Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Chester 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 southeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Chester County Courthouse 201 W. Market St, Suite 1400 West Chester, PA 19380 Phone: 610-344-6135 Fax: 610-344-4465 Prothonotary Phone:  610-344-6300 Recorder of Deeds Phone:  610-344-6330 Register of Wills/Orphans Court Phone:  610-344-6335 Chester County Website County Archives has birth and death records 1852-1855 and 1893-1906, marriage records 1852-1855 and 1885-1930, divorce records 1804-1828, probate records 1714-1923, court records 1681-1900, land records 1716-1905, tax records 1715-1939 and poorhouse records 1798-1937

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:

Communities

Bible Records

 * 1721-1793 Bible Records, Chester County, Pa. 1721-1793. By Chester County, Pennsylvania. Chester County, Pennsylvania : Chester County, Pennsylvania, n.d. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Bibles at PA USGenWeb Archives
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Biographies

 * Biographies by Surname at Chester County Archives Index, part of USGenWeb Archives.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * Indentures from Early Court Records 1697-1700s at PAGenWeb
 * Indentured Servants Complaints, 1700-1855

Slavery and Bondage


 * Fugitive Slave Records, 1820-1839
 * Negro Servant Returns, 1788-1821
 * Slave Manumissions

Cemeteries

 * 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)

Census Records
Federal Census


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

Chester County Archives:


 * Septennial Census Returns, 1793-1856

Church Records

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


 * 1620-1991 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images



County-wide Database - Multi-denominational


 * 1682-1800 - Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Chester County, 1682-1800 Washington, D.C.: Humphrey Publications, 1994..


 * Contains Quaker monthly meeting records from Kennett, Bradford, Goshen, Nottingham, New Garden, Sadsbury, Uwchlan, Londongrove, Birmingham, and Fallowfield. Includes baptisms from Zion's Lutheran Church in Pikeland Township; East Vincent Reformed Church in Vincent Township; Brownbacks German Reformed Church in Coventry Township; Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church; Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church; and records of Rev. John Casper Stoever.


 * 1708-1985 Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, free to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry $


 * Contains church records of:
 * Chester Springs: St. Matthew's United Church of Christ; St. Peter's Pikeland United Church of Christ
 * Coatesville: Friendship United Methodist Church; Presbyterian Church; The Presbyterian Church of Coatesville
 * Compass: St. John's Episcopal Church
 * Downingtown: Central Presbyterian Church; Messiah Lutheran Church; St. James Church; St. James Episcopal Church; St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church; United Methodist Church
 * East Coventry: Coventry Mennonite Cemetery
 * Elk Ridge: Elk Ridge Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Kerford: Oak Grove Cemetery
 * Landenberg: United Methodist Church
 * New London: New London Methodist Episcopal Church; Protestant Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist; St. John's Episcopal Church
 * Oxford: Oxford Circuit Methodist Episcopal Church; St. Andrew's Church
 * Paoli: Salem Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Parkesburg: First United Presbyterian Church of Parkesburg
 * Philadelphia: Norris Square Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Phoenixville: St. Peter's Chapel; St. Peter's Episcopal Church; United Church of Christ - Hungarian Reformed
 * Salem: Salem Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Spring City: Vincent Mennonite Cemetery
 * West Bradford: Marshallton United Methodist Church
 * West Chester: Church of the Holy Trinity; Oakland Cemetery; St. Agnes' Roman Catholic Cemetery
 * West Marlborough: St. James Church
 * West Nantmeal: Goodwill United Methodist Church
 * West Vincent: St. Matthew's United Church of Christ
 * West Whiteland: Grove United Methodist Church


 * Church Histories, Members and Images at The USGenWeb Archives Includes births, baptisms, marriage, funerals, deaths and burials.
 * Chester County Churches at PAGenWeb. Information and records about Baptists, Christians, Dunkers, Episcopalians, German Reformed, Lutherans, Mennonites, Methodists, Prebysterians, Roman Catholics, and some active churches in the area.

Brethren


 * History of the Coventry Brethren church in Chester county, Pennsylvania, the second oldest Brethren church in America (1898)

Episcopalian The earliest of the Episcopal churches is St. John's Pequra Episcopal church in Compassville.

St. John's Church, New London

Early registers are lost. Surviving records begin in 1824.

Trinity Church, Oxford

Early registers are lost. For a history, see:


 * Fisher, George Harrison. "Trinity Church, Oxford, Philadelphia," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 27 (1903):279-295. For online access, see WeRelate.

Lutheran Zion's or Old Organ Lutheran Church, East Pikeland Township


 * 1760-1875 - Zion's or Old Organ Lutheran Church, East Pikeland Township, Baptism Index 1760-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Presbyterian Brandywine Manor Presbyterian Church


 * 1869-1887 - Brandywine Manor Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1869-1887 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1869-1887 - Brandywine Manor Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1869-1887 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church aka New Londonderry Presbyterian Church


 * 1781-1872 - Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1781-1872 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batches.
 * 1790-1793, 1823-1829 - Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church Marriage Index 1790-1793 and 1823-1829 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batche.

Fairview Presbyterian Church, Glenmoore


 * 1845-1877 - Fairview Presbyterian Church, Glenmoore, Marriage Index 1845-1877 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church


 * 1761-1781 - Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1761-1781 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1761-1773 - Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church Marriage Index 1761-1773 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Kennett Square Presbyterian Church


 * 1862-1884 - Kennett Square Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1862-1884 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1862-1884 - Kennett Square Presbyterian Church Marriage Index 1862-1884 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Penningtonville Presbyterian Church, Atglen


 * 1852-1875 - Penningtonville Presbyterian Church, Atglen, Baptism Index 1852-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1862-1885 - Penningtonville Presbyterian Church, Atglen, Marriage Index 1862-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Quaker Quakers did exist in the Chester County area prior to the arrival of William Penn. William Edmundson, minister of the Society of Friends, met with Robert Wade in about 1675 and held a meeting. The first official meeting did not occur until 1681 at the home of Mr. Wade. This meeting, held at Mr. Wade's house would eventually become the Chester Monthly Meeting. Meetings were first held in members homes but as the congregation grew separate meeting houses were built. The earliest meetings in what is now Chester County were: Goshen, Uwchlan, Caln, Kennett, Birmingham, Nottingham, West Nottingham, New Garden, London Grove Bradford and Valley.

Early Quaker monthly meetings (with years established):


 * Concord Monthly Meeting (1684) also known as Chichester Monthly Meeting. Hinshaw published the early records:.

Reformed Reformed Church, East Vincent


 * 1784-1798, 1821-1833 - Reformed Church, East Vincent, Marriage Index 1784-1798 and 1821-1833 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Vincent Reformed Church, East Vincent Township


 * 1733-1880 - Vincent Reformed Church, East Vincent Township, Baptism Index 1733-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1784-1880 - Vincent Reformed Church, East Vincent Township, Marriage Index 1784-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1681-1697 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1681-1710 Court Records and People at PAGenWeb
 * 1681-1712 (*); Prothonotary at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1681-1750 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1681-1843 Court Records at Chester County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archvies
 * 1681-1870 Civil Court and Debt Related Records at Chester County Pennsylvania, chesco.org
 * Affidavits, Depositions, Interrogatories, 1781-1834
 * Assigned Estates, 1821-1942
 * Equity Cases, 1844-1940
 * Inquisitions and Executions, 1700-1800
 * Insolvent Debtor's Petitions, 1724-1850
 * Letters of Attorney, 1774-1845
 * Gaol (Jail) Keepers' Docket, 1804-1857
 * Languishing Prisoner Petitions, 1718-1790
 * Oyer &amp; Terminer, 1802-1910
 * Prison Discharges, 1843-1872
 * Quarter Sessions Indictments, 1681-1870


 * 1697-1788 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1700-1800 (*); Court of Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1714-1906 (*); Court of Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1718-1852 (*); Court of Private Sessions, Clerk of Quarter Sessions and Oyer and Terminer at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1720-1750 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1756-1778 (*); Board of County Commissioners at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1774-1816 (*); Prothonotary at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1775-1905 (*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1791-1838 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1792-1796 (*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1795-1796 (*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1802-1911 (*); Court of Oyer and Terminer at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1812-1924 (*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Records of the Courts of Chester County, Pennsylvania. By Lapp, Dorothy B. Danboro, Pennsylvania : Richard T. and Mildred C. Williams, 1972-1974. Online at: Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 3 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 4 - FamilySearch Digital Library

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1798-1828  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Alphabet index then by numbered entry
 * 1680s-early 1700s "Some Early Arrivals: Settlers in Chester County, Pa.," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Mar. 1911):281-304. For online access, see WeRelate; the FamilySearch Library also has this series in its collection:.
 * 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


 * Hunting, Morgan. "The Names of the Early Settlers of Darby Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 25 (1900):182-186. Digital version at Internet Archive. Hunting prepared a map and a list of those who settled in Darby Township up through 1760.


 * Immigration Records of Chester County at Chester County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives including Early Chester Arrivals; index of names 1681-1687


 * Indentures from Early Court Records 1697-1700s at PAGenWeb
 * Indentured Servants Complaints, 1700-1855

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African Americans


 * Fugitive Slave Records, 1820-1839
 * Negro Servant Returns, 1788-1821
 * Slave Manumissions

Genealogies

 * Genealogical manuscripts up to 1968 (Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1968) Chester County Historical Society (West Chester, Pennsylvania).

Land and Property Records
Land records in Chester County began in 1688. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Online Land Indexes and Records


 * 1628 -1920 Mortgage Records, 1774-1852; Mortgage Index, 1628-1920. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1688 -1922 Deeds 1688-1903; Index, 1688-1922. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1688 -1875 The Chester County Archives offers the following online indexes:


 * British Depredations, 1777-1782
 * Deed Books, 1688-1850
 * Inquisitions and Land Executions, 1700-1800
 * Letters of Attorney, 1774-1845
 * Mechanics' Liens, 1828-1868
 * Petitions for Sheriff's Deeds, 1728-1835
 * Sheriffs' Deeds, 1773-1875


 * 1733-1858 Warrantees of Land, Chester County PA, 1733-1858 at PAGenWeb
 * 1775 -1905 Sheriff's Deeds. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1960–present Chester County offers online access to records since 1960. Fees may apply. View the website for current records availability and fees.

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania : Comprising a Historical Sketch of the County. 1893. By Samuel T. Wiley. Philadelphia : Gresham Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.
 * Chester County and its People. 1898. Ed. by W.W. Thomson. Chicago, Illinois : Union History Co.  Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust;.
 * History of Chester County, Pennsylvania. c1926. By Charles William Heathcote. [West Chester, Pennsylvania : H.F. Temple]. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches.1881. By J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : L.H. Everts.. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps


 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted downloadable images from the Breou's Official Series of Farm Maps, Chester County published by W.H. Kirk, 1883 courtesy of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society. 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 Tacks.
 * Chester County Archives - Atlases and Maps
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Revolutionary War

Chester County men also served in the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment, the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment, and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.


 * Revolutionary War Regiments, Companies and Pensioners at Chester PAGenWeb Archives
 * Veterans' Burials, 1885-1979

War of 1812


 * War of 1812 Company Rolls at Chester PAGenWeb Archives

Civil War


 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1865-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Board of Relief Records (Civil War), 1861-1865
 * Civil War Bounty Records, 1862-1865
 * Civil War Equalization Bounty &amp; Pension Records, 1863-1868
 * Civil War Muster Rolls at Chester PAGenWeb Archives

World War I


 * World War 1 Servicemen Records (County War Aid Association), 1917-1921

World War II


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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1777-1785 Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 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
 * 1798-1906 Naturalization Records - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1802-1929 Chester County Naturalization Records Index 1798-1935 on Offical Website of Chester County, Pennsylvania

Newspapers
Newspapers of Chester County


 * Chester County Historical Society - largest extant collection of newspapers
 * USGenWeb Newspapers

Online Newspapers

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


 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory
 * Daily Local News
 * Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive
 * Pennsylvania Newspapers

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Chester County.
 * USGenWeb Newspapers
 * Newspaper Articles of Chester County at Chester County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives. Includes birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, estate notices, family reunions, military related information, sale notices and other news.
 * Record of Marriages from American Republican, 1815-1845 (SLC, Utah, 1947) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

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


 * USGenWeb Newspapers
 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Chester County.
 * Chester County Obituaries at Chester County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb archives.

Obituary Excerpts and Abstracts


 * Compiled and arranged by Michael J. Osiol, Pottstown Area Necrology (S.I.:M.J. Osiol, 19--?)

Other Records
Poorhouse, Almshouse


 * Board of Relief Records (Civil War), 1861-1865
 * Poor School Children Records, 1810-1841
 * Poorhouse Records, 1800-1910
 * Poorhouse Bound Apprentices, 1801-1825

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Images


 * 1683-1744 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry ($) - index & images
 * 1683-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1700-1924 Chester County Probate Records at FamilySearch - images only, complete collection of probate records
 * 1713-1804 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1713-1810 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1713-1850 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1713-1850 Index to Chester County, Pennsylvania, Wills and Intestate Records, 1713-1850. By Anderson, Bart; Lapp, Dorothy B. and Darlington, Marwood. Danboro, Pennsylvania : Richard T. and Mildred C. Williams, 1970. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Also at:
 * 1713-1923 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1714-1755 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1714-1825 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1714-1844 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1716-1734 "Enterys of the Orphans Court" of Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1716-1730, 1732-1734; V. 3. By Lapp, Dorothy B. Danboro, Pennsylvania : Richard T. and Mildred C. Williams, 1973. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Also at:
 * 1716-1880 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1716-1885 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1717-1880 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1734-1761 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1747-1761 Records of the Orphans Court for Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1747-1761. By Lapp, Dorothy B. and Dunlap, Frances B. Danboro, Pennsylvania : Richard T. and Mildred C. Williams, 1975. Online at: Vol. 5 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 6 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Also at:
 * 1760-1865 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1777-1792 Extracts of Wills of Chester Co., PA; Armstrong Bulletin Board - No. 94-2 (Spring 1994). By Simmons, Virginia C.; Bell, Rhonda Armstrong and Field, Fred W. Fullerton, California : Fred W. Field, 1994. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1785-1859 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1791-1860 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1797-1837 Wills of Thomas Best 1837, Samuel Hutchison 1811, William Ross 1797 : Chester County, Pennsylvania. By Essington, Earl V., Mrs. and Daughters of the American Revolution, Agua Fria Chapter (Sun City, Arizona). 1980. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1820-1947 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1850-1924 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Abstracts of Wills, Chester Co., Pennsylvania; Porter Settlements (Sun City, Arizona) - V. 15, No. 2 (Summer 1995). By Chester County, Pennsylvania. Chester County, Pennsylvania : Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1995. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Alphabetical Index to Wills and Estate Papers : Microfilm Numbers 1429101 thru 1429120 at Mesa Family History Center. By Werner, Betty Newland. Chester County, Pennsylvania : Chester County, Pennsylvania. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Chester County Archives Index at Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Miscellaneous Notes and Abstracts of Wills from Chester County, Pennsylvania. By Chester County, Pennsylvania. Chester County, Pennsylvania : Chester County, Pennsylvania. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

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.

Tax Records

 * 1677-1890 Tax and Landowner Lists, Petitions, etc at PAGenWeb
 * 1715-1900 Tax Transcripts at FamilySearch
 * 1765-1769, 1771 Proprietary Tax Lists of the County of Chester: For the Years 1765, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769, 1771 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 11). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books
 * 1774, 1779-1781, 1785 Proprietary and Other Tax Lists of the County of Chester: For the Years 1774, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1785 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 12). Digital version at Ancestry ($); FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * 1798 Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).
 * Provincial Tax Minutes, 1756-1778
 * Tax Discounts, 1785-1865
 * Tax Indexes, 18th Century Tax Records
 * Tax Indexes, 19th Century Tax Records

Birth

 * 1520-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1768-1874 Chester County Birth Index 1768-1874 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855, 1893-1907 Births - Delayed Birth Records (Chester County Archives)
 * 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
 * 1690-1890 Marriage Contracts, Separations and Certificates, (Chester County Archives)
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * 1709-1940  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1768-1874 Chester County Marriage Index 1768-1874 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1793-1813 Harlan, Geo. Passmore. "Marriages by Moses Marshall, Esq., Marshalton, Pa.," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jun. 1908):190-196. For online access, see WeRelate; the FamilySearch Library also has this series in its collection:.
 * 1795-1832 "Marriages by John Graves, Esquire, West Chester, Pa.," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Mar. 1909):101-113. For online access, see WeRelate; the FamilySearch Library also has this series in its collection:.
 * Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855, 1885-1930 Marriages, (Chester County Archives)
 * 1885-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Chester County Marriages (by groom surname) at Chester County PAGenWeb archives.
 * 1947-2021  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Death

 * 1720-1957 Coroners' Records, (Chester County Archives)
 * 1720-1999 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1768-1907 Chester County Death Index 1768-1907 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855, 1893-1906 Death Records, (Chester County Archives)
 * 1856-1971  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1875-1893 Proof of Death Registers, (Chester County Archives)
 * 1885-1979 Veterans' Burials, (Chester County Archives)
 * 1893-1907 Chester County (Pennsylvania) Register of Deaths, Alphabetized listing of thousands of names including last name, first name, race, gender, age, marital status, place of birth, date and place of death, cause, volume and page number.

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

Archives
Chester County Archives 601 Westtown Rd, Ste 080 West Chester, PA 19380-0990 Phone: 610-344-6760 Email: [mailto:ccarchives@chesco.org ccarchives@chesco.org] Website Facebook
 * The Chester County Archives holds birth and death records (1852-1855, 1893-1906), marriage records (1852-1855, 1885-1930), wills and administrations (1714-1923), deed books (1688-1982), tax records (1715-1939), and more. The Chester County Archives has published online indexes to birth, marriage and death records, civil court records, land records, military records, naturalization records, probate records, tax records, and more. It was established in 1982 and holds almost 3,000 volumes and nearly two thousand cubic feet of original records. The Chester County Archives is run by the Chester County Historical Society and the County of Chester.

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

 * Valley Forge Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * West Philadelphia Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center
 * Wilmington Delaware FamilySearch Center
 * Gloucester County Historical Society - New Jersey - an affiliate library.
 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Chester County Library System 450 Exton Square Pkwy Exton, PA 19341 Phone: 610-344-5600 Email: [mailto:cclinfo@ccls.org cclinfo@ccls.org] Website Facebook
 * Multiple locations.

Friends Historical Library Swarthmore College Library Special Collections 500 College Ave Swarthmore, PA 19081 Phone: 610-328-8496 Email: [mailto:friends@swarthmore.edu friends@swarthmore.edu] Website Facebook
 * Located in neighboring Delaware County, but has many resources for the greater area.

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.

Societies
Chester County Historical Society The History Center 225 N High Street West Chester, PA 19380-2658 Phone: 610-692-4800 Email: [mailto:frontdesk@mycchc.org frontdesk@mycchc.org] Website Facebook Directory of Pennsylvania Genealogical and Historical Societies Website Facebook Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania 2100 Byberry Rd, Ste 111 Philadelphia, PA 19116 Phone: 267-686-2296 Email: [mailto:Info@genpa.org Info@genpa.org] Website Facebook Historical Society of Pennsylvania 1300 Locust St Philadelphia, PA 19107 Phone: 215-732-6200 Fax: 215-732-2680 Email: [mailto:enews@hsp.org enews@hsp.org] Website Facebook Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area 204 Church St Phoenixville, PA 19460 Phone: 610-935-7646 Email: [mailto:hspa@verizon.net hspa@verizon.net] Website Facebook Lutheran Historical Society of the Mid-Atlantic c/o United Lutheran Seminary 61 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325 Email: [mailto:info@lutheranhistoricalsociety.com info@lutheranhistoricalsociety.com] Website Facebook 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.

Mennonite Life 2215 Millstream Rd Lancaster, PA 17602-1499 Phone: 717-393-9745 Email: [mailto:customercare@mennonitelife.org customercare@mennonitelife.org] Website Facebook
 * Also for Amish genealogy.

Presbyterian Historical Society 425 Lombard St Philadelphia, PA 19147 Phone: 215-627-1852 Email: [mailto:refdesk@history.pcusa.org refdesk@history.pcusa.org] Website Facebook United Methodist Church Archives and History 36 Madison Ave PO Box 127 Madison, NJ 07940 Phone: 973-408-3189 Email: [mailto:gcah@gcah.org gcah@gcah.org] Website

Websites

 * Chester 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.