Onondaga County, New York Genealogy

Guide to Onondaga 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 Onondaga people which means "People of the Hills. The County is located in the central area of the state.

Parent County
5 March 1794: Created from Herkimer County.

Formation of Onondaga County USGenWeb history and law citation.

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.

8 March 1799: Cayuga County set off. 8 April 1808: Cortland County set off. 1 March 1816: Oswego County set off.

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
The following web sites may have additional information on Onondaga County cemeteries.


 * 1800-1965 at FamilySearch — index


 * Linkpendium


 * Intermnet Onondaga County Cemetery Records


 * Cemeteries and Memorial Sites of Politicians in Onondaga County


 * Frumah Packard Cemetery

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

1820 United States Census: The American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association (APHGA) found that the 1820 census was incorrectly microfilmed, with several pages out of sequence for Onondaga County. Both the Ancestry and Heritage Quest indices placed household from Manilus in neighboring Cicero. Corrected indices are free of charge from APHGA and are posted online.

State

 * Census Records For Onondaga County
 * U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, New York, 1850-1880 at Ancestry ($)
 * United States Census (Mortality Schedule) 1850
 * United States Census, 1850
 * Search the 1855 New York State Census for Onondaga County
 * at FamilySearch
 * Skaneateles Historical Society, 1830-1930 Census Index

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Ann Mensch's Local Catholic Church and Family History &amp; Genealogical Research Guide is a free online resource that identifies the parishes of Onondaga County, years parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. Onondaga County parishes fall under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Syracuse.


 * Church Histories and Records in Onondaga County.


 * Churches in Onondaga County.

Cornell University's Study Center for Early Religious Life in Western New York has an online guide to Onondaga County church records in their library.

Directories

 * 1868 - Gazetteer and Business Directory of Onondaga County, N.Y., for 1868-9. Digital version at Don's List.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images

Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups

 * German Immigrant Ancestors in Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York.
 * History of Germans in Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York at Ancestry ($).
 * German Genealogy Group.
 * Pioneer Irish of Onondaga (about 1776-1847) at Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Genealogy

 * Ancestry message board at Ancestry ($) 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

 * German Immigrant Ancestors in Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York.
 * Linkpendium History, Genealogy and Family History.
 * History of Onondaga New York at Ancestry ($).
 * Gazetteer of the State of New York, 1860 Onondaga County.
 * Onondaga County New York History.
 * Onondaga Historical Association Publications Volume 1.
 * Onondaga Historical Association Publication Volume1915.
 * Onondaga Historical Association Publication Volume 1916.
 * Onondaga Historical Association Publications Volume 1919.
 * Onondaga, or Reminiscences of earlier and later times being a series of historical sketeches relative to Onondaga; with notes on the several towns in the county, and Oswego (1849).
 * Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century (1896).
 * Publications of the Onondaga Historical Association.
 * Syracuse New York Historical Records.
 * : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers, by W. Woodford Clayton.

Land and Property
Original land records in began in 1794. These records are housed at the Onondaga County Clerks Officein Syracuse.

Online



Microforms

Books




 * Onondaga Land Records. Includes grantor indices for property transactions in the towns of Manlius, Pompey, and Tully; as well as bounty land records.

Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)
 * Onondaga County Maps (Onondaga County NYGenWeb)
 * Map of Townships in Onondaga County 1874. (Onondaga County NYGenWeb)
 * Onondaga County New York 1895 U. S. Altas.
 * New York Counties, clickable map.
 * 1860 County map with family names. Courtesy of the Town of Onondaga Historical Society.
 * 1875 County map with family names. Courtesy of the Town of Onondaga Historical Society.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Onondaga County for European settlers included:


 * Mohawk or Iroquois Trail (west fork) about 1722
 * Great Genesee Road 1794
 * Erie Canal 1825

Military
Military Records including Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, Indian War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War.

American Revolution

 * Onondaga's Soldiers of the Revolution. Official records, compiled by Frank H. Chase, secretary of the Onondaga Historical Association.
 * Revolutionary soldiers resident or dying in Onondaga County online at FamilySearch Digital Library.

War of 1812

 * British Subjects Reporting to Syracuse a the Onset of The War of 1812
 * at FamilySearch — images

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

Available towns. Registers are available for: Camillus· Cicero· Clay· DeWitt· Elbridge· Fabius· LaFayette· Manlius· Otisco· Pompey· Salina· Syracuse - 1st thru 8th Wards· Skaneateles· Spafford· Tully· Van Buren.

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


 * - 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Batteries A and B.
 * - 1st Regiment, New York Light Artillery, Battery B.
 * - 1st Regiment, New York Veteran Cavalry, Company F.
 * - 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, 2nd Company L.
 * - 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 10th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A.
 * - 12th Independent Company, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, E, F, H and I.
 * - 12th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company G.
 * - 14th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
 * - 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 16th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A.
 * - 20th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies F, G, I and L.
 * - 20th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
 * - 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies B, E, H and I.
 * - 24th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies K and M.
 * - 86th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A.
 * - 101st Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, H, I and K.
 * - 122nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G,H, I and K.
 * - 149th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 176th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
 * - 179th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.
 * - 193rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, C and K.
 * - 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies H and I.


 * Onondaga's Part in the Civil War.


 * Murray, R. L. Letters from the front : Onondaga County troops in the Civil War. (Wolcott, New York : Benedum Books, c2002)


 * Parsons, David K.; Parsons, Marie K.Bugles echo across the valley. (Sandy Creek, New York : Write to Print, c1994-1995)


 * U. S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865. $

World War I

 * World War I Records at AccessGenealogy
 * at FamilySearch - index and images; also at Ancestry ($).
 * Brig. Gen. J. Leslie Kincaid, prepared by, Names of those who died in service during the World War 1914-1918, Onondaga County, New York. newspaper clipping from an unknown newspaper dated September 18, 1929.

World War II

 * New York World War II Casualties - Army and Air Force at AccessGenealogy
 * at FamilySearch - index and images
 * at FamilySearch - images
 * U. S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry ($)
 * at FamilySearch - index (incomplete) and images
 * U. S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 at Ancestry ($)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Northern District Court of New York Naturalization Project.
 * Onondaga County 1812 Naturalizations at NYGenWeb

Newspapers

 * Onondaga County newspapers on microfilm at NYSL.
 * Central City Daily Courier (Syracuse, New York) at Ancestry ($)
 * Evening Herald (Syracuse, New York) at Ancestry ($)
 * Onondaga County.
 * Onondaga County, New York newspapers on microfilm and paper at all NYS locations.
 * The Post Standard (Syracuse, New York) at Ancestry ($)
 * Search Historical Newspapers (Syracuse).
 * Syracuse Herald (Syracuse, New York) at Ancestry ($)
 * Syracuse Herald Journal (Syracuse, New York) at Ancestry ($)
 * Search the Onondaga County Public Library's WPA files.
 * Many Newspaper records for Onondaga County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see the from their catalog.
 * Old Fulton Postcards Free searchable web site which holds newspapers from upstate New York.


 * Baldwinsville NY Gazette Farmers Journal 1879-1965
 * Baldwinsville NY Gazette Anniversary 1846-1896
 * Baldwinsville NY Messenger 1941-1988
 * Baldwinsville NY Onondaga Gazette 1846-1857
 * Baldwinsville NY Republican 1843-1846
 * Fayetteville NY Bulletin 1901-1989
 * Fayetteville NY Luminary 1840-1842
 * Fayetteville NY National Citizen &amp; Ballot Box 1878-1881
 * Fayetteville NY Onondaga Independent 1899
 * Fayetteville NY Thrift News 1935-1941
 * Fayetteville NY Weekly Recorder 1866-1897
 * Marcellus NY Observer 1879-2007
 * Skaneatles NY Columbian 1835-1853
 * Skaneatles NY Democrat 1843-1921
 * Skaneatles NY Free Press 1892-1989
 * Syracuse NY Daily Courier 1856-1898
 * Syracuse NY Daily Journal 1847-1921
 * Syracuse NY Daily Star 1847-1852
 * Syracuse NY Empire State Democrat 1843-1844
 * Syracuse NY Evening Chronicle 1853-1855
 * Syracuse NY Evening Herald 1877-1897
 * Syracuse NY Evening Telegram 1898-1922
 * Syracuse NY Gazette &amp; General Advertiser 1828-1829
 * Syracuse NY L'UNIONE (Italian Newspaper) 1908-1909
 * Syracuse NY Onondaga Standard 1841-1849
 * Syracuse NY Post Standard 1900-1921
 * Syracuse NY Religious Recorder 1851-1853
 * Syracuse NY Republican 1853-1854
 * Syracuse NY Standard 1851-1899
 * Syracuse NY Sunday Times 1876-1880
 * Syracuse NY The Carson League 1851-1854
 * Syracuse NY The State League 1851-1869
 * Syracuse NY Weekly Express 1887-1892
 * Syracuse NY Wesleyan 1853-1856
 * Tully NY Independent 1967-1978
 * Tully NY Times 1855-1945

Obituaries
Courtesy of the Onondaga County Public Library:


 * Necrology: Deaths of Onondaga County Residents from Syracuse newspapers, etc. before 1900
 * Obituary Clippings: Collection of selective obituaries clipped from Syracuse newspapers for 1862-1992

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

 * 1827–1962 Onondaga County Poorhouse Ledger and Onondaga County Hospital Ledgers . Microfilm of original ledgers at the town hall, Onondaga, New York. Includes town, date, name, age, admission and discharge, nativity, cause of pauperism, charges per inmate, deaths and transfers, pauper children bound out, their ages and to whom bound, and other reports. Birth records include baby number, name, date of birth, sex, alive or stillborn, sex, legitimacy; and parents' name, nativity, occupation, nativity, age, color and number of other children. Death records include number and name of corpse, date of death and burial, relative's name and residence, and who claimed body. Onondaga County poorhouse, located on Onondaga Hill four miles from Syracuse opened for the reception of paupers, December 17, 1827.

Probate Records
Online Abstracts and Indexes


 * 1629-1971 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1659-1999 New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1787-1835 Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787-1835 at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($)
 * 1795-1850 Onondaga County, NY: Abstracts of Wills 1795-1850 at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($)
 * 1796-1867 SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1796-1867 Onondaga County will abstracts
 * 1815-1849 Onondaga County, NY: Guardianship Records, 1815-1849 at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($)
 * 1866-1923 at FamilySearch — index and images


 * - Onondaga County: Decrees, Orders, 1821-1868; Dower records, 1830-1879; Guardianship appointments, 1824-1873; Guardianship index, 1824-1960; Letters of administration, 1852-1866; Letters of guardianship, Proceedings, 1824-1829; Letters of testamentary, 1852-1867; Letters, 1830-1852; Probate index, 1802-1923; Proceedings, Real estate records, 1831-1881; Wills, 1796-1867

Probate Records on Microfilm Probate records found at Historical Records and described in Online Probate Records above are also found on microfilm as follows:


 * 1802–1923 Index to Probate Records
 * 1796–1867 Wills
 * 1821–1868 Miscellaneous Orders and Decrees
 * 1824–1960 Appointment of Guardians, includes index
 * 1830–1866 Letters Testamentary and Letters of Administration

Repositories
Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Onondaga County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1985). ; . Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies. Contents: v. 1. Resources in Syracuse University Special Collections, George Arents Research Library -- v. 2. Resources in Syracuse University Archives -- v. 3. Resources in public libraries, museums, historical societies and medical centers.

County Historian's Office
A Historian has not been located for Onodaga County, New York. View the towns for the Town Historian. Also see Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center for further information.

Courthouses
The Onondaga County Clerk's office has land, divorce, court, naturalization, military and state census records. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Onondaga County are held, see the Onondaga County Courthouse page.

Family History Centers

 * Auburn New York Family History Center
 * Fayette New York Family History Center
 * Fulton New York Family History Center
 * Syracuse New York Family History Center
 * Syracuse New York Ward Family History Center
 * Onondaga County Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Onondaga Historical Association 321 Montgomery St Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 428-1864 E-mail: [mailto:emailofsociety ohamuseum@cnyhistory.org] Website Facebook

The Masonic Trowel.

Syracuse Chapter Empire State Society Sons of the American Revolution. Linkpendium Societies Genealogy and Family History.

Central New York Genealogical Society Box 104, Calvin Station Syracuse, New York 13205 E-mail: [mailto:CNYGS@yahoo.com CNYGS@yahoo.com]


 * Member queries; surname research list; online resources; six meetings/year; publishes Tree Talks  quarterly with annual index.


 * Counties served: Albany, Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Oreleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Washington, Wayne, Warren, Wyoming, and Yates.



Schools

 * Onondaga County Schools.
 * School Records and Histories.

Social Groups Online

 * Onondaga Historical Association - Facebook.


 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Vital Records
Onondaga County is unusual in New York state because birth, and death records and some marriage records for Onondaga County are on file with the Office of Vital Statistics in Syracuse. Search request forms are available at the Office of Vital Statistics, or may be found online or requested by mail. (Fees apply for both a record search and for a document copy.)

Marriage records are usually found at the office of the town clerk. See the heading Places on this wiki page for links to local community wiki pages and their available records. See New York Vital Records for a discussion about beginning dates and availability of vital records in New York.

Birth
Birth certificates for the City of Syracuse are available beginning in 1873, and for the rest of Onondaga County as early as 1883. Reporting of births was required beginning in 1914, so persons born before that year may not have a record on file. If a record has been on file for over 75 years, and the person is known to be deceased, anyone may request it. If the record has been on file for less than 75 years, the requester must be able to prove that he or she is in the direct line of descent by providing identification and other supporting documentation (e.g. birth certificates showing descent). Contact the Office of Vital Statistics for more information.


 * 1827–1962 Onondaga County Poorhouse Ledger and Onondaga County Hospital Ledgers . Microfilm of original ledgers at the town hall, Onondaga, New York. Includes town, date, name, age, admission and discharge, nativity, cause of pauperism, charges per inmate, deaths and transfers, pauper children bound out, their ages and to whom bound, and other reports. Birth records include baby number, name, date of birth, sex, alive or stillborn, sex, legimacy; and parents' name, nativity, occupation, nativity, age, color and number of other children. Death records include number and name of corpse, date of death and burial, relative's name and residence, and who claimed body. Onondaga County poorhouse, located on Onondaga Hill four miles from Syracuse opened for the reception of paupers, December 17, 1827.


 * 1881-1942 New York, Birth Index, 1881-1942 at Ancestry ($) — index


 * 1881-1942 Reclaim the Records: New York State Birth Index at Internet Archive - images of index

Birth Substitutes


 * 1640–1962 at FamilySearch – index.


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


 * Linkpendium Vital Records Genealogy and Family History.


 * Skaneateles Historical Society, births, marriages, deaths.

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 Internet Archive - images of index


 * 1908–1934 Affidavit for license to marry

Marriage Substitutes


 * 1686-1980 at FamilySearch – 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 New York, U.S., Marriage Newspaper Extracts, 1801-1880 (Barber Collection) at Ancestry ($) – index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."


 * 1810-1918 Onondaga County, New York - Various Marriage Records


 * 1813–1850 Fred Q. Bowman, 10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850 (Baltimore, MD:Genealogical Pub. Co., 1986).Ancestry($); ; . Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.


 * 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.


 * Linkpendium Vital Records Genealogy and Family History.


 * Skaneateles Historical Society, births, marriages, deaths.

Death
Death certificates for the City of Syracuse beginning in 1873, and for the rest of Onondaga County as early as 1883. If a record has been on file for over 50 years, anyone may request it. If it has been on file for less than 50 years, the requester must be able to prove that he or she is in the direct line of descent by providing identification and other supporting documentation (e.g. birth certificates showing descent). Contact the Office of Vital Statistics for more information.

Death Indexes


 * 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1827–1962 Onondaga County Poorhouse Ledger and Onondaga County Hospital Ledgers . Microfilm of original ledgers at the town hall, Onondaga, New York. Includes town, date, name, age, admission and discharge, nativity, cause of pauperism, charges per inmate, deaths and transfers, pauper children bound out, their ages and to whom bound, and other reports. Birth records include baby number, name, date of birth, sex, alive or stillborn, sex, legimacy; and parents' name, nativity, occupation, nativity, age, color and number of other children. Death records include number and name of corpse, date of death and burial, relative's name and residence, and who claimed body. Onondaga County poorhouse, located on Onondaga Hill four miles from Syracuse opened for the reception of paupers, December 17, 1827.
 * 1880-1956 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1880-1956 New York, Death Index, 1880-1956 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1880-1956 Reclaim the Records: New York State Death Index at Internet Archive - images of index
 * 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — index

Death Substitutes


 * 1795–1952 at FamilySearch – 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 New York, U.S., Death Newspaper Extracts, 1801-1890 (Barber Collection) at Ancestry ($) – index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."


 * 1813–1850 Fred Q. Bowman, 10,000 Vital Records of Central New York, 1813-1850 (Baltimore, MD:Genealogical Pub. Co., 1986).Ancestry($); ; . Abstracted from newspaper marriage and death columns.


 * 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.


 * Linkpendium Vital Records Genealogy and Family History.


 * Online New York Death Records, Indexes &amp; Obituaries (alphabetical by county)


 * Skaneateles Historical Society, births, marriages, deaths.

Additional Resources

Onondaga County New York Genealogy Websites

 * Onondaga County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Onondaga County NYGenWeb Project, a member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Onondaga County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Onondaga County. (Backup site)
 * Rootsweb - Onondaga Links
 * Linkpendium - Onondaga County
 * Cyndi's List New York.  Scroll or search down to Onondaga County for Links
 * ancestry.com Onondaga County Search. $ need US subscription to ancestry.com
 * Records. NYGenWeb
 * Researching in Onondaga County, New York. NYGenWeb
 * Obituaries and Funeral Home Records. Linkpendium
 * New York State Off-Line Sources. NYGenWeb
 * Onondaga County Genealogy