Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
It is named a Native American name, being named after the Allegheny River. It is located in the west section of the state.

County Courthouse
Allegheny County Courthouse 436 Grant St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: (412) 350-6500 FAX:(412) 350-6512 Allegheny County Website Orphan's Court Phone: (412)350-5550 Department of Court Records Phone: (412)350-4200 Email: [mailto:civil@alleghenycounty.us civil@alleghenycounty.us]
 * In 2008 the office of Prothonotary in Allegheny County was combined into the Court Records Director.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Placenames
 * Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt: Early Names of Pittsburgh Streets 1914. Digital version at Don's List

Biographies

 * Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Personal and Genealogical Vol. 1. Madison, Wis.: Northwestern Historical Association, 1904. Digital version at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1.; FamilySearch Digital Library Vol. 2.
 * Family Biographies from The History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (1889) published by A. Warner &amp; Co. are available on the My Genealogy Hound website.

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources
 * 1845-1960 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Pennsylvania Genealogy LDS Genealogy
 * Allegheny Cemetery
 * Names in Stone

Census Records

 * 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.

Church Records

 * Allegheny County Churches and Houses of Worship at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives



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 $


 * Contains church records of:
 * Bridgeville: Bethany Presbyterian Church
 * Carnegie: Christ United Presbyterian Church
 * Coraopolis: Greystone United Presbyterian Church
 * Duquesne: First Presbyterian Church
 * Gibsonia: Hampton United Presbyterian Church
 * Green Tree: Mount Pisgah United Presbyterian Church
 * Imperial: Valley Presbyterian Church
 * Jefferson: Jefferson Congregation of the American Reformed Church
 * McKeesport: Mount Vernon Community United Presbyterian Church
 * Monroeville: Hillcrest United Presbyterian Church
 * Mount Lebanon: Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church
 * Oakmont: Redeemer Lutheran Church; St. Thomas Memorial Episcopal Church
 * Pitcairn: Dutilh United Methodist Church; McGinnis Presbyterian Church
 * Pittsburgh: Ascension Episcopal Church; Bailey Avenue United Presbyterian Church of Mt. Washington; Church of the Epiphany; Edgewood Presbyterian Church; First Hungarian Reformed Church; Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of South Hills; Grace Episcopal Church; Protestant Episcopal Church; Springdale United Presbyterian Church; St. Luke's Memorial Lutheran Church; St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church; West End United Church of Christ; Zion Lutheran Church
 * Ross: Hiland Presbyterian Church
 * Shaler Township: St. Luke's Lutheran Church
 * Sharpsburg: Church of the Epiphany; First Evangelical Lutheran Church; Trinity Episcopal Church
 * Turtle Creek: First United Presbyterian Church

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 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.

Central Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh


 * 1859 -1882 Central Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Baptism Index 1859-1882 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh


 * 1809 -1819 First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Baptism Index 1809-1819 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1857 -1900 First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Marriage Index 1857-1900 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Third Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh


 * 1833 -1933 Third Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Baptism Index 1833-1933 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

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

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.

Don's List contains 1761, 1812, 1815-1816, 1826, 1837, 1839, 1841, 1844, 1852, 1854, 1857, 1864-1865, 1867, 1872, 1875, 1877-1879, 1884-1885, 1890, 1895, 1897-1903, 1905, 1907-1908, 1910, 1912, 1914, 1918, 1922, 1930, 1936, 1946, 1951, and 1962 Pittsburgh directories.

Land and Property Records
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. If your ancestor lived in the area which became Allegheny County, they may have filed land claims with Virginia when the area was know as the District of West Augusta.

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 Allegheny County Historical Deeds 1792–1857 is a collection of documents recorded in deed books that described people who were involved in the slave trade in the early days of Allegheny County. This collection does not include all deeds recorded between 1792 and 1857.
 * 1986 – present Allegheny County offers online access to indexes and images. Fees apply for copies.
 * 1788 -1904 Deeds, 1788-1901; index, 1788-1904. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

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."

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps
 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Pittsburgh and Allegheny City 1856 from the David Rumsey Map Collection.

Military Records

 * Allegheny County Military Service at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives Includes 1835 Revolutionary War Pensioners, 1812 Pensioners, Biographies of original members of Civil War Co. D 149th PA.

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

Civil War - 70th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Where to find Allegheny County naturalization records:


 * 1734 -1906 Common Pleas Court #2
 * 1799 -1894 Common Pleas Court #1
 * 1799 -1906 Quarter Sessions Court
 * 1906 - 1990 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1906 - Present - Index only at Clerk's Office, Pittsburgh
 * Before 1906-Present Federal Archives Records Center Archives Branch, Philadelphia

For addresses of these courts, visit Additional Sources for Research of Naturalization Records.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1798 -1910 Naturalization Declarations of Intention and Petitions - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1799 -1906 Naturalization Docket - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1820 -1906 Index to Declarations and Petitions in the Western District of Pennsylvania, US Circuit and District Courts located in US Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 database on Ancestry $, National Archives publication M1208
 * 1820 -1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537, incomplete for all counties
 * 1820 -1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537
 * 1883 -1906 Declarations of Intentions - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

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


 * 1947 -2010 - at FamilySearch
 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Allegheny County.
 * Allegheny County Newspapers at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Obituaries
Online Obituary Abstracts


 * 1947 -2010 - at FamilySearch
 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Allegheny County.
 * Allegheny County Obituaries at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Other Records
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 Index and Records
 * 1683 -1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry - $, index only
 * 1683 -1994 at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1789 -1917 Will Books - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1789 -1917 Will Packets or Files - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1788 -1971 at FamilySearch . Includes Allegheny County Estate Index (1788-1971); Will Books 1-141 (1788-1917); Proceedings Index Vols. 1-95 (1788-1971); Power of Attorney Index (1851-1901), Powers of Attorney Vols. 1-39 (1851-1901); Orphans' Court Dockets Vols. 1-154 (1789-1905).
 * 1788 -1971 Estate and Proceedings Index - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * Allegheny County Wills and Estate Records at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives - Includes Will Book Index, Books 1-3 and abstracts and images of many other wills.

Tax Records

 * 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 ($); Google Books
 * 1798 Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

Birth

 * 1726 -1930  index. Not complete for all years. This index is an electronic index for the years 1726 to 1930. It is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * 1852 -1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1870 -1901 Pittsburgh Birth Index 1870-1901, Volumes 1-69, in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1870 -1905 Birth and death registers Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
 * 1875 Allegheny County Birth Record Index from Allegheny River Families Archive
 * 1892 -1906 index. Not complete for all years. There are a very few entries in the early 1700s.
 * 1893 -1905 Birth records Registrar of Wills.
 * 1906 to Present see Pennsylvania Vital Records.
 * 1941 -1971 Allegheny County Birth Index 1941-1971 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * Miscellaneous Allegheny County Birth Records from Allegheny River Family Archives
 * Microfiche of birth 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.

Marriage

 * 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
 * 1677 -1950 at FamilySearch
 * 1700 -1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * 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 - research requests.
 * Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852 -1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1875 -1909 Pittsburgh Marriage Index 1875-1909 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1885 -1950 Extracted marriage records – This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
 * 1888 -1911 index. Not complete for all years.
 * 1946 Allegheny County Marriages and Divorces from the Allegheny River Families Archive
 * Marriage License Bureau Search and order online

Death

 * 1825 -1906 Pittsburgh Death Index 1825-1906 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1852 -1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1870 -1901 Pittsburgh Death Index 1870-1901, Volumes 1-69, in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch Death Index 1878-1886 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
 * 1870 -1905 at FamilySearch.
 * Microfiche of 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.
 * Index of Allegheny County Death Registrations 1852 1853 1854 from the USGenWeb Archives
 * USGenWeb Death Archives Listing for Allegheny County complied from Pittsburgh newspapers.
 * Allegheny County Death Notice Index 1876-1913, Selected surnames from the Allegheny River Family Archives
 * Allegheny County Death Registrations: 1852 1853 1854 from the USGenWeb Archives

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.


 * Allegheny County Divorce Index from the USGenWeb Archives
 * 1946 - Allegheny County Marriages and Divorces from the Allegheny River Families Archive
 * Department of Court Records Civil/Family Division

Archives

 * Merrick Archives Allegheny College Pelletier Library 520 N. Main Street Meadville, PA 16335 Phone: (814) 332-2398 Website
 * 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.


 * National Archives at Philadelphia 14700 Townsend Road Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096 Phone: (215) 305-2044 Fax (215) 305-2052 Website

Family History Centers

 * Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Family History Center (Greentree)
 * Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 3rd Family History Center (Plum Borough)
 * Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, see "Libraries," below

Libraries

 * Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Department, Records Research 4400 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213 Telephone: 412-622-3114 Website
 * Genealogy Resources
 * Birth Registers, City of Pittsburgh (1870-1905); Allegheny City (1885-October, 1907); Allegheny County (1893-1905); McKeesport (1892-1905); Sewickley (1896-1905); Wilkinsburg (1899-1905)
 * County Death Registers, City of Pittsburgh (1870-1905); Online Index for City of Pittsburgh Only; Allegheny City (1875-May, 1907); Allegheny County (1893-1905); McKeesport (1887-1905); Sewickley (1894-1905)
 * Registers are written entries, not certificates. Birth and Death Certificates are state-issued and are not available for dates prior to 1906.
 * After 1906 birth and death certificates are available from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records in New Castle, PA.
 * Additional Pittsburgh locations


 * Historic Pittsburgh Digital Library Website

Museums

 * Soldiers &amp; Sailors Memorial Hall &amp; Museum 4141 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Phone: 412-621-4253 Fax: 412-683-9339 Email: [mailto:frontdesk@soldiersandsailorshall.org frontdesk@soldiersandsailorshall.org] Website
 * The museum was originally built to honor veterans of the Civil War was but was later expanded to honor soldiers of all conflicts. It contains artifact, interpretive displays, letters, journals, and more.


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

 * Directory of Pennsylvania Genealogical &amp; Historical Societies Website
 * North Hills Genealogists Website
 * This group of genealogists is located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. They publish a monthly newsletter and hold monthly meetings on the third Tuesday of each month at the Northland Public Library, 300 Cumberland Rd, 15237. They have published several books on pioneer cemeteries in the area and hold an annual 2-day conference each spring. Their website includes a section of links to numerous western Pennsylvania research resources as well as back issues of their monthly newsletter. In June and July they sponsor special meetings in conjunction with the sessions of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh.


 * Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society 4400 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-4080 Website
 * The focus of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society is 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.


 * Afro-American Historical Genealogical Society, Pittsburgh Chapter Website
 * AAHGS is designed to encourage the research, documentation and preservation of African American families. Beginning genealogy classes are offered as well tips on how to overcome "brick walls" in your research. Monthly meetings and annual conferences are open to the public.


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania 1300 Locust Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107 Telephone: (215) 732-6200 Fax: (215) 732-2680 Website
 * 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.

Websites

 * 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)
 * Allegheny River Families Archive
 * Allegheny County Old Photos
 * Coraopolis History Archive
 * Allegheny County PA Genealogy
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.