Brooklyn Borough, New York Genealogy

United States New York  Borough of Brooklyn (formerly Kings County)

Parent County
Created 1 November 1683 from the Colonial lands.

Neighboring Counties
New York (Manhattan)· Queens· Richmond (Staten Island)· New Jersey county: Hudson

Boundary Changes
1898, the 4 counties (New York, Kings, Queens and Richmond) at the time, excluding Bronx which was formed 1914, were consolidated into the greater New York City. Some record keeping was retained at the county (now borough) level and other record-keeping transferred to the new city.

Bible Records

 * 1581–1917 New York, Family Bible Records at Ancestry– ($); Index. Database is a collection of genealogically important records taken from the Bibles of colony and state residents. Reveals the Bible's original owner, brief record of descendants,and a particular event such as birth or marriage as recorded in Bible.

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

Census
For information and tips on using and accessing online census records, see New York Census.

Church Records

 * to 1899 - Records of Burials in the Dutch Church, New York. New York, USA: Reformed Dutch Church, 1899. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1677-1754 - Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church Baptisms 1677-1754, courtesy: Ancestral Things.
 * 1688-1804 - Registers of the Births, Marriages, and Deaths of the "Eglise Françoise à la Nouvelle York": from 1688 to 1804. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1968. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1715-1761 - Baptisms in Gravesend, New York Church Records 1715-1763, courtesy: Olive Tree Genealogy.
 * 1718-1741 - The Baptismal Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of New Utrecht, Long Island, 1718-1741, courtesy: Dunham - Wilcox - Trott - Kirk.
 * 1834-1854 - Wolfert, Marion. Index to Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saint Matthew, New York City Records. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Marriage index.
 * 1837-1900 - Reilly, James R. comp. St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Brooklyn, New York, Baptism and Marriage Records, Volumes I-II. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Redmond Press, 1996. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Baptisms 1837-1900.
 * 1837-1900 - Reilly, James R. comp. St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Brooklyn, New York, Baptism and Marriage Records, Volumes I-II. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Redmond Press, 1996. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Marriages 1837-1900.
 * 1856-1969 - Zion German Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brooklyn Heights, NY, courtesy: German Genealogy Group. Baptisms, Marriages, Funeral records.
 * 1872-1978 - St. Leonard's of Port Maurice - Roman Catholic Church, Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY, courtesy: German Genealogy Group. Baptisms, Marriages, First Communion Records.
 * 1890-1942 - Our Lady of Sorrows - Roman Catholic Church, Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY, courtesy: German Genealogy Group. Baptisms and Marriages.
 * Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church Consistory Books, Kings County, Long Island, New York, courtesy: Olive Tree Genealogy.

Directories

 * Fold3.com ($) has Brooklyn City Directories 1862-1913 (4 yrs. missing) available online.

Land and Property

 * Long Island Source Records, courtesy: Ancestry ($)

Civil War
Available towns. Registers are available for: Flatbush· Flatlands· Gravesend· New Lots· New Utrecht·.

Regiments. Service men in Brooklyn, New York served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their city or county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Kings County:


 * - 3rd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 5th Regiment, New York Infantry (Duryee Zouaves)
 * - 7th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 7th Regiment, New York Veteran Infantry
 * - 9th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 10th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 17th Regiment, New York Veteran Infantry
 * - 20th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 31st Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 36th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 47th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 48th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 54th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 57th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 59th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 62nd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 67th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 69th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 74th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 84th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 87th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 88th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 90th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 95th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 102nd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 127th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 132nd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 133rd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 139th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 155th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 158th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 159th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 163rd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 164th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 165th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 170th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 173rd Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 176th Regiment, New York Infantry
 * - 186th Regiment, New York Infantry

Newspapers
Brooklyn, New York Newspapers are available online.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle Online

Probate Records

 * 1683-1744 - Long Island Source Records, courtesy: Ancestry ($)
 * 1787-1805 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1850-1890 - Barber, Gertrude A. Index of Wills Probated in Kings County, New York: from January 1, 1850 to December 31, 1890. unknown, 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1866-1923 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.

Courthouses
King's County government offices have birth, death, burial, marriage, divorce, probate, court, and land records. Kings (Brooklyn) County Courthouse page.

Birth

 * 1880-1909 New York City Birth index at German Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1880-1909 New York City Births at Italian Genealogical Group - free.


 * 1902 1902 New York City Births are available online.

Birth Substitutes


 * 1640–1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.


 * 1847-1851, 1881-1894 Early Brooklyn &amp; Queens Birth Database at German Genealogy Group - free; includes Flatbush.


 * See Town Clerks' Registers of Men who Served in the Civil War in Brooklyn in the Civil War section of Military for birth information.

Marriage

 * 1664–1784 New York. Secretary of State, Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784 (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860). At Cornell University digital library-free; Internet Archive - free; Ancestry edition($); ; . Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.


 * 1864-1937 New York City Grooms Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.


 * 1864-1937 New York City Grooms Record index at German Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1871-1937 New York City Brides Record Index at German Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1871-1937 New York City Brides Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.


 * 1875 Marriages 1875 State Census King County, Brooklyn New York are available online.


 * 1880-1892 Early Brooklyn Marriage Database at German Genealogy Group - free; includes Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, and New Utrecht.


 * Marriage Substitutes


 * 1686-1980 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.
 * 1800–1855 New York Marriage Notices at Ancestry– ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage notices published in newspapers around the state. Contains name of bride and groon, marriage date, marriage location, residence, and newspaper found in.
 * 1801–1880 Barber Collection- Newspaper Marriages at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
 * 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browseable.
 * 1864-5, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.

Death

 * 1847-1899 Early Brooklyn &amp; Queens Death Database at German Genealogy Group - free; includes Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, New Utrecht, and other towns.


 * 1862-1948 New York City Death Index at German Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1891-1948 New York City Death Records Search 1891-1948 at Italian Genealogical Group - free.


 * 1892-1902 Deaths Reported in the City of New York. New York: Department of Health. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Death Substitutes


 * 1795–1952 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.


 * 1801–1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."


 * 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.


 * 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browseable.


 * See Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War in  in the Civil War section of Military for death information.


 * 1864-5, 1874-5 See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.

Additional Resources

Websites

 * The Brooklyn NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Kings County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Kings County. (Backup site)