Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

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

Description
The county is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Cumberland County Courthouse 1 Courthouse Square Carlisle, PA 17013 Phone: 717-240-6100 Toll Free: 1-888-697-0371 Fax:  717-24-.6571 Recorder of Deeds Phone:  717-240-6370  Toll Free:  888-697-0371  Extension: 6370  Email: tshearer@ccpa.net Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court Phone: 717-240-6345  Toll Free: 888-697-0371  Extension 6345 Prothonotary Office Phone: 717-240-6195  Email: [mailto:prothonotary@ccpa.net prothonotary@ccpa.net] County Archives Cumberland County Website

Many records stored at the courthouse are now available online. County Archives holds deeds (1831-1908), mortgages (1839-1924), births, marriages, and deaths (1852-1855), letters of administration (1887-1937) and more. Register of Wills has birth and death records from 1894-1905, marriage records from 1885 and probate records from 1750 Prothonotary Office has divorce and court records form 1751 Recorder of Deeds has land records from 1751

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

 * 1751-1932 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Cumberland County Bible Records at Cumberland County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Biographies

 * Cumberland County Biographies at Cumberland County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives including Beer's History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania surname list with page links.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * 1750-1881 Tavern License Petitions 1750-1881 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and many scanned images.
 * 1758-1874 Hawkers and Peddlers License Applications 1758-1874 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.
 * 1857-1885 Liquor License Receipts 1857-1885 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.
 * 1917-1946 Commissions Volunteer Police Officers at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and some scanned images.
 * Cumberland County Iron Furnaces and Iron Works at PAGenWeb


 * 1760-1850 Indentured Servant and Apprentice Matters at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and some scanned images.

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)
 * LDS Genealogy

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


 * 1814 Septennial Census 1814 at Cumberland County, PA Archives website. Scanned images.

Church Records

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

Court Records

 * 1750-1785 Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Quarter Session Dockets 1750-1785 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1750-1851 (*); Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1750-1909 (*); Court of Quarter Sessions and Court of Oyer and Terminer at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1750-1950 Archives Listings at Cumberland County Archives
 * 1769-1905 (*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1787-1789 (*); Circuit and Supreme Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1798-1895 (*); Court of Oyer and Terminer at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1799-1905 (*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1846-1874 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1860-1905 (*); Court of Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Court Records: Cumberland County Quarter Session Records, 1754; The Perry Review, Vol. 4, 1979. By Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. n.p. : Perry Historians, 1979. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Directories

 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1760-1850 Indentured Servant and Apprentice Matters at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and some scanned images.
 * 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

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * 1780-1846  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1780-1841 Slave and Slaveholder Register at Cumberland County, PA Archive - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1780-1841 Slave Returns 1780-1841 at Cumberland County, PA Archive - Free. Index and scanned images.
 * 1801-1838 Slave Matters Miscellaneous 1801-1838 at Cumberland County, PA Archive - Free. Index and scanned images.

Land and Property Records
Land records in Cumberland County began in 1750. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Online Land Indexes and Records Many records related to land and property can be found at the Cumberland County Archives throughout their record collections, many of which are available online.
 * 1738 -1890 Land Drafts and Warrants.  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1750 -1954 Deeds and Miscellaneous Records, 1750-1866; Indexes, 1750-1954.  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1766-1769  Land Warrants West Side Applications 1766-1769 at Cumberland County, PA Archives website. Index and scanned images.
 * 1777 -1956 Mortgages, 1777-1826; Indexes, 1777-1956.  - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1824-1872  Treasurer's Deeds Unseated Lands 1824-1872 at Cumberland County, PA Archives website. Index and scanned images.
 * 1973–present  Cumberland County offers online access to indexes. Fees apply to view images since 1993. Check the website for current information on availability and fees.
 * Cumberland County Land Records at Cumberland County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives including a surname list of Cumberland County warrantees of land 1750-1874.

Local Histories

 * The History and Topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry Counties (Pennsylvania). 1846. By I. Daniel Rupp. Lancaster, Pa. : Gilbert Hills. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); . Index: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. 1886. By Warren & Beers. Chicago, Illinois : Warner, Beers & Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps
 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted downloadable images from the 1872 Atlas of Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, from Actual Surveys by and under the Direction of F.W. Beers. This wall map located in the Library of Congress 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.
 * 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 Cumberland County. They attacked and destroyed the Indian village at Kittanning (present-day Armstrong).

Colonel Henry Bouquet led a group of Scotch-Irish men from Cumberland 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 Cumberland 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

Cumberland County men also served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.


 * 1779-1781 Cumberland County Militia Accounts 1779-1781 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1786-1804 Revolutionary War Pension Applications Series 1, 1786-1804 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and description.
 * 1820-1834 Revolutionary War Pension Applications Series 2, 1820-1834 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.

Civil War
 * 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

Later Records Various military records, including Civil War Board of Relief (1861-1862), Military Bounty Correspondence (1862), Military Enrollment (1870-1874), Military Exonerations (1846-1865), Military Fund (1845-1873), Military Papers Miscellaneous (1840-1923), and Militia Rolls (1849-1861) have been digitized at the Cumberland County, PA Archives website

Naturalization and Citizenship
The Cumberland County Archives holdings website (see Naturalizations on page 5) has many record groups related to naturalizations, some of which are digitized and available online. Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1795-1931  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1795-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1798-1905 Naturalization Records - 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 $
 * 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 $

Newspapers
Newspapers of Cumberland County

Online Newspapers


 * Chronicling America, US Newspaper Directory
 * Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive
 * Pennsylvania Newspapers

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Cumberland County.
 * 1947-2010 at FamilySearch

Obituaries

 * 1947-2021  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
 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Cumberland County.
 * The Sentinel Online Obituaries are archived from 1997 to the present. To find a name, use the advanced search tab.
 * Cumberland County Obituaries at Cumberland, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Other Records
Poorhouse, Almshouse
 * Poorhouse Records History at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1812-1948 Orders, 1812-1948 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.
 * 1823 Directors' Statements Work Papers 1823 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.
 * 1859-1915 Admissions and Commitments 1859-1915 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.
 * 1868 Poorhouse Vouchers at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.
 * 1870-1912 Poorhouse Indentures and Apprenticeships Children at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.
 * 1880-1882, 1899 Out-Door Relief Reports at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1886-1919 Correspondence Miscellaneous 1886-1919 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.
 * 1902-1953 Anatomical Board Unclaimed Bodies 1921-1934 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1921-1934 Anatomical Board Unclaimed Bodies 1921-1934 at Cumberland County, PA Archives - Free. Scanned images.
 * 1930-1937 Anatomical Board Unfit Bodies 1930-1937 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.

Prisons
 * 1775-1778 Jail Keepers' Account Books 1775-1778 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1776-1852 Prison Kalendars 1776-1852 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images. Identify prisoners and crimes.
 * 1873-1887 Prison Discharges Eastern Penitentiary at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images. Identifies criminal and type of crime.
 * 1886-1896 Prison Discharges 1886-1896 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index. Identifies prisoner and type of discharge.

Cumberland County has preserved records of local men who served in various government capacities during the 1700s and 1800s, including assessors, attorneys, auditors, clerks of court, commissioners, constables, coroners, election officials, judges, juries, justices of the peace, lumber inspectors, notaries, policemen, poorhouse directors, prothonotaries, recorders of deeds, registrars of wills, sheriffs, surveyors, and treasurers. The records have been indexed and digitized at the Cumberland County, PA Archives website

Officials

Constables helped maintain law and order in the community. Many can be identified:


 * 1789-1927 Constables' Returns 1789-1927 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Identifies locals who served as constables by name and township.
 * 1791-1884 Appointments and Petitions for Appointments 1791-1884 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Includes many different types of local government officials.
 * 1793-1888 Constables Oaths of Office 1793-1888 at Cumberland County, PA Archives
 * 1805-1870 Constable Bonds 1805-1870 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Identifies locals who served as constables by name and township.

If your ancestors served as a tax collector, you may be able to identify him in these collections:


 * 1842-1894 Tax Collector Bonds 1842-1894 at Cumberland County, PA Archives
 * 1890-1908 Tax Collector Oaths 1890-1908 at Cumberland County, PA Archives

Voter Registration
 * 1874-1893 Voter Oaths at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Identifies individuals by name, naturalization status, and often township of residence.

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
 * 1750-1779 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1750-1803 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1750-1825 Cumberland County Pa., Abstracts of Wills, 1750-1825. By Watts, Mrs. A. K. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, 1905. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Also at:
 * 1750-1825 Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Abstracts of Wills. By Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, 1905. Online at: Vol. 1, Part 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 2, Part 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1750-1908 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1750-1937 Cumberland County Probate Records at FamilySearch
 * 1751-1906 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1757-1773 McClure Wills; Genealogy : A Journal of American Ancestry - V. 6, 1916. No. 04. By McClure, John and William. New York City, New York : William M. Clemens, 1916. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1764-1773 Smith of Cumberland County, Penn.; Genealogy : A Journal of American Ancestry - V. 6, 1916. No. 04. By Smith; Ezekial, James and John. New York City, New York : William M. Clemens, 1916. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1765-1830 (*); Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas 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
 * 1783-1836 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1823-1834 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1846-1874 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Cumberland County Archives Wills and Estate Records at Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives - including will abstracts 1750-1776, index.

School Records

 * 1899 Return of Children Between the Ages of Six and Twenty-One years, residing within the District of South Middleton Township, Upper, 1899 at Cumberland County, PA Archive. Scanned images. Identifies children's names, exact birth dates, genders, nationalities, residences, school districts, and parents.
 * 1900 Return of Children Between the Ages of Six and Twenty-One Years, Residing within the District of South Middleton Township, Lower, 1900 at Cumberland County, PA Archive. Scanned images. Identifies children's names, exact birth dates, genders, nationalities, residences, school districts, and parents.

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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1736-1853 Probably the most comprehensive tax-related records available for Cumberland County are not strictly classified as tax records at all. These records are in fact the Tax Rates Books, which are records of the Cumberland County Commissioner's Office (now housed in the Cumberland County Archives). They serve as a precursor to County Assessor Records, but they are very easily overlooked when hunting for records. These records, which appear comprehensive and consistently available annually, are online at the Cumberland County Archives  in their online archival platform under the Commissioners Record Group. Click HOLDINGS to access to records starting about 1736 intermittently but available annually beginning about 1767 onwards.


 * 1778-1782, 1785 State and Supply Transcripts of the County of Cumberland: For the Years 1778, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782 and 1785 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 20). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books
 * 1779-1850  Tax Appeals 1779-1850 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1781-1852  Cumberland County Tax Assessors' Duplicates 1781-1852 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images arranged by year and township.
 * 1781-1789, 1824, 1829, 1845  Tax Collector Accounts Delinquent Taxes at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1781-1782, 1790-1791, 1826-1828  Tax Collectors Settlements at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1783, 1806, 1815  Delinquent Taxes Unseated Lands at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1798  Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).
 * 1841-1898  Cumberland County Tax Collectors' Exonerations 1841-1898 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images arranged by year and township. Explicity state when taxpayers moved from the area or died.
 * 1867  Tax Exonerations Tax Payers at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1870-1875  Tax Collectors Exonerations Vouchers at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1920-1922  Estate Tax Reports 1920-1922 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.

Birth

 * 1520-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1788-1908 Bastardy Bonds 1788-1908 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1941-1976  at FamilySerch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 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 $
 * 1761-1786 Marriage Bonds 1761-1786 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and some scanned images.
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1885-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Death

 * 1720-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1785-1914 Coroner's Inquests at Cumberland County, PA Archives
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1856-1971  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1917-1921 Statement of Deaths in Cumberland County 1917-1921 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1921-1934 Anatomical Board Unclaimed Bodies 1921-1934 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Scanned images.
 * 1930-1937 Anatomical Board Unfit Bodies 1930-1937 at Cumberland County, PA Archives. Index and scanned images.

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

Archives
Cumberland County Archives 310 Allen Road Annex Carlisle, PA 17013 Mailing Address: Archives / IMTO 1 Courthouse Square Carlisle, PA 17013 Phone: 717-240-7886 Email: [mailto:archives@cumberlandcountypa.gov archives@cumberlandcountypa.gov] Website
 * The Archives holds deeds (1831-1908), mortgages (1839-1924), births, marriages, and deaths (1852-1855), letters of administration (1887-1937) and more.
 * The Cumberland County Archive Listing is available at this Website

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

 * Carlisle Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Gettysburg Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * York Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Franklin County Library System - Coyle Free Library - an affiliate library.
 * York County History Center - Pennsylvania - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Cumberland County Library System 400 Bent Creek, Ste 150 Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 Phone: 717-240-6175 Email: [mailto:librarywebmaster@cumberlandcountylibraries.org librarywebmaster@cumberlandcountylibraries.org] Website Facebook
 * Multiple locations.

Gardner Digital Library Phone: 717-249-7610 Email: [mailto:gardnerlibrary@historicalsociety.com gardnerlibrary@historicalsociety.com] Website Website
 * Maintained by the Cumberland County Historical Society.

Societies
Cumberland County Historical Society 21 N Pitt St PO Box 626 Carlisle, PA 17013 Phone: 717-249-7610 Email: [mailto:info@historicalsociety.com info@historicalsociety.com] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Cumberland 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.