Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for Lancaster, Lancashire. It is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lancaster County Courthouse 50 N. Duke St. P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608 Phone: 717-299-8275 Prothonotary: 717-299-8282 Register of Wills/Orphan's Court: 717-299-8242 or 717-299-8243 Clerk or Courts Lancaster County Website Register of Wills has birth records 1893-1905, marriage records from 1885, probate and court records from 1729 Prothonotary Court has records of Common Pleas court and divorce records Clerk of Orphans Court has orphan court records Recorder of Deeds has land records from 1729 Court of Common Pleas has death records 1894-1927

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:

Bible Records

 * Church Records, Lancaster County at PA-Roots
 * Lancaster County Bibles at PA USGenWeb Archives
 * The Eby Family Bible at Lancaster History

Biographies

 * Some Biographies of Lancaster County courtesy USGenWeb
 * A Biographical History of Lancaster County : Being a History of Early Settlers and Eminent Men of the County. 1872. By Alexander Harris. Lancaster, Pennsylvania : E. Barr & Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Indentured Servants

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources
 * ca.1700-ca.1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images (incomplete)


 * Cemeteries of Lancaster County in Adamstown &amp; Akron Boroughs and Bart, Brecknock, &amp; Caernarvon Townships. Lists of cemeteries, some with lists of burials

Census Records

 * 1850-1880  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * Visit Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Church Records for information about church denominations and records in Lancaster County.

Court Records

 * 1718-1852 (*); Court of Private Sessions and Clerk of Quarter Sessions and Oyer and Terminer at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1735-1810 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1742-1891 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1782 (*); Court of Oyer and Terminer at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1784-1791 (*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Prothonotary Office of Prothonotary 50 N Duke St PO Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 Phone: 717-299-8282

Directories

 * 1843-1914 Lancaster City and County Directories, 1843-1914 at Lancaster History
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1798-1828  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Alphabet index then by numbered entry
 * 1900-1923  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by county)
 * 1952-1957   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images


 * Major Scotch-Irish Settlements in the 1730's Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Huguenots Shirk, Willis L., Jr. "Assimilating into the Amerian Milieu: French Huguenots in Eighteenth Century Lancaster County", Lancaster Historical Society Journal, 95:3, 74.

Indentured Servants

African American

 * 1780-1846

Guardianship

 * 1730 -1830 Index to Letters of Administration
 * 1742 -1755 Index and Abstracts of Orphans' Court Records
 * 1742 -1867 Miscellaneous Books; Index to Miscellaneous Books, 1742-1891
 * 1942 -1973 Delayed Birth Certificates, filed 1942-1973; Index to volumes 1-25

Land and Property Records
Land records in Lancaster County began in 1728. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Online Land Indexes and Records


 * 1729–present  The Recorder of Deeds has placed all county land records on-line which can be viewed for Land Records from 1981 to present can be viewed and searched; you do not have to be a registered user, just login as Guest. Land Records from 1729 to 1981 can be viewed but not searched so have the Page number and the Land Record number (Book and Volume for older records).
 * 1729-1770 Mayhill, R.,Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, deed abstracts and Revolutionary War oaths of allegiance: deed books "A" through "M", 1729 through ca.1770 Everyname (incl adj landowners) index.
 * 1729-1894  Deeds, 1729-1867; Index, 1729-1894  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1729-1940  Mortgage records, 1812-1821; mortgagor index, 1729-1940.  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

Landowner Maps


 * MacInnes, Sharon Cook and Angus MacInnes. Early Landowners of Pennsylvania: Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Lancaster County, PA Apollo, Pennsylvania: Closson Press, 2008.
 * Gilbert, Geri. The Warrant Maps of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Including an Every-name IndexMorgantown, Pennsylvania: Masthof Press, 2005.

Local Histories

 * An Authentic History of Lancaster County, in the State of Pennsylvania. 1869. By J. I. Mombert. Lancaster, Pa.: J.E. Barr. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of Lancaster County. 1844. By I. Daniel Rupp. Lancaster, Pennsylvania : Gilbert Hills. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.
 * History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 1883. By Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans. Philadelphia : Everts & Peck. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.
 * Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : a History. 4 volumes. c1924. Editor H.M.J. Klein. New York, New York : Lewis Historical Pub. Co. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 3 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 4 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vols. 2-4 - Hathitrust;.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps


 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted downloadable images from the Bridgens' Atlas of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania from Actual Surveys by H.F. Bridgens published by D.S. Bare in 1864. This atlas shows major landowners and geographic sites at the date of publishing.  While the physical maps are in the public domain, the images we have taken of the maps belong to us and are not to be used commercially. We hereby give permission to use them strictly for personal use; please attribute to Ancestor Tracks.
 * An Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Lancaster County and a Companion Scans of Township Warrantee Maps plus Current Road Overlay CD ($) are also available from Ancestor Tracks. They show precise outlines in metes and bounds of each original tract and all surrounding tracts in the township, giving the names of the warrantee and patentee; dates of the warrant, survey, and patent; and the patent and survey book and page of the recorded patent.
 * Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site contains several maps of Lancaster County, old and modern.
 * Online map site and things to do in Lancaster county PA
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
French and Indian War In 1756, Colonel Armstrong recruited many Scotch-Irish men from Lancaster County. They attacked and destroyed the Indian village at Kittanning (present-day Armstrong County).

Colonel Henry Bouquet led a group of Scotch-Irish men from Lancaster County to rescue Fort Pitt. They decisively defeated the Indians at the Battle of Bushy Run.

Reverend John Elder, pastor of Derry and Paxtang churches, recruited Scotch-Irish rangers from his congregation in Lancaster County. Known as the Paxton Rangers or Paxton Boys, they provided security for white settlements between the Blue Mountains and the Susquehanna River. They are remembered for playing a prominent role in Pontiac's War.

Revolutionary War

Lancaster County men also served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment,. Digital version at, the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment, and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.

Civil War Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Civil War lists Lancaster County Pennsylvania Soldiers in the Civil War - Civil War Books, Rosters, Medal of Honor Recipients, and Soldier Biographies.


 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1865-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II
 * 1933-1947  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1740-1773 Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-1773 on Ancestry $
 * 1743 Extract aus der Registratur der Supreem Court zu Philadelphia - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1795-1931  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1795-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1795-1930 Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1795-1930 on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1522, incomplete for all counties
 * 1795-1930 Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry $
 * Mayhill, R., Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, deed abstracts and Revolutionary War oaths of allegiance: deed books "A" through "M", 1729 through ca.1770. At the back of Deed Book L are some Oaths of Allegiance.

Newspapers
Newspaper Collections


 * Pennsylvania Civil War Era Newspaper Collection


 * Father Abraham 6/12/1868-4/29/1870; 10/25/1872-12/13/1872
 * Lancaster Intelligencer 12/28/1847-12/27/1871

Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts


 * Hawbaker, Gary T., Runaways, Rascals and Rogues:Missing Spouses, Servants and Slaves (Hershey, Pennsylvania:G.T. Habaker, c1987) ; Lancaster Journal, 1794-1810.
 * Der Volksfreund, Lancaster (Pennsylvanien) (SLC, Utah, 1961)

Newspapers of Lancaster County

Online Newspapers


 * Chronicling America Lancaster Daily Intelligencer 1863-1928 Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
 * Pennsylvania Historic Newspapers


 * Lancaster Intelligencer 1833-1852
 * Marietta Register 1883-1890
 * Mariettian 1858-1860
 * Marietta Advocate and Farmers' and Mechanic's Intelligencer 1833-1835
 * Marietta Pioneer 9/1827-9/1828
 * Pioneer (Marietta) 9/26/1828-1/8/1830

The Lancaster County Digitization Project is a consortium of institutions interested in digitizing the county's newspaper and manuscript collections. Several Lancaster county newspapers are provided in digital format through this and other collaborative efforts.
 * Lancaster History
 *  Lancaster Examiner and Herald 1834-72
 * The Columbia Spy 1830-89
 * The Intelligencer Journal 1848-71
 * The Lancaster Farmer 1869-84
 *  The New Holland Clarion 1873-1950


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive

Online Newspaper Abstracts
 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Lancaster County.
 * Selected Newspaper Articles from Lancaster Intelligencer1881 -1897; Terre Hill Times 1910-1911; Quarryville Sun, 1918. Courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Obituaries

 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1977-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Online Obituary Abstracts
 * Archived Intelligencer Obituaries
 * Current Lancaster Intelligencer Obituaries
 * Lancaster County Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Lancaster County.
 * Marshall College Obituaries 19th Century
 * Mennonite and Amish Obituaries

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1683-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1721-1820 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1729-1850 An Index to the Will Books and Intestate Records of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1729-1850 : With an Historical Sketch and Classified Bibliography. By Fulton, Eleanore Jane and Mylin, Barbara Kendig. Lancaster, Pennsylvania : Intelligencer Printing Co., 1936. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1729-1947 Lancaster County Probate Records at FamilySearch
 * 1729-1947 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1730-1830 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1742-1755 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1742-1891 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1767-1829 Some Pennsylvania Wills; Genealogy : A Journal of American Ancestry - V. 7, 1917. No. 07. By Flickinger, McClure, Reist, and Resh. Hackensack, New Jersey : William M. Clemens, 1917. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Miscellaneous Church Records, Tax Lists, Warrants, Surveys, Wills, Deeds etc. Pertaining to Early Settlers of Lancaster County, Pa - Families. By Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Miscellaneous Records, Tax Lists, Warrants, Surveys, Wills, Deeds etc. Pertaining to Early Settlers of Lancaster County, Pa. By Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 3 - FamilySearch Digital Library

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

 * Pre-1729 Eshelman, H. Frank. Assessment Lists and Other Manuscript Documents of Lancaster County Prior to 1729 Digitized by Internet Archive
 * 1750-1758, 1771-1772 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Assessment Lists 1750, 1751, 1753, 1755, 1758, 1771, 1772 (Lancaster County locations listed although page is title Lebanon County)
 * 1751, 1756-1758 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Tax Lists 1751, 1756, 1757, 1758: With Additional Tax Lists and Index
 * 1771-1773, 1779, 1782 Proprietary and State Tax Lists of the County of Lancaster: For the Years 1771, 1772, 1773, 1779 and 1782 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 17). Digital version at Ancestry ($)
 * 1798 Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

The Salt Lake City has microfilmed many Lancaster County taxation records, and they are available in Salt Lake City and can be accessed in its satellite FamilySearch Centers.

Birth
Old birth records for Lancaster County from 1881 through 1906 are kept by the Register of Wills.


 * 1520-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855 Birth Registrations, online index at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1852-1855 Lancaster County Birth Index 1852-1855, International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1870-1906 Delayed birth certificates, 1870-1906 online index at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1881-1906 Birth Registrations, 1881-1906, Lancaster City at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1893-1907 Births Registrations, 1897-1907 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1941-1976  at FamilySerch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage
Pennsylvania marriages are located at the county level. Contact the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania clerk's office for marriage records from 2004 to the present. It is best to contact the Lancaster County Archives for marriage records prior to 2004.


 * 1512-1989  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
 * 1677-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1682-1976  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * 1709-1940  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855, 1885 Lancaster County Marriage Index 1852-1855 and 1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1852-1855 Marriage Registrations, 1852-1855 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1852-1855 Marriage Registrations, 1852-1855 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1885-1936 Marriage License Index 1885-1936 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1885-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Beginning 1948 The Register of Wills keeps a marriage index beginning 1948 with an online index.
 * Marriage Licenses are recorded continuously from 1885 and an index are available on-line.

Death

 * 1720-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1803-1804, 1846-1907 Lancaster County Death Index 1803-1804 and 1846-1907, International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1803-1907 Lancaster County, PA Deaths: 1893-1907 is a database with information extracted from death registrations, and can be used as a finding aid for original entries.
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania, Deaths, 1852-1854  Index with images. Ancestry ($)
 * 1852-1855 Death Registrations, 1852-1855 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1856-1971  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1874-1978 Death Affidavit Index, 1874-1978 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1893-1907 Death Registrations, 1893-1907 at Lancaster County Archives

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary.


 * 1851-1997 Divorce Records, online index (select Index Book Search)

Archives
Bethel Harambee Historical Services  Hopkins Study Center Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church 450 E Strawberry Lancaster, PA 17602-4449 Phone: 717-393-8379 Email: [mailto:web@bethelamelancaster.com web@bethelamelancaster.com] Website Facebook
 * Has historical documents relating to African American history.

Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society (ERHS)] and United Church of Christ Archives (UCC) 555 W James St Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: 717-290-8734 Email: [mailto:info@erhistoricalsociety.org info@erhistoricalsociety.org] Website Facebook
 * This site has church records and family histories formerly housed at the Franklin and Marshall College Library.

Lancaster County Archives 150 N Queen St, Ste 10 Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: 717-299-8319 Fax: 717-735-9606 Email: [mailto:archives@co.lancaster.pa.us archives@co.lancaster.pa.us] Website
 * The archives has historic records, such as wills and deeds from the beginning of the county in 1729.

National Archives at Philadelphia 14700 Townsend Rd Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096 Phone: 215-305-2044 Fax: 215-305-2052 Email: [mailto:philadelphia.archives@nara.gov philadelphia.archives@nara.gov] Website Facebook

FamilySearch Centers

 * Lancaster Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center]
 * York Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * The Annville Free Library - an affiliate library.
 * York County History Center - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Franklin and Marshall College Library Archives and Special Collections 450 College Ave PO Box 3003 Lancaster, PA 17604 Phone: 717-291-4223 Email: [mailto:ask.us@fandm.edu ask.us@fandm.edu] Website Facebook
 * Has some genealogical data about College faculty, students and administrators only. All church records and family histories were moved to the Lancaster Theological Seminary in 1967.

Lancaster Public Library 125 N Duke St Lancaster, PA 17602 Phone: 717-394-2651 Email: [mailto:askus@lancasterpubliclibrary.org askus@lancasterpubliclibrary.org] Website Facebook Winters Heritage House Museum Seibert Genealogy Research Library Elizabethtown Preservation Associates, Inc. 47 E High St PO Box 14 Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Phone: 717-367-4672 Email: [mailto:Winters-HH@elizabethtownhistory.org Winters-HH@elizabethtownhistory.org] Website Facebook
 * The library has historical and family records, maps, photographs, etc. Call ahead to make an appointment with a research librarian. The museum has three original log structures dating from 1750-1847, and a brick house dating to 1877.

Museums
Amish Farm and House 2395 Lincoln Highway E (Covered Bridge Dr) Lancaster, PA 17602 Phone: 717-394-6185 Email: [mailto:info@amishfarmandhouse.com info@amishfarmandhouse.com] Website Facebook Historic Ephrata Cloister 632 W Main St Ephrata, PA 17522 Phone: 717-733-6600 Email: [mailto:Ephrata1732@gmail.com Ephrata1732@gmail.com] Website Facebook
 * The cloister has a small research library that is open weekdays by appointment only. Limited genealogical materials are available. "The staff is unable to answer genealogical queries, but can provide some advice on available sources." The Cloister is one of 26 historic sites and museums on the Pennsylvania Trail of History.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania 300 Gap Road PA Route 741 PO Box 15 Strasburg, PA 17579 Phone: 717-687-8628 Email: [mailto:info@rrmuseumpa.org info@rrmuseumpa.org] Website Facebook
 * The Museum has thousands of historic books and magazines about railroads plus a large collection of photographs, maps, and manuscripts.

Winters Heritage House Museum Elizabethtown Preservation Associates, Inc. 47 E High St PO Box 14 Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Phone: 717-367-4672 Email: [mailto:Winters-HH@elizabethtownhistory.org Winters-HH@elizabethtownhistory.org] Website Facebook

Societies
Lancaster History 230 N President Ave Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: 717-392-4633 Email: [mailto:info@lancasterhistory.org info@lancasterhistory.org] Website Facebook Mennonite Life 2215 Millstream Rd Lancaster, PA 17602-1499 Phone: 717-393-9745 Email: [mailto:customercare@mennonitelife.org customercare@mennonitelife.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * The Lancaster County PA GenWeb Project, has numerous maps, church records, local histories, family histories, and other genealogical and historical information for Lancaster county.
 * FamilyHart Online Database, with many Lancaster County families listed, most of Pennsylvania Dutch extraction.
 * Pennsylvania Dutch Family History, Genealogy, Culture and Life This site contains links to everything Pennsylvania Dutch with a large concentration in Lancaster County.
 * Lancaster 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.