 * 12 March 1800: Allegheny Co. boundaries were finalized as it appears today after the parts were set to form Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Erie, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties.


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Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Allegheny Cemetery

BillionGraves:


 * Laird Cemetery, Plum
 * Plum Creek Cemetery, Plum
 * McKeesport and Versailles Cemetery, McKeesport
 * Saint Anne Cemetery, Castle Shannon

Census

 * U.S. Census Schedules - University of Pittsburgh for Allegheny City 1850, 1860, and 1870 and for Pittsburgh 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. There is no coverage for schedules outside these two cities.

County-wide Database - Multi-denominational



 * 1708-1985 - Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, free to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry.com – $; 7,542,774 entries. This database is incomplete for all counties.

Catholic

 * Roman Catholic- Diocese of Pittsburgh Archives and Records Center
 * Parish Archives: Allegheny County. This gives the year a parish was founded, the parish name, and the neighborhoods served by each parish.
 * Father Peter Helbron's baptismal register, on microfilm from Family History Centers. Contains baptisms 1799-1828, marriages 1800-1830, funerals 1800-1819.
 * "100 years of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese 1843–1943". Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, 17:1. FamilySearch Library book 974.8 B2wg. Contains chronolgy, map, county-by-county information.

Episcopalian



 * Page, Oliver Ormsby. "Sketch of the 'Old Round Church,' 1805-1825, the Original Edifice of Trinity Church, Pittsburgh," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 19 (1895):351-358. For free online access, see WeRelate.

German
Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University

Jewish

 * Rodef Shalom, oldest Jewish congregation in Western Pennsylvania
 * Rauh Jewish Archivesat the Heinz History Center

LDS Ward and Branch Records

 * Family History Centers
 * Pittsburg
 * Wilson

Methodist

 * The Smeltzer Bell Research Center at Allegheny College


 * 1888 - Manual and Directory of Smithfield Street M.E. Church for 1888: Containing Full Account of the Centennial Celebration of Pittsburgh Methodism, Held in the Smithfield St. M.E. Church, Sept. 16-23. Pittsburgh, Pa.: East Ender Print, 1888. Digitized by Ancestry ($).

Presbyterian

 * Pittsburgh Presbytery

Learn if the records of the individual parish or Church your ancestors attended are available.

Court Records
Records of genealogical value in the Allegheny County Offices are listed and described at the Allegheny County website. The webpage describes the availability of the records, the office where they are found, years covered, and links to the proper office or website. Records described include adoptions, census, birth, marriage, death,various court records, deeds, divorce, wills and estate, maps, naturalizations, and military records.

Department of Court Records Wills/Orphans' Court

Criminal Civision( formerly the Clerk of the Courts)
Clerk's Office U.S. Post Office &amp; Federal Court Bldg. 7th. Avenue &amp; Grant Street, Room 829 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Prothonotary
This court is now under the Department of Court Records since it was combined in 2008 with the Clerk of Courts and Register of Wills.

Allegheny County Court Records Director (In 1908 the office of Prothonotary in Allegheny County was combined into the Court Records Director) Kate Barkman Room 115 Courthouse 414 Grant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2469 Phone: 412-350-4200 Email: civil@alleghenycounty.us Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Directories
Fold3 ($) has Pittsburgh City Directories 1861-1923 (3 yrs. missing) available online.

"Historic Pittsburgh - Full Text Collection" has Pittsburgh City and Allegheny City Directories (and outlying areas) from 1815 through 1930. Directories were not issued annually until the mid-1850s. Homestead Directories may be found on the same site.

History

 * Over 950 fully-searchable books and published works covering much of western Pennsylvania have been posted online at Historic Pittsburgh, nosted by the University of Pittsburgh's Digital Library

Land and Property
Land records in Allegheny County began in 1788. These records are filed with the Department of Real Estate office (formerly the Record of Deeds) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, and maps. Property records include liens as well as livestock brands and estray records.

The following are examples of available resources:

Online Land Records


 * 1733-1957 Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of the Land Office, Warrant Registers, 1733-1957, Allegheny County (South and East of the Ohio River)


 * 1792–1857; 1986–present Allegheny County offers online access to indexes and images. Fees apply for copies.

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1788–1904 Deeds, 1788-1901; index, 1788-1904.

Maps


 * Fishman, Joel. The Warrantee Atlas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh [Pennsylvania] : Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, 1982. Originally published by the Pennsylvania State Land Office ca. 1914. Digital version of the 1914 edition available at the University of Pittsburgh's "Historic Pittsburgh Maps Collection."

Note that the "Maps" section below includes maps related to land ownership.

Additional Resources

See Pennsylvania Land and Property for more information about using land records, especially about original land warrants, surveys, and patents filed at the state land office.

Additional resources can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Allegheny County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
 * (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search.)

Maps

 * Pittsburgh and Allegheny City 1856 from the David Rumsey Map Collection.

Revolutionary War
Men living in what is now Allegheny County (then Westmoreland and Washington counties) served in the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment.

Civil War

 * Hively, Henry. "Black Civil War Soldiers, Allegheny County Pennsylvania," Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 1. (Summer 1990):39. FHL Book 974.B2wg

Newspapers
Newspapers of Allegheny County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory
 * University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library for old newspapers.

Online Newspapers

The following are some of the online newspapers available in Allegheny County. To learn if there are newspapers on line for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google.com/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.


 * Allegheny Times October 2, 1988 - January 31, 2008
 * McKeesport Daily News Website
 * Pittsburgh Post-Gazetteis available on Google News Archive. It covers 1916 through 2007
 * Penn State Digital Newspapers
 * Pittsburger Volksblatt August 8, 1859-December 31, 1900
 * The Pittsburgh Commercial April 29, 1859-May 4, 1965]
 * The Pittsburgh Daily Commercial September 7, 1863 - June 30, 1864
 * Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette January 1, 1877 - November 23, 1901
 * The Pittsburgh Daily Gazette March 29, 1847 - June 4, 1872
 * The Pittsburgh Daily Gazette and Advertiser February 24, 1816 - March 27, 1847
 * Pittsburg Dispatch
 * The Pittsburgh Gazette March 7, 1795 - November 12, 1962
 * Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project
 * Pittsburgh Post-Gazette March 18, 1916 - September 28, 2007
 * Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Sun-Telegraph June 1, 1960 - June 30, 1960
 * The Pittsburgh Press July 18, 1819 - July 28, 1992
 * The Pittsburgh Catholic Starting in 1844

Online Newspaper Abstracted Articles


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Allegheny County.

Obituaries
Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died. However, sometimes an obituary is found in the location from which he or she originated. To find an obituary, see the information under the Newspaper heading

Online Obituary Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Allegheny County.

Poorhouse, Almshouse
Allegheny County Workhouse Records, 1866-1971. The site lists the records, including conduct books, 1870-1906, discharge and descriptive dockets, 1873-1971, escaped prisoners, 1882-1971, prison registers 1869-1951, and more. The records are at the Pennsylvania State Archives.

Probate Records
Online Probate Records

Original probate records for some Pennsylvania counties are available free online as digital images at FamilySearch.org. The dates vary significantly for each county and not all counties are listed. Some counties may only have probate indexes. This Pennsylvania collection of images may be browsed through the links listed below:

Complete Collection:


 * 1683-1994 – at FamilySearch.org

Department of Court Records Wills/Orphans' Court

Archives
Merrick Archives Allegheny College Pelletier Library 520 N. Main Street Meadville, PA 16335 Phone: (814) 332-2398 Call in advance for an appointment with the Archivist or to confirm current hours. The Merrick Archives has records and biographical information for faculty, staff, and alumni.

Courthouse
Allegheny County Courthouse 436 Grant St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: (412) 350-6500 FAX:(412) 350-6512

Family History Centers
Also see below:
 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Family History Center (Carnegie Library)
 * Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Family History Center (Greentree)
 * Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 3rd Family History Center (Plum Borough)

Libraries

 * Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-Pennsylvania Department 4400 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213 Telephone: 412-622-3114 Online Catalog The Carnagie Library has 19 neighborhood locations, including the Main Library and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.The Library has a sizeable genealogy collection.

Museums

 * Soldiers &amp; Sailors Memorial Hall &amp; Museum 4141 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Telephone: 412.621.4253 Fax: 412.683.9339 Email: frontdesk@soldiersandsailorshall.org The museum was originally built to honor veterans of the Civil was but was later expanded to honor soldiers of all conflicts. It contains artifact, interperative displays, letters, journals, and more.


 * Senator John Heinz History Center 1212 Smallman Street Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Phone: 412-454-6000


 * Historical Research Inquiries Library and Archives Reference Desk Phone: 412-454-6364 Email: library@heinzhistorycenter.org


 * This library's collection includes 3,500 individual archival collections of families and businesses; over 40,000 books, pamphlets, and monographs, plus 500 maps and atlases.

Societies
Rich in history, contains a number of societies dealing with the history of the area. A list of Allegheny County historical and genealogical societies is available on US GenWeb. Some of the major societies include:


 * West Jefferson Hills Historical Society The WJHHS Genealogy Committee meetings are the first Thursday each month at the Archive Room at the Jefferson Hills Municipal Building, 925 Old Cliarton Road, Jefferson Hills, PA 15025 at 6:30 p.m. The Society collects historical documents, artifacts, photographs and pertinent memorabilia from the area, and, in addition, is serving as an information source for genealogical research and record keeping.
 * Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society 4400 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-4080 Library Hours: Monday - Thursday: 10:00am - 8:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 10:00am - 5:30pm, Sunday: 1:00pm - 5:00pm Tips for planning a visit The focus of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society are the 26 counties west of Centre County. The Society is based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and maintains its library and offices in the Pennsylvania Department of the Carnegie Library. The WPGS Library collection is complemented and augmented by the Pennsylvania Department's enormous holdings of local and family history information. It has extensive onsite resources for both in-library research, and out-of-town queries.
 * North Hills Genealogists This group of genealogists is located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. They publish a monthly newsletter and hold monthly meetings at the Northland Public Library, 300 Cumberland Rd, 15237. They have published several books on pioneer cemeteries in the area.
 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania 1300 Locust Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107 Telephone: (215) 732-6200 Fax: (215) 732-2680 Tips for planning a visit The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania collects genealogical materials from Pennsylvania and every other state east of the Mississippi River. Its collections also cover pre-migration from Europe, the genealogical “stepping stones” across the Caribbean, and out-migration to Canada. Its collection includes 600,000 printed items and more than 21 million manuscript and graphic items. It is one of the largest family history libraries in the nation, has preeminent printed collections on Pennsylvania and regional history, and offers superb manuscript collections renowned for their strength in 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century history. By acquiring the holdings of The Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies in 2002 and those of The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania in 2006, the Society has become a chief center for the documentation and study of the ethnic communities and immigrant experiences between the late 19th century century and our own times. In

Taxation

 * 1791 - Returns of Taxables for the Counties of Bedford (1773 to 1784), Huntingdon (1788), Westmoreland (1783, 1786), Fayette (1785, 1786), Allegheny (1791), Washington (1786) and Census of Bedford (1784) and Westmoreland (1783). (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 22). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.


 * 1798 - Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

County-wide Database

 * 1700-1821 – Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.


 * Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. It includes 35,000 marriage records from volume VIII of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.


 * Allegheny County Vital Statistic Indexes from Pittsburgh Newspapers at USGenWeb - Indexes to deaths, marriages (bride and groom indexes), and divorces.

Birth

 * 1892-1906 - - free index. Not complete for all years. There are a very few entries in the early 1700s.
 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.

Births and Deaths
Microfiche of birth and death registers recorded in Allegheny County prior to 1906 are now at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Search and copy fees range from $5-17 with a limit of four names per order.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Department, Records Research 4400 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15213


 * 1870 to 1905 Birth and death registers Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
 * 1906 to Present see Pennsylvania Vital Records.
 * Birth records from 1893 to 1905 see Registrar of Wills.

Marriage

 * 1888-1911 - - free index. Not complete for all years.
 * 1786-1925 Marriage notices from newspapers index 1786-1910; Pennsylvania Marriage records,1852-1854; and Allegheny County Marriages index, 1885-1925, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Search and order Allegheny County marriage records online or visit in person. Department of Court Records Wills/Orphans' Court Division Marriage License Bureau 414 Grant Street 1st Floor, City-County Building Pittsburgh PA 15219

Divorce
Divorce records are handled by the Department of Court Records Civil/Family Division (formerly the office of the Prothonotary). While no on-line indexes or records are available, records may be obtained on site or by correspondence. An index to divorce records is included in the Ejectment and Miscellaneous Index. Request at the main desk. Older records may be in storage and have to be ordered. Department of Court Records Civil/Family Division City-County Building 414 Grant Street, First Floor Pittsburgh PA 15219-2469 Phone: (412)350-4200 Fax: (412)350-5260 civil@alleghenycounty.us

Death

 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
 * 1870–1905 -Free index with images.

Web Sites

 * Allegheny County Resources for Genealogical Research from the county website
 * Linkpendium - Allegheny County
 * The Allegheny County PAGenWeb Project, a member of The PAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Allegheny County
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Allegheny County (backup site)

Populated Places
Pittsburgh, Forest Hills, Aleppo, Leet, Versailles, Braddock, more...