New York Archives and Libraries

These archives, libraries, and societies preserve sources, maintain indexes, and provide services to help genealogists document their ancestors who lived in New York State.

Wiki Articles on Major Repositories for New York
Albany Institute of History and Art· Bronx County Historical Society· Brooklyn Historical Society· Buffalo and Erie County Public Library· Children's Aid Society· Cornell University Library· Historic Hudson Valley Library· Holland Society of New York· Huguenot Society of America· Leo Baeck Institute· Montgomery County Department of History and Archives· National Archives at New York City· New England Historic Genealogical Society (Boston MA)· New York City Department of Records· New York City Municipal Reference and Research Center· New York Foundling Hospital· New York Genealogical and Biographical Society· New-York Historical Society· New York Public Library· New York State Archives· New York State Council of Genealogical Organizations· New York State Department of Health· New York State Historical Association· New York State Library· Onondaga Historical Association· Queens Historical Society· Stadsarchief Amsterdam (Netherlands)· SUNY Fredonia Reed Library· Staten Island Historical Society· Steele Memorial Library· Western Reserve Historical Society (Cleveland, OH)

Online Records of New York
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 * German Genealogy Group and Italian Genealogical Group have indexes to births, marriages, deaths, naturalizations and church records in New York City and Long Island.
 * German Genealogy Group and Italian Genealogical Group have indexes to births, marriages, deaths, naturalizations and church records in New York City and Long Island.

Huguenot Society of America
Library 20 West 44th Street #510 New York, NY 10036 Telephone: 212-755-0592 E-mail: [mailto:hugsoc@verizon.net hugsoc@verizon.net] Website: The Huguenot Society of America
 * Largest Huguenot collection outside of London, including records from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, England, and colonial America since the 1600s. Topics: Huguenot history in France, Huguenot history in other countries, church history, French history, American history, biography, genealogy, manuscripts, societies, periodicals, and theology.


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National Archives at New York City
Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House One Bowling Green New York, NY 10004 Telephone: Toll-free 866-840-1752 or 212-401-1620 Fax: 212-401-1638 Website: National Archives at New York City
 * This branch of the National Archives has records created by federal agencies and courts in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The archives has naturalization records, internal revenue service records, customs lists, and records of the U.S. District Court of Appeals. They also have microfilms of all available federal census records, many naturalization records, court records, passenger lists for New York City and other ports, Revolutionary War military records, some Civil War service indexes, and World War I draft registrations. The staff will make photocopies for a fee.

New York Public Library
U.S. History, Local History &amp; Genealogy Division Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, Room 315S New York, NY 10018-2788 Tel: 212-930-0829 E-mail: Ask a librarian Website: New York Public Library


 * NYPL is one of the largest research libraries in the world including excellent genealogical resources. The library has city and telephone directories, vital records indexes, local histories, genealogies, federal and state censuses, passenger lists, genealogical collections (including DAR transcripts), and church records. For maps, write to the Map Division at the same address. Guides and catalogs to this important library include:
 * New York Public Library: Research Libraries, Dictionary Catalog of the Local History and Genealogy Division, 18 Volumes and four suppelments. (Boston, Massachusetts: G.K. Hall, 1974). ..
 * Sam P. Williams, Guide to the Research Collections of the New York Public Library (Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association, 1975). ..
 * Estelle M. Guzik, Genealogical Resources in New York (New York: Jewish Genealogical Society, 2003), 137-86. ..
 * The New York Public Library Picture Collection covers over 12,000 subjects and is a valuable tool to researchers and others.

Holland Society of New York
Library, 5th floor 20 West 44th Street #509 New York, NY 10036 Telephohe: 212-758-1675 Fax: 212- 758-2232 E-mail: [mailto:info@hollandsociety.org info@hollandsociety.org] Website: The Holland Society of New York
 * Emphasis is on the early Dutch, but their collection actually also includes all ethnic groups of the Atlantic coast and colonial America. For New Netherland studies, especially genealogy and family history, 3,000 regional histories (present day New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Ohio), 3,000 family histories and genealogies, and 1,000 books on genealogical research, early American history, the Netherlands, Dutch language, art, and architecture, and religion, including Dutch Reformed Church parish records.



New York Geneal and Biographical Society
New York Genealogical and Biographical Society 36 West 44th Street, Suite 711 New York, NY 10036-8105 Telephone: 212-755-8532 Fax: 212-754-4218 E-mail: [mailto:education@nygbs.org education@nygbs.org] Website: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
 * Their digital collections and online guides are their strength now that their book collection is in the New York Public Library. Members are welcome to visit by appointment. NYGBS focuses is on publications, quality educational programing, and their website.

New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-873-3400 Fax: 212-875-1591 E-mail: Library Reference Form Website: New-York Historical Society Museum Library
 * The historical society has extensive collections of manuscripts, newspapers, periodicals, histories, city directories, maps, and photographs. Major topics: New York City and State history, colonial history, American military history, religions, slave trading, biography and genealogy, and New York City photographs, and records of several major charities such as the Children's Aid Society, and the New York Foundling Hospital (which were both involved in the orphan train movement sending orphans away from big cities into rural foster care). A helpful guide is
 * Arthur J. Breton, A Guide to the Manuscript Collections of the New-York Historical Society, 2 vols. (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1972). . ).

New York State Archives
Cultural Education Center 222 Madison Ave Albany, NY 12230 Telephone: 518-474-5161 E-mail: [mailto:archref@mail.nysed.gov archref@mail.nysed.gov] Website: New York State Archives and Genealogical Records at the Archives
 * The New York State Archives has the original records of New York government jurisdictions. The collection includes manuscripts, statewide vital records indexes, documents relating to land grants, land survey maps, alien deposition records, military records, state court records, prison and reformatory records, Erie Canal passenger lists for 1827–1829, wills, and estate records. The archives collection also has microfilms of some state censuses and the original census returns for 1915 and 1925.
 * The Family History Library has very few of the state archives records on microfilm. The state archives makes photocopies and performs limited searches of indexed records for a fee, but it does not circulate microfilms of land and vital records. The guide to the collection is
 * Guide to Records in the New York State Archives, 2nd ed. (Albany, New York: State Archives and Records Administration, 1993). ..

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Section (mailing address) Genealogy Unit P.O. Box 2602 Albany, NY 12220-2602
 * 800 North Pearl Street (street address) 2nd Floor - Room 200 Menands, NY 12204

Telephone: 855-322-1022 Website: Genealogy Records and Resources
 * The NY State Department of Health (DOH) does have most New York State birth, marriage, and death records since 1881. For a fee they provide uncertified genealogical copies for:
 * Births - if on file for at least 75 years and the person whose name is on the birth certificate is known to be deceased.
 * Marriages - if on file for at least 50 years and both spouses are known to be deceased.
 * Deaths - if on file for at least 50 years.
 * Except:
 * DOH does not have New York City records. (However, for the boroughs of Queens and Richmond the DOH does have births 1881-1897).
 * DOH does not have Albany records 1881-1913
 * DOH does not have Buffalo records 1881-1913
 * DOH does not have Yonkers records 1881-1913
 * For New York City records see New York City Department of Records. For births and deaths before 1914 in Albany, Buffalo, or Yonkers contact the city registrar; or for marriages before 1914 contact the city clerk.


 * Waived time-period restrictions. The BMD time-period restrictions are waived for direct-line descendants who provide I.D., their relationship, and evidence of the death of the person or couple whose record is being requested.
 * The New York State DOH also has all New York divorce records and indexes since 1963.
 * For mail-in service use their Mail-in Application for Genealogical Services (pdf) form
 * Vital Records Indexes
 * The DOH makes available microfiche BMD indexes. The indexes cover the entire state of New York outside New York City:
 * births indexes are made available after 75 years
 * marriage and death indexes are made available after 50 years.
 * Some years of indexes are arranged by SOUNDEX number. The microfiche indexes are available only at 11 repositories around the State of New York.
 * Online indexes to some New York City vital records are available at the Italian Genealogical Group website.
 * Other Sources of New York Vital Records
 * Some upstate cities began recording some vital events a few years prior to 1880: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Elmira, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Yonkers. For further information contact the city clerk's office. Some county clerks hold marriage records for the period from 1908-1935.
 * For an extra fee you also can order official New York vital records online through the private company VitalChek New York.
 * For New York marriages 1753-1783 see 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 & Co., 1860) (Online digital version; ; FHL Film 514675 Item 1; FHL Book 974.7 V2t)
 * See also the New York Vital Records and the New York City, New York (Vital Records section) Wiki articles.

New York State Library
Cultural Education Center 222 Madison Ave Albany, NY 12230 Telephone: 518-474-5161 Fax: 518-474-5786 E-mail: E-mail Reference Requests Website: New York State Library
 * The Humanities-History section has local histories, genealogies, atlases, church and cemetery records (including the Daughters of the American Revolution collection), city directories, microfilmed newspapers, microfilmed federal and state censuses, microfilmed passenger lists, and periodicals. The Manuscripts and Special Collections Section houses nongovernmental maps and manuscripts. The library staff will make photocopies for a fee. Catalogs and guides to the library's genealogical holdings include:
 * Melinda Yates, Gateway to America: Genealogical Research in the New York State Library, 2nd ed. (Albany, N.Y.: University of the state of New York, State Education Dept., New York State Library, 1982). ..
 * New York State Library Card Catalog File of Vital Records in the History and Genealogy Section ([Albany, New York: New York State Library, Photoduplication Department, 1979?]). ; . Microfiche of hand and typewritten cards.
 * New York State Library (Albany, New York), Surname Card Index ([Albany, New York: New York State Library, Photoduplication Unit, 1979?]). . Surname catalog of the American History and Genealogy section of the New York State Library.
 * The New York State Library also has over two dozen genealogy research topic guides online.

Albany Institute of History and Art
125 Washington Ave Albany, NY 12210 Telephone: 518-463-4478 Fax: 518-462-1522 Website: Albany Institute of History Art
 * One of the best U.S. collections on the economic and social life and culture of Albany and the upper Hudson Valley region, including the best indexes to original records, documents, 1000 linear feet of manuscripts, 85,000 photographs, Bibles, and rare books of families from the 1600s through the colonial period to the present.

Bronx County Historical Society
Research Library 3309 Bainbridge Avenue The Bronx, NY 10467 Telephone: 718-881-8900 Fax: 718-881-4827 E-mail: [mailto:librarian@bronxhistoricalsociety.org librarian@bronxhistoricalsociety.org] Website: Bronx County Historical Society
 * Very large collection of manuscripts, biographical files, family folders, obituaries, cemetery transcripts, city directories, maps, photos, marriage records, and books with a cross-indexed card file covering the history of the Bronx, New York City, and Westchester County.

Brooklyn Historical Society
Othmer Library 128 Pierrepont Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 Telephone: 718-222-4111 Fax: 718-222-3794 E-mail: Ask a Question Website: Brooklyn Historical Society
 * General history, especially the natural, civil, literary, and ecclesiastical history of the United States, the State of New York, and villages of Long Island, personal and family papers, municipal records from the towns and villages that consolidated into Brooklyn, Dutch and English settlement on Long Island, and New England immigrants to Suffolk County. Great indexes to family names. See
 * Karin N. Mango, comp., The Long Island Historical Society Calendar of Manuscripts: 1763–1783 (New York: Publishing Center for Cultural Resources, 1980)..

Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
1 Lafayette Square Buffalo, NY 14203 Telephone: 716-858-8900 E-mail: Email Us Website: Buffalo Erie County Public Library
 * Good genealogy collection with good indexes, many biographies, family folders, county and local histories for the entire state. 25,000 local histories, 5,500 genealogies, city directories, New York State Vital Records Index, local vital records, 110-drawer card index of the Local History File about people, places, and things in Western NY, church and cemetery records, genealogical and local history periodicals, newspapers, maps, military histories, ethnic research resources, indices to passenger lists, immigrant ships, and English parish records.



Children's Aid Society
105 East 22nd Street New York, NY 10010 Telephone: 212-949-4800 Website: The Children's Aid Society
 * This was one of two major organizations contributing to the orphan train movement. Part of their archives are at the New-York Historical Society.



Cornell University Library
Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853-5301 Telephone: 607-255-3393 Fax: 607-255-6788 Email: Ask a Librarian Website: Cornell University Library
 * Cornell University has a large collection of Protestant church records for western New York, as well as histories, maps, newspapers, and New York censuses. Rare books and manuscripts are outstanding, and they publish the best research guides to New York counties. They also have Africana, American Indian, and Latino collections.

Historic Hudson Valley Library
639 Bedford Road Tarrytown, NY 10591 Telephone: 914-366-6901 E-mail: [mailto:librarian@hudsonvalley.org librarian@hudsonvalley.org] Website: Historic Hudson Valley Library
 * By appointment only. This library has unique sources for early Hudson River migration, steamboats, industries, and culture. 4,000 rare books, 3,000 manuscripts, as well as maps, pamphlets, and microfilm to explain the cultural and historical significance of the Hudson River Valley

Montgomery County Dept. of History
Montgomery County Department of History and Archives Old Court House, P. O. Box 1500 9 Park Street Fonda, NY 12068-1500 Tel: 518-853-8186 or 518-853-8187 Fax: 518-853-8392 Website: Welcome to Montgomery County History &amp; Archives


 * This county archives has the largest collection of family genealogies, church record transcripts, local histories, and town records for the Mohawk Valley, and for upstate New York. A guide is
 * Violet Fallone, comp., Catalogue of Historical and Genealogical Material in the Montgomery County Department of History and Archives, rev ed. (Fonda, New York: Montgomery County Department of History and Archives, 2005). ..

New York City Department of Records
Municipal Archives 31 Chambers Street, Room 103 New York, NY 10007 Tel: 212-788-8580 Website: NYC Department of Records: Genealogy
 * From Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island births prior to 1910; deaths reported prior to 1949; and marriages reported prior to 1930. Also, the 1890 police census, state censuses, city directories, voter registrations, cemetery records, almshouse records, coroner records, court records, photos, and municipal government records.

New York City Municipal Research Center
New York City Municipal Reference and Research Center 31 Chambers Street, Room 112 New York NY 10007 Telephone: 212-788-8590 Fax: 212-788-8589 E-mail: Contact Us Website: NYC Department of Records: Municipal Library
 * Come here for street name origins, and city council papers. See also A Guide to Former Street Names in Manhattan.

New York Foundling Hospital
Record Information Department Attn: Yvonne Wintz 590 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10011 Telephone: 212-206-4171 E-mail: [mailto:info@nyfoundling.org info@nyfoundling.org] Website: The New York Foundling
 * This was one of two major organizations contributing to the orphan train movement. Part of their archives are at the New-York Historical Society.

New York State Historical Association
(NYSHA) Research Library 5798 State Route 80 Cooperstown, NY 13326 Telephone: 607-547-1470 Fax: 607-547-1405 E-mail: [mailto:Library@nysha.org Library@nysha.org] Website: New York State Historical Association
 * Very large collection, but has more sources for upstate New York, including manuscripts, periodicals, family folders, books, maps, biographies, county histories, genealogies of New York State families, church and cemetery records, newspaper indexes, census records (1790-1930), and city directories.

Onondaga Historical Association
Library 321 Montgomery Street Syracuse, NY. 13202 Telephone:315-428-1864 Fax: 315-471-2133 E-mail: Contact Us] Website: Onondaga Historical Association
 * Very large collection of 10,000 family folders for northeastern families, histories of Syracuse and Onondaga counties, photographs, diaries, correspondence, business records, maps, newspapers, and African American sources.

Queens Historical Society
Library 143-35 37th Ave Flushing, NY 11354 Telephone: 718-939-0647 Fax: 718-539-988 E-mail: Contact the Queens Historical Society Website: The Queens Historical Society
 * Large facility with many indexes to biographies, local and American histories, maps, atlases, manuscripts, photographs, family papers, rare books, and genealogies

SUNY Fredonia Reed Library
State University of New York 280 Central Ave Fredonia, NY 14063 Telephone: Library 716-673-3184; Special Collections 716-673-3183; Fax: Special Collections 716-673-3185 E-mail: [mailto:reedref@fredonia.edu reedref@fredonia.edu] Website: The State University of New York at Fredonia Daniel A. Reed Library Website: Holland Land Company historical background, contents, inventory, supplementary collections, and Holland Land Company records in other libraries.
 * The Daniel A. Reed Library at the State University of New York at Fredonia has indexes to, and most of the original patents (first deeds) showing the transfer of land ownership between 1801 and 1840 from the Holland Land Company (1789-1869) to private individuals in western New York and Pennsylvania. Some names on the patents could be fictitious. Their other collections also include American Indian records including primarily the Seneca, with some for the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Tuscarora tribes, local histories for Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties, and the bordering counties in New York and Pennsylvania, manuscripts including church papers, and databases.

Staten Island Historical Society
Library 441 Clarke Avenue Staten Island 10306-1198 Telephone: 718-351-1611 (Society) 718-351-1617 (Museum) Fax: 718-351-6057 Website: Staten Island Historical Society
 * Staten Island was a gateway to immigrants who moved farther west. The Society's collection emphasizes colonial records, but includes the WPA index cards of deeds, Vosburgh Church Indexes of tombstone inscriptions and dozen churches (not Catholic), genealogical correspondence, city directories back to 1883/1884, real estate and insurance maps, and photos organized by town, then street.

Steele Memorial Library
101 E Church Street Elmira, NY 14901 Telephone: 607-733-9173 E-mail: Contact Us Website: Chemung County Library District Genealogy Department
 * Good indexes for biographies, genealogies, family folders, periodicals and manuscripts, obituary index, vital records index, NY county histories, newspapers, censuses, Chemung County Catholic Church records 1848-1910, and genealogical periodicals.

New England Historic Genealogical Society
101 Newbury Street Boston, Massachusetts 02116-3007 Telephone: 617-536-5740; Library 617-226-1231 Fax:  617-536-7307 E-mail: [mailto:info@nehgs.org info@nehgs.org] Website: American Ancestors by New England Historic Genealogical Society
 * Has an excellent New York collection, especially county and local histories, newspapers, and the New York Abstracts of Wills, Administrations, and Guardianships 1787-1835 from 51 NY counties.

Stadsarchief Amsterdam
(Amsterdam Municipal Archives) Amsteldijk 67 1074 HZ Amsterdam Netherlands Tel: (020) 664 6916 Fax: (020) 675 0596 Website: Stadsarchief Amsterdam
 * These archives contain early Dutch notarial records about what is now New York State, the Holland Land Company (1789-1869) land grant papers for western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania (also available from the ), and records of some early New York settlers living in Amsterdam before moving to America.

Western Reserve Historical Society
10825 East Boulevard Cleveland, Ohio 44106-1788 Telephone: 216-721-5722 x1509 Fax: 216-721-0645 E-mail: [mailto:reference@wrhs.org reference@wrhs.org] Website: Family History and Genealogical Research
 * The Western Reserve was a large part of Ohio at first intended for settlement by Connecticut Revolutionary War refugees. The Research Library at the Western Reserve Historical Society History Center  is the premier repository for Cleveland, Ohio and the Connecticut Western Reserve  history material. This important collection includes original land records, as well as many genealogies, biographies, histories, and Bibles from Pennsylvania, New York, and New England. Includes over 20 million manuscripts for genealogical research and northeast Ohio history. They have the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of Shaker materials. Other important collections include the American Civil War, and the automotive industry.
 * Kermit J. Pike, A Guide to the Manuscripts and Archives of the Western Reserve Historical Society (Cleveland, Ohio: Western Reserve Historical Society, 1972). ;.
 * Western Reserve Historical Society. History Library. Card Catalog to the Manuscripts Collection in the Library of the Western Reserve Historical Society (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974). ;.

Family History Centers
Some of the above collections are partially duplicated at the Family History Library and its branch Family History Centers around the world. Most centers can help you by: There are several centers located in New York, for example:
 * Giving you limited, personal, one-on-one research suggestions (but they do not do research for you)
 * Providing access to genealogical records through the premium online Internet FHC Portal.
 * Offering free how-to classes (varies by location)
 * Fostering contact between genealogical enthusiasts Manhattan-new-york-808x480-AV051230 cah005.jpg
 * New York City New York Family History Center 125 Columbus Ave 1st Floor New York City, New York USA Telephone: 212-799-2414
 * Each center is staffed by volunteers and has varying hours and services. Telephone in advance to verify their hours.

To locate one of these 4,500 centers in your own neighborhood, see Find a Family History Center.

For Further Reading

 * Estelle M. Guzik, ed., Genealogical Resources in New York (New York: Jewish Genealogical Society, 2003). . . Information on more than 100 archives, including 52 government agencies and courts, 32 libraries, and 20 other archives in the New York metropolitan area.
 * Barbara Kronman, The Guide to New York City Public Records, 4th ed. (New York: Public Interest Clearinghouse, 1992). . . Includes chapters on city government, courts, libraries, and personal information. Shows how to obtain vital records, name change records, and naturalizations.
 * Alice Eichholtz, ed., Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, Rev. ed. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, 1992). . ). Includes addresses of county courthouses, surrogate courts, and county records centers.
 * Elizabeth Petty Bentley, comp., County Courthouse Book (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1995). . ). Addresses of county courthouses and some town clerk's offices and surrogate's court offices along with brief descriptions of holdings and services.
 * Cornell University has published a series of guides to the records in each of New York's counties (except Nassau and Suffolk). The series is titled Guide to historical resources in _______ County, New York, repositories. These guides inventory records, including family history and genealogy, at 1,700 historical societies and libraries, but they do not include public records at courthouses. They are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog Author Search  under . New York County has 7 volumes; Kings County has 3 volumes; and Chautauqua County has an added update.
 * Similar unpublished material for most other counties is at the New York State Archives.