New York City, New York Directories

a. NYC (Manhattan) directories survive from 1786 and were published through 1935. After that date the telephone directories were printed.

b. City directories are essential for New York City research

c. City directories are a wonderful census substitute, and can be used to verify birth, marriage, death, cemetery and naturalization records.

d. Copy the city directory for every year your family lived in the city.

e. People in New York City tended to move every two to three years, expecially those in rented housing.

f. New immigrants are usually not listed in the city directories for about five years.

g. Minorities are listed in the city directories less often, so check every year.

h. Occupation and address can be compared to census records to differentiate between several people with the same name.

i. Pay attention to odd and even house numbers, as this determines on which side of a street a building stood.

j. The “Street and Avenue Directory” within the city directory can be used to find the cross streets for addresses.

k. City directories also list churches, synagogues and places of business.