Bergen County, New Jersey Genealogy

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

Description
Bergen County is located in the northeast region of the state. It was created in 1683. Hackensack is the county seat. The county was named for Bergen, Norway or Bergen, North Holland.

County Courthouse
Bergen County Courthouse 10 Main Street Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076 Phone: 201-221-0700 Bergen County Website

County Clerk has divorce records from 1955, Court and land records. 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, New Barbadoes twp. added from Essex County
 * 1807, coastal boundary fixed.
 * 7 March 1837, Passaic County was set off.
 * 22 February 1840, Hudson County was set off.
 * 1852, part of Harrison twp. added as Union twp.
 * 1892, coastal 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
 * 1666-1788 "The Bergen Church Records (Dutch Reformed)," Year Book of the Holland Society of New York. Baptisms 1666-1782: (1903); Marriages (1904); Burials 1666-1788 (1905). 1903 and 1905 volumes are available online. For access, see Internet Archive.

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

Directories

 * 1946 Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Midland Park and Fair Lawn, Bergen County, New Jersey, City Directory, 1946 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1946 Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey, City Directory, 1946 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1948 Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, City Directory, 1948 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1954 Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, City Directory, 1954 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1957 Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey, City Directory, 1957 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1958 New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey, City Directory, 1958 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

African American

 * 1780-1846

Local Histories

 * New Jersey Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records
Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men in Bergen County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in this county:
 * - 65th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.

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

Newspapers
Indexes
 * Bergen County Watchman, 1870-1873, Genealogical Society of Bergen County
 * Bergen Index March 1875-March 1876, May 1877-Aug 1885, Genealogical Society of Bergen County
 * Hackensack Republican 1878-1936, Genealogical Society of Bergen County
 * New Jersey Republican, 1878, Genealogical Society of Bergen County
 * NJ Citizen (vital records only), May 26, 1871-May 12, 1874, Genealogical Society of Bergen County

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1656-1999 New Jersey Wills and Probate Records 1656-1999 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1670-1760 Calendar of New Jersey Wills 1670-1760 at Ancestry.com — index & images ($)
 * 1670-1817 New Jersey Abstract of Wills 1670-1817 at Ancestry.com — index & 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

 * Caldwell New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Emerson New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Fardale New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Ledgewood New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Maplewood New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Morristown New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Newark New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Passaic New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Paterson New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Morris County Library - an affiliate library
 * Morristown & Morris Township Library - an affiliate library
 * Ridgewood Public Library - an affiliate library
 * New Providence Memorial Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Bergen County Genealogy Society PO Box 432 Midland Park Website Bergen County Historical Society 120 Main Street River Edge Bergen County Historical Society 1201 Main St PO Box 55 River Edge, New Jersey 07661-0055 Telephone: 201-343-9492 Website Mahwah Historical Society 1871 Old Station Lane Mahwah 07430 Telephone: 201-891-9049 Pascack Historical Society 19 Ridge Avenue Park Ridge NJ 07656 Telephone: 201-573-0307 E-mail:[mailto:info@pascackhistoricalsociety.org info@pascackhistoricalsociety.org] Website Ridgewood Historical Society 650 E. Glen Avenue Ridgewood E-mail:[mailto:info@ridgewoodhistoricalsociety.org info@ridgewoodhistoricalsociety.org] Website Upper Saddle River Historical Society 245 Lake Street Upper Saddle River NJ 07458 Telephone: 201-327-864 Website

Websites

 * The Bergen County NYGenWeb Project, a member of The NJGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Bergen County NJ Genealogy
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Bergen County.
 * Bergen County Genealogical Society


 * – 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.