Somerset County, New Jersey Genealogy

Guide to Somerset County, New Jersey ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Somerset County is located in the north-central region of the state. It was created in 1688. Somerville is the county seat. The county was named for the county of Somerset in England.

County Courthouse
Somerset County Courthouse 20 North Bridge Street Somerville, NJ 08876 Phone: 908-332-7700 Somerset County Website

County Clerk has court records from 1777 and land records from 1785. County Surrogate has probate records.

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:

History Timeline

 * 1710, boundaries changed.
 * 1714, part back to Middlesex County.
 * 13 March 1714, part set off to be Hunterdon County.
 * 1741, part from Essex County.
 * 1749, boundary with Morris County defined.
 * 1790, boundary changes with Middlesex County and again in 1855, 1858 and 1878.
 * 22 February 1838 1838, part of Montgomery twp set off to form Mercer County.
 * 1844, Tewksbury twp. from Hunterdon County and restored in 1845.
 * 1850, part of Fanklin twp. added to to North Brunswick twp., Middlesex County.
 * 1876, Union County boundary clarified.
 * 1965, Hunterdon County boundary clarified.

Census Records

 * 1855 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * 1675-1970 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1727-1734 Skillman, William Jones. "Earliest Baptismal Records of the Church of Harlingen (Reformed Dutch) of New Jersey. 1727-1734," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 40, No. 4 (Oct. 1909):281-291. Digital versions at Internet Archive - free; New York Family History ($);.

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Somerset County for settlers included:
 * Raritan River a navigable river which rises in Morris County and flows through central New Jersey past Manville to New Brunswick where it meets the tide.
 * Delaware and Raritan Canal 1834 connected New Brunswick, New Jersey on the Raritan River (and NY City) to Bordentown, New Jersey on the Delaware River and parts of Pennsylvania including Philadelphia.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1796-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1656-1999 New Jersey Wills and Probate Records 1656-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1670-1760 Calendar of New Jersey Wills 1670-1760 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1670-1817 New Jersey Abstract of Wills 1670-1817 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1678-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; Use the Surrogate's Docket Index 1700-1972 to obtain the Docket Number for the name. Then, use the Docket Number to locate the correct Estate file.

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

Birth

 * 1600-1990 New Jersey Vital Records, Historical Society of Pennsylvania at Findmypast — index & images, ($)
 * 1660-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; ''Also at: Ancestry Index ($)
 * 1746-1795 New Jersey Baptisms 1746-1795 at Findmypast — index, ($)
 * 1901-1903 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Marriage

 * 1600s-1900s US Marriages, New Jersey at Findmypast — index, ($)
 * 1670-1965 New Jersey Marriage Records, 1670-1965 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 1670-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1678-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1683-1802 New Jersey Marriage Records, 1683-1802 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 1684-1895 New Jersey Compiled Marriage Records, 1684-1895 at Ancestry — index, ($)
 * 1901-1914 New Jersey Marriage License Index, 1901-1914 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1901-2016 New Jersey Marriage Index, 1901-2016 at Ancestry — index, ($);
 * 1901-2016 New Jersey Marriage Index, 1901-2016 at Findmypast - Browse index ($)
 * 1915-2016 New Jersey Marriage License Index, 1915-2016 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * For a complete list of all New Jersey Marriage databases

Death

 * 1600-1990 New Jersey Vital Records, Historical Society of Pennsylvania at Findmypast — index & images, ($)
 * 1798-1971 New Jersey Deaths and Burials Index, 1798-1971 at Ancestry — index, ($)
 * 1848-1878 Death Records, May 1848 - May 1878 at New Jersey State Archives - index, $ for photocopies
 * 1878-1900 Death Records, June 1878 - December 1900 at New Jersey Department of State — index, $ for photocopies
 * 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1901-2017 The New Jersey Death Index at New Jersey Death Index — index; Also at: Ancestry index ($)
 * 1920-2017 New Jersey Death Index, 1920-1929, 1949-2017 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * For a complete list of all New Jersey Death databases

FamilySearch Centers

 * Clinton New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * East Brunswick New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Morristown New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Scotch Plains New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * New Providence Memorial Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Plainfield New Jersey Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Somerset County Historical 9 Van Veghten Dr Bridgewater, NJ 08807 Telephone: 908-218-1281 E-mail: info@somersethistorynj.org Website Somerset Hills, Historical Society Of The PO Box 136 Basking Ridge NJ 07920  Website Somerset Historical Center 10649 Somerset Pike Somerset, PA 15501 Telephone: 814-445-6077 Fax: 814-443-6621 Website {| border="0" style="float: right;"

Websites

 * Somerset County NJGenWeb, a member of The NJGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Somerset County NJ 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.