Berks County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Berks 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-East section of the state.

County Courthouse
Berks County Courthouse 633 Court Street Reading, PA 19601 Phone: 610-478-6208 Fax: 610-478-6366 Clerk Of Courts: 610-478-6550 Orphan's Court Prothonotary: 610-478-6970 Recorder of Deeds: 610-478-3380 Register of Wills: 610-478-6600 Berks County Website County clerk has birth and death records 1894-1905, marriage records from 1885, and probate records from 1752 Prothonotary Office has divorce and court records Recorder Deeds has land 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:

Bible Records

 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Berks County Bibles at USGenWeb Archives
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Index to Bible Records at Berks County PAGenWeb
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Indentured Servants

Iron Industry The histories and owners of Colebrookdale Furnace, Mount Pleasant Furnace, Hopewell Furnace, Oley Furnace, Berkshire Furnace, Pool Forges, Pine Forge, Hay-Creek Forge, Oley Forge, Spring Forges, Mount Pleasant Forge, Gibraltar Forge, Charming Forge, Union Furnace, District Furnace, Sally-Ann Furnace, Joanna Furnace, Dale Furnace, Mary-Ann Furnace, Reading Furnace, Greenwood Furnace, Brobst's Furnace, Rockland Forges, Burkhart's Forge, Dale Forge, District Forge, and Speed-well Forge and described in:


 * Montgomery, Morton L. "Early Furnaces and Forges of Berks County, Pennsylvania," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 8 (1884):56-81. For online access, see WeRelate.

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources


 * 1700-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1887-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
 * at FamilySearch] - How to Use this Collection; index and images (incomplete)
 * LDS Genealogy Berks County
 * Names in Stone

Census Records
Note that the 1810 U.S. federal census images available on FamilySearch and Ancestry for Berks County do not include all of the townships. It appears that Tulpehocken Township is missing, but some people seem to be included in the Bern Township section.
 * 1850-1880  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1964, State Census Transcription - only Rehrersburg
 * 1965, State Census Transcription - only Rehrersburg

Church Records

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

Court Records
Prothonotary's Office Archive Center Berks County Courthouse, 2nd Floor 633 Court St Reading, PA 19601 Phone: 610-478-6970, ext. 3486 Website
 * 1751-1792 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1755-1782 Berks County Court Records. By Berks County, Pennsylvania. Berks County, Pennsylvania: Berks County, Pennsylvania, n.d. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 3 - FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1806-1828 (*); Court of Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1832-1911 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Records in this office consist of the following: Sheriff Deeds Grantor/Grantee Index; Appearance Docket: 1754-1950; Judgment Docket: 1770-1956; Execution Docket: 1768-1960; Mechanics Liens: 1836-1937; City Liens: 1861-1927; Locality Index; Naturalization Records: 1795 to present; Miscellaneous records which include: divorces, registration of doctors and attorneys, "lunatics and drunkards," and other miscellaneous materials.

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

Berks County is a potpourri of humanity. Early immigrants to the county were from the Netherlands, Germany and the British Isles. Later immigrants were of eastern European and Hispanic extraction. The major ports of arrival for these groups were Philadelphia and New York.

Prior to 1906 many individuals naturalized at the county level and these records are kept by the prothonotary at the county courthouse. Many of the records will not list town or city of origin or birth but it is still wise to check.

Indentured Servants

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Native Americans


 * The Indians of Berks County, Pennsylvania. FS Library Book 970.1 B836t

Land and Property Records
Land records in Berks County began in 1752. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Online Land Indexes and Records


 * 1734 -1926 Deeds, 1734-1866; Indexes, 1752-1926 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images; The earlier land records for what would become Berks County are for the most part in Philadelphia County.
 * Ancestor Tracks publishes county atlases of the Pennsylvania Township Warrantee Maps on file at the Pennsylvania Archives in Harrisburg and offers links to other early landowner map sources.
 * PAGenWeb has several land abstracts for Berks County.
 * Deeds are indexed and available online viewing at the Recorder of Deeds. Copies of deeds can be made from the website or in person for a small fee.

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1752 -1926 Mortgage Records 1752-1822; Mortgager Index 1752-1926
 * 1752 -1936 Miscellaneous Records, 1752-1869; Grantor and Grantee indexes, 1752-1936

Maps


 * MacInnes, Sharon Cook. Early Landowners of Pennsylvania: Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Berks County. Apollo, Pennsylvania Closson Press, 2006.
 * Henry, Mathew Schropp and M.K. Boyer. Township Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania 1985 edition published by Berks County Genealogical Society. Original edition published 1854. Berks County Genealogical Society added an index of land owners.

Click the image to view an enlarged version

Local Histories

 * Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania. 2 volumes. 1909. Compiled by Morton L. Montgomery. Chicago, Illinois : J.H. Beers & Co. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vols. 1 & 2 - Hathitrust, Ancestry ($); . Includes indexes. Historical index at front of volume 1 and biographical index at the front of both volumes.
 * History of Berks County in Pennsylvania. 1886. By Morton Luther Montgomery. Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.
 * History of the Counties of Berks and Lebanon. 1844. By I. Daniel Rupp. Lancaster, Pennsylvania : G. Hills. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.
 * The Story of Berks County, Pennsylvania. 1913. By Alvin E Wagner, Francis Wilhauser Balthaser, and D K Hoch. Reading, Pa., Eagle Book and Job Press. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.

Iron Industry


 * Montgomery, Morton L. "Early Furnaces and Forges of Berks County, Pennsylvania," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 8 (1884):56-81. For online access, see WeRelate. Describes the histories and owners of Colebrookdale Furnace, Mount Pleasant Furnace, Hopewell Furnace, Oley Furnace, Berkshire Furnace, Pool Forges, Pine Forge, Hay-Creek Forge, Oley Forge, Spring Forges, Mount Pleasant Forge, Gibraltar Forge, Charming Forge, Union Furnace, District Furnace, Sally-Ann Furnace, Joanna Furnace, Dale Furnace, Mary-Ann Furnace, Reading Furnace, Greenwood Furnace, Brobst's Furnace, Rockland Forges, Burkhart's Forge, Dale Forge, District Forge, and Speed-well Forge.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * at Berks County, Pennsylvania: Maps and Gazetteers
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places


 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted downloadable images from Map of Berks County from Actual Surveys published by H.S. Bridgens in 1860 which can be used in conjunction with the 1860 census and published county histories to help pinpoint your ancestors.
 * Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Berks County and a companion Scans of Township Warrantee Maps plus Current Road Overlays 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 books and page of the recorded patent. Please be aware that only approx. 75% of the county is covered. On-line township maps of Berks County for 1862 are available at Andy's Antique Atlases. Township maps of Berks County Pennsylvania from the Historical Atlas of Berks County, Pennsylvania 1876 is available in the . To locate a copy nearest you use WorldCat.

Military Records

 * Womelsdorf, Berks County, Pennsylvania veterans burials : an updated list of veterans of all wars buried in Womelsdorf, Berks County, Pennsylvania as of spring of 1991

Revolutionary War Many Germans from Berks County served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment.Wikipedia contributors, "1st Pennsylvania Regiment," in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Berks County men also served in the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment, apparently in the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, and the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment.

War of 1812 Berks County Genealogical Society,  (Reading, Pennsylvania 1989) pages 66-84

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 I

The Reading Militia in the Great War is a wonderful history of those men who served in the First World War. Rosters are included.

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1729-1773 Naturalization records at PAGenWeb
 * 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 $
 * 1795-1931  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1795-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1798-1852 Naturalization Papers  - Index included: 1798-1915
 * 1798-1915 Naturalization Papers  - Index included: 1798-1915

Newspapers
Newspapers of Berks County


 * Berks County PAGenWeb Project List of newspapers that have been published in Berks county from 1789 to 2005 - click link on top line of page
 * Hamburger Schnellpost of Hamburg, Pennsylvania was a German-language newspaper.
 * Nolan, James Bennett, Newspapers of Berks County, Pennsylvania (SLC, Utah, 1985)
 * Miller, Daniel, The German Newspapers of Berks County

Online Newspapers

To learn if there are newspapers online for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.


 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory
 * Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive
 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Reading Eagle January 28, 1868 - December 31, 2008
 * Reading Eagle Reading Times A.M. Berks June 5, 1991 - June 15, 1991
 * Reading Times$, 1859-1939 Search the site but there is a fee to view the article.

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * USGenWeb Newspaper Items Related to Berks County
 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles
 * Adams, David M., Berks County, Pennsylvania, Wedding Anniversaries (SLC, Utah, 1997)

Obituaries
Online Obituary Abstracts


 * 1977-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Index to Berks County Obituaries
 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Berks County.

Obituary Excerpts and Abstracts



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
 * 1733-1825 Index to Berks County Estates and Wills, 1733-1825 at USGenWeb Project - To access the index, click on the link to "Wills" found on the home page. Includes will abstracts, 1733-1825, estate administrations, 1733-1825, and various transcriptions of wills and estate records.
 * 1751-1792 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1752-1798 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1752-1822 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1752-1825 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1752-1850 Index of Berks County, Pennsylvania Wills and Administration Records 1752-1850. By Williams, Richard T. and Mildred Corson. Danboro, Pennsylvania : R.T. Williams, 1973. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Also Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1752-1857 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1752-1915 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1752-1915 (*); Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1752-1915 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1752-1936 Berks County Probate Records at FamilySearch
 * 1752-Present Berks County at Berks.PA.US - This index was created by volunteers at the the Berks County courthouse and is located on their website.
 * 1753-1779 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1753-1822 Letters of Administration, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Books 1 to 8 By Steinmetz, Charles M. Berks County, Pennsylvania : Berks County, Pennsylvania, 1943. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Also at:
 * 1770 Christian Stutzman's Will; Hochstetler, Hostetler, Hochstedler Family Newsletter : Jacob Hochstetler Family Association - V. 9, No. 3 September 1995. By Stutzman, Christian and Jacob Hochstetler Family Association. Goshen, Indiana : Jacob Hochstetler Family Association, 1995. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1822-1829 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1832-1911 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1884-1918 (*); Clerk of the Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Berks County Wills and Estate Records at Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives - Includes Abstracts of Berks Co. and Wills 1752-1825 with index.

School Records
Wyomissing, PA High School 1940 Girls Glee Club

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

 * 1767-1768, 1779-1781, 1784-1785 Proprietary and State Tax Lists of the County of Berks: For the Years 1767, 1768, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1784, 1785 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 18). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books
 * 1798 Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

Birth

 * 1520-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1817-1873 Greenwich Birth Index 1817-1873 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1833-1903 Berks County Birth Index 1833-1903 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1876-1906 Berks County, Pennsylvania Births, 1876-1906 at Ancestry $
 * 1893 1905 Pennsylvania, Berks County Register of Wills Birth Index
 * Berks County, Pennsylvania Delayed Births at Ancestry $
 * Records are available at the courthouse service center and also on microfilm at ,
 * 1941-1976 at FamilySearch - 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 $
 * 1801 1825 Berks County Marriages at Berks County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1885-1909 Marriage Dockets
 * 1885-1929 Berks County, Pennsylvania Marriages, 1885-1929 at Ancestry $
 * 1885-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885-2008 Pennsylvania, Berks County Register of Wills Marriage Index
 * 1947-2021  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 2009-Present Clerk of Orphan's Court Online Services; index only

Death

 * 1720-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855 Deaths
 * 1852-1855, 1894-1906 Berks County, Pennsylvania Deaths, 1852-1854, 1894-1906 at Ancestry $
 * 1856-1971  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1860-1900 Berks County Death Index 1860-1900 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1873-1905 Reading Death Index 1873-1905 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1893-1905 Pennsylvania, Berks County Register of Wills Death Index
 * 1894-1906 Deaths, v.1
 * 1905-1906 Death Returns

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary, Berks County Courthouse.

Archives
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

 * Allentown Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Pottstown Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Reading Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * West Philadelphia Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * The Annville Free Library - an affiliate library.
 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Mennonite Heritage Center 565 Yoder Rd Harleysville, PA 19438-1020 Phone: 215-256-3020 Email: [mailto:library@mhep.org library@mhep.org] Website Facebook
 * The Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania support the John L. Ruth Historical Library and Museum at the Mennonite Heritage Center. Located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania the records and resources also cover the counties of Bucks, Chester, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, and Philadelphia.  Access website for comprehensive overview of library resources, online cemetery database, manuscript collections, photo collections, archival collections, and more.

Reading Public Library 100 S Fifth St Reading, PA 19602 Phone: 610-655-6350 Email: [mailto:webmaster@reading.lib.pa.us webmaster@reading.lib.pa.us] Website Facebook

Museums
Berks History Center Museum 940 Centre Ave Reading, PA 19601 Phone: 610-375-4375 Email: [mailto:membership@berkshistory.org membership@berkshistory.org] Website Facebook Central Pennsylvania African American Museum 119 N 10th St Reading, PA 19601 Phone: 610-371-8713 Email: [mailto:megilyard.cpaam@verizon.net megilyard.cpaam@verizon.net] Website Facebook

Societies
Albany Township Historical Society 404 Old Philly Pike Kempton, PA 19529 Email: [mailto:Info@AlbanyThs.Org Info@AlbanyThs.Org] Website Facebook Berks County Genealogical Society  201 Washington St, Room 413 Reading, PA 19601 Phone: 484-509-4806 Email: [mailto:berksgenes@dejazzd.com berksgenes@dejazzd.com] Website Facebook Berks History Center Research 940 Centre Ave Reading, PA 19601 Phone: 610-375-4375 Email: [mailto:membership@berkshistory.org membership@berkshistory.org] Website Facebook Boyertown Area Historical Society 43 South Chestnut St Boyertown, Pa 19512 Phone: 610-367-5255 Email: [mailto:office@boyertownhistory.org office@boyertownhistory.org] Website Facebook Fleetwood Area Historical Society 110 W Arch St Fleetwood, PA 19522 Phone: 610-944-5800 Email: [mailto:fleetwoodhistory@fleetwoodpa.org fleetwoodhistory@fleetwoodpa.org] Website Facebook Kutztown Area Historical Society Normal Ave and Whiteoak St PO Box 307 Kutztown, PA 19530 Phone: 610-683-7697 Email: [mailto:kahs1892@yahoo.com kahs1892@yahoo.com] Website Facebook

Websites

 * USGenWeb project
 * Berks 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.