Rockland County, New York Genealogy

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

New York Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for the "rocky land". The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

Parent County

 * Created 23 February 1798 from Orange County.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating New York County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation New York County Boundary Maps" (1683-1915) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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

 * 1581–1917 New York, Family Bible Records at Ancestry– ($); Index. Database is a collection of genealogically important records taken from the Bibles of colony and state residents. Reveals the Bible's original owner, brief record of descendants,and a particular event such as birth or marriage as recorded in Bible.

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information.


 * 1800-1965 - at FamilySearch — index

The best starting point for cemetery records in Rockland County is the list of cemeteries, many of which are indexed and searchable by name, at the Genealogical Society of Rockland County.


 * Voorhees, Lesley E. "Inscriptions from the Cato-Meridian Cemetery in Cayuga County, N.Y.," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 80, No. 1 (Jan. 1949):10-14; Vol. 80, No. 2 (Apr. 1949):75-82. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.

Census
For information and tips on using and accessing online census records, see New York Census.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Directory of churches at the Genealogical Society of Rockland County.

Dutch Reformed Church records of Tappan begin in the late 1600s.

New Hope Christian Church (the Monsey Church) was established in 1824 and continues today. The church was originally a member of Classis Hackensack of the True Reformed Dutch Church, then affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church, and is now a member of the Presbyterian Church in America. A history of the church can be found on Wikipedia that includes names of pastors; charter members; burials in the church's cemetery (the Historic Monsey Cemetery on Maple Avenue at Saddle River Road); and more. For more recent information, including members, baptisms, weddings, and so on from the 1920 to the present, contact New Hope Christian Church directly through the website or by calling (845) 356-2031.

Records of the Irregular Dutch Reformed Churches of Tappan and Kakiat are described in:


 * 1760s-1770s - Durie, Howard I. and George Olin Zabriskie. "The Irregular Dutch Reformed Churches of Tappan and Kakiat, Rockland County, New York," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 101, No. 1 (Jan. 1970):65-73; Vol. 101, No. 3 (Jul. 1970):164-173; Marriages 1760s-1770s: Vol. 101, No. 4 (Oct. 1970):235-244; Baptisms 1767-1778: Vol. 102, No. 1 (Jan. 1971):15-22. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Genealogy

 * Rootsweb message board for has many information threads about families that resided in that county. There is a search engine that allows you to search by surname and topic.

History
A long Wikipedia article summarizes the settlement and industrial development of Rockland County.

Land and Property
Original land records in began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online


 * Pre-1930 Land Records

Microforms



Books



Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)

Revolutionary War
Transcribed militia rolls can be found at AmericanWars.org in the Orange County section (since Rockland Co. had not yet split off from Orange Co. at the time of the American Revolution).

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Clarkstown· Haverstraw· Ramapo· Stony Point.

Regiments. Service men in Rockland County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.


 * - 6th Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery, Companies K and M.
 * - 17th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 65th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.
 * - 95th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company F.
 * - 135th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies K and M.
 * - 141st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A.

Indexes

 * 1791-1980 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1792-1989 - Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989 at Ancestry ($). This database is based on NARA's Soundex Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts located in New York City, 1792-1989. All 5 boroughs are included.


 * 1824-1941 - at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.


 * 1824-1946 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1836-1896 - Rockland County Archivist Naturalizations Database at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1917-1950 - at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.

The Family History Library has also acquired this comprehensive index for the years 1792 through 1906 on microfilm:. The courts this index covers are:


 * City Court of Brooklyn, 1836-1894
 * Kings County Court, 1806-1906
 * New York City Marine Court, 1806-1849
 * New York County Common Pleas Court, 1792-1895
 * New York County Superior Court, 1828-1895
 * New York City and County Supreme Court, 1868-1906
 * Queens County Court, 1799-1906
 * Queens County Surrogate Court, 1888-1898
 * Richmond County Court, 1869-1906
 * U.S. Circuit Court Southern District, 1846-1876
 * U.S. District Court Eastern District, (Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties), 1865-1906
 * U.S. District Court Southern Court Southern District, (New York, Bronx and also Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties), 1824-1906

Newspapers

 * Pearl River NY Orangetown Telegram 1940-1963

Probate Records
The petitions for are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library and its centers:


 * 1802–1900 Listed as "Probate Records".

Online Probate Indexes and Abstracts


 * 1629 - 1971 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1659 - 1999 New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1786-1845 - Cowen, Minnie. Abstracts of Wills of Rockland County, New York, 1786-1845. New York: unknown, 1937-1939. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1798-1901 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1845-1870 - Barber, Gertrude A. Abstracts of Wills of Rockland County, New York: Copied from the Original Records at the Surrogate's Office, New City, Rockland County, N.Y. unknown, 1950-1953. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1866 - 1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images

Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1785–1797 Orange County Wills, transcribed Rockland County was created from Orange County.
 * 1798–1901 Wills, orders. Includes general index.
 * 1798–1900 Letters of Administration.
 * 1802–1910 Miscellaneous Probate Records: Includes guardian bonds 1890–1910.
 * 1802–1900 Probate Records: Petitions, described above.
 * 1800–1900 Administration.
 * 1798–1901 Minutes.
 * 1830–1900 Decrees.

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Rockland County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1990). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

County Archivist
Rockland County Archivist Peter J. Scheibner Building S, Sanatorium Rd. Pomona, NY 10970 Office Hours: 9:00 am — 5:00 pm Phone: 845–364-3670 Email: scheibnp@co.rockland.ny.us Collection: The archivist has the Rockland County Archives collection. Among the Archive collection are the following:


 * Census Records (1855-1925)
 * Naturalization Papers (1812-1991)
 * Marriage Records (1908-1935)
 * Orange County Deeds and Mortgages (1703-1800)
 * Rockland County Deeds (Microfilm) (1798-1921) Original books are located at the County Clerk’s Office in New City
 * Rockland County Mortgages 1798 - 1931
 * Tax and Assessment Rolls (Clarkstown 1857-1964,Ramapo 1855-1964,Haverstraw 1857-1964,Orangetown 1855-1964,Stony Point 1865-1964)
 * Atlas of Hudson Valley (1891)
 * Atlas of Rockland County 1876
 * Index to Maps (1798-1940)
 * Subdivision Maps
 * Right-of-Way Maps
 * Court Records (1798-2001)
 * Court of Common Pleas
 * General Sessions
 * Oyer and Terminer
 * Wills (1798-1965) (Genealogical purposes only)
 * Judgments (1847-1913)
 * Index to Court Papers (1847-1982)

Courthouses
The Rockland County Clerk's office has marriage, divorce, court and land records. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Rockland County are held, see the Rockland County Courthouses page.

Societies
Genealogical Society of Rockland County P. O. Box 444 New City, New York 10956

Historical Society of Rockland County 20 Zukor Road New City, NY 10956 Phone:845-634-9629

Social Groups Online

 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Birth
Birth Substitutes


 * 1640–1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.


 * See Town Clerks' Registers of Men who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for birth information.

Marriage

 * 1639-1962 - New York, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $


 * 1664–1784 New York. Secretary of State, Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784 (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860). At Cornell University digital library-free; Internet Archive - free; Ancestry edition($); ; . Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.


 * 1847–1848 and 1908–1936 at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1881-1964 Reclaim the Records: New York State Marriage Index at Archive.org - images of index


 * 1908–1918 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free;.

Marriage Substitutes


 * 1686-1980 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.


 * 1800–1855 New York Marriage Notices at Ancestry– ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage notices published in newspapers around the state. Contains name of bride and groom, marriage date, marriage location, residence, and newspaper found in.


 * 1801–1880 Barber Collection- Newspaper Marriages at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."


 * 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browsable.


 * 1864-5, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.

Death
Death Indexes
 * 1824-1962 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1880-1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1880-1956 - New York, Death Index, 1880-1956 at Ancestry — ($), index only
 * 1957-1963 - at FamilySearch — Index only

Death Substitutes


 * 1795–1952 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.


 * 1801–1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."


 * 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.


 * 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browsable.


 * See Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for death information.


 * 1864-5, 1874-5 See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.

Additional Resources

Rockland County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Rockland County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Rockland County NYGenWeb Project, a member of The NYGenWeb Project
 * Rockland Historical Resources and Links lists libraries, societies, museums, historic sites, etc.
 * Rockland County NY Genealogy