New York Church Records

United States New York  Church Records

Church Development
The first churches established in New York during the seventeenth century were the Dutch Reformed, French Protestant (Huguenot), and Lutheran churches. As New Englanders continued to migrate to New York, the Congregational Church (Puritans) and Society of Friends (Quakers) grew. Many New Yorkers joined both the Baptists and Presbyterians. By 1775 the Presbyterian Church was the largest denomination in New York.

In the mid-1800s, the Methodist Church was the largest, followed by the Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Dutch Reformed, Congregational, Roman Catholic, Society of Friends (Quakers), Universalist, Lutheran, Union, Christian, Unitarian, and Jewish.

Since then, the Roman Catholic Church has been the largest denomination (particularly in the large cities) due to the large number of immigrants from Ireland and eastern and southern Europe.

The Family History Library has several important collections of church records which are described below under the denominational headings. The names of individuals in many of these records are indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Many church records have been copied and filed with the Daughters of the American Revolution Cemetery, Church, and Town Records, described in New York Genealogy

The following guides describe the towns, denominations, record types, and years available:


 * Historical Records Survey. Guide to Vital Statistics Records of Churches in New York State (Exclusive of New York City.) This two volume set is available in the . To locate a copy nearest you, use WorldCat.
 * Historical Records Survey. (New York City.) Guide to Vital Statistics in the City of New York, Borough of [Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Richmond] Churches. 5 vols. New York, N.Y.: Historical Records Survey, Work Projects Administration, 1942. To locate a copy nearest you, search WorldCat. The links listed below (Bronx and Richmond) are available at the Family History Library.
 * Bronx
 * Brooklyn
 * Manhattan
 * Queens
 * Richmond


 * Historical Records Survey. Inventory of the Church Archives of New York City [various denominations]. New York, N.Y.: Historical Records Survey, 1939–1941. These volumes, available at the Family History Library are:
 * Eastern Orthodox and Armenian
 * Lutheran
 * Methodist
 * Presbyterian
 * Protestant Episcopal [Manhattan, Bronx, Richmond]
 * Protestant Episcopal [Brooklyn and Queens]
 * Reformed
 * Roman Catholic

Some denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located.

Baptist
American Baptist Historical Society 3001 Mercer University Dr. Atlanta, GA 30341 Phone: (678) 547-6680 For information about the availability of records, see:


 * Eltscher, Susan M. The Records of American Baptists in New York and Related Organizations. The book is available in the . For a copy nearest you, use WorldCat.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Early church records, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for New York Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The film numbers, for each ward, can be locate through the Family History Library Catalog. Or by refering to Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. (FHL book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507). These volumes contain the film numbers for many (but not all) membership and temple record films.

Congregational
The Congregational Library 14 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108 Telephone: (617) 523-0470

Dutch Reformed
The Archives of the Reformed Church in America New Brunswick Theological Seminary Gardner A. Sage Library 21 Seminary Place New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1159 Phone: (732) 246-1779

The Family History Library has microfilm copies for many of the Dutch Reformed Church records at the above named archive. The collection is described in Melody Takken Meeter, compiler and Russell L. Gasero, editor, and is available in the. To check for a book copy nearest you, use WorldCat.

Commission on History, Reformed Church in America 122 E. 58th Street New York, NY 10022 Telephone: (212) 758-1871

The Year Book of the Holland Society of New York, available in the, contains historical material as well as church record abstracts and passenger lists. To use the year books, first consult the Index to Publications listed under the periodical De Halve Maen described in the "Periodicals" section. It indexes publications by name, subject, and locality. Most of the church records in these year books have been extracted for the International Genealogical Index (IGI).

The Family History Library has the Holland Society's 128 volume Holland Society of New York Church Record Collection. The records are listed in the Family History Library Catalog Author/Title Search under the title mentioned above and are also listed in the Locality Search under the individual cities or towns. This includes some German Reformed, French Reformed, Lutheran, and Episcopal records. For an inventory of this collection, see:


 * Pierre, Marie J., comp. Index to LDS Microfilms of the Church Record Collection of the Holland Society of New York. New York, N.Y.: The Holland Society of New York, 1990.

An index to original baptismal records, transcripts, microfilm, and published works of 17 congregations from 24 volumes of the aforementioned Dutch Reformed Church Record Collection is Wilson Ledley, compiler, Index to Baptismal Surnames in the Reformed Churches of Claverack, Cortlandt, Fishkill, Gallatin/Ancram, Gravesend, Hillsdale/Krum, Kaatsbaan/Saugerties, Kinderhook. (New York, N.Y.: The Holland Society of New York, 1990; available in the.

The Family History Library also has many volumes of Hudson and Mohawk Valley Reformed and Lutheran records transcribed by Arthur C. M. Kelly, Gertrude Barber, and others. Many New York Dutch Reformed church records have also been published in periodicals such as the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record.

The has 99 of the 101 volumes of the ''Royden Woodward Vosburgh, New York Church Records: Vosburgh Collection. ''Included in the collection are Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, and some Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, Congregational, and German Reformed records for Hudson Valley and Mohawk Valley churches (transcribed between 1913 and 1921). Two helpful lists of the churches, first by county and then by town, are at the beginning of the film 017441.

Episcopal
Episcopal Diocese of New York 1047 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10025 Phone: (212) 316-7400 Fax: (212) 932-7345 There are also dioceses of Albany, Central New York, Long Island, Rochester, and Western New York. The Family History Library has acquired many Episcopal records for Western New York. The names in many of these records are indexed in the International Genealogical Index.

In 1816 Eleazor WIlliams, an Episcopalian missionary began serving the Oneida Indians. In 1823 the first group of Oneida were removed from New York to Wisconsin. The removal continued for twenty years.

Jewish
Most synagogue records have not been centralized, so you must write to the local congregation. Addresses are listed in Sidney Lightman, editor, The Jewish Travel Guide (London, England: Jewish Chronicle Publications, 1990; and is available in the ). For a copy nearest you, search WorldCat.

The Center for Jewish History offers a free online up-to-date guide (2011) on how to locate New York City synagogue records.

The Museum of Family History has compiled lists of synagogues for the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan (1869-1933), Queens and Richmond (Staten Island) boroughs in New York City.

American Jewish Historical Society Library 2 Thornton Road Waltham, MA 02154 Telephone: (617) 891-8110 Fax: (617) 899-9208

Philadelphia Jewish Archives Centre at the Balch Institute 18 South 7th Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-1423 Telephone: (215) 925-8090

This archives has the Philadelphia Hebrew Immigrant Society records, which include ship passenger lists, passage order books, and Lipschutz Steamship record books. These are on microfilm in the.

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) 200 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10003 Telephone: (212) 967-4100

New York Public Library Jewish Division Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street New York, NY 10018 Telephone: (212) 930-0601 Fax: (212) 642-0141

More New York Jewish records, sources, and archives are described in Genealogical Resources in the New York Metropolitan Area, mentioned in New York Archives and Libraries.

Lutheran
Library of the Council National Lutheran 50 Madison Avenue New York City, NY 10010

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ELCA Archives 321 Bonnie Lane Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Phone: (847) 690-9410

The Atlantic Distirct-Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 171 White Plains Road Bronxville, NY 10708 Phone: (914) 337-5700 Fax: (914) 337-7471

For family history research visit the Concordia Historical Institue.

A wiki article describing an online collections is found at:

New York, New York City, Saint Peter's Lutheran Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Methodist
United Methodist Archives Center General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church Drew University Library P.O. Box 127 Madison, NJ 07940 Phone: (201) 408-3189 Fax: (201) 408-3909

Moravian
The Moravian Archives 41 West Locust Street Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018 United States of America Phone: (610) 866-3255 Fax: (610) 866-9210

For information concerning missions to the American Indians visit Moravian Missions Among American Indians. For a map and list of missions visit Early Moravian Missions in Eastern Pennsylvania and Surrounding Areas 1740-1773.

Mission records are also available in the. The records are indexed in the Book 970.1 F642i.


 * 1755-1756 - Scott, Kenneth. "Quakers and Moravians in New York in 1755 and 1756," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 58 (1970):253-257..

Presbyterian
Presbyterian Historical Society and Department of History United Presbyterian Church in the USA 425 Lombard Street Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 Telephone: 215-627-1852 Fax: 215-627-0509


 * Hotchkin, James H. A History of the Purchase and Settlement of Western New York: and of the Rise, Progress and Present State of the Presbyterian Church in that Section. New York: M.W. Dodd, 1848. Digital version at Internet Archive.

Roman Catholic
Most Catholic records have not been gathered to central repositories. You must determine the town where your ancestors lived and the parish they most likely attended and then write to that parish.

If a parish has closed, the records may have been sent to the diocesan archives or a nearby parish. If the diocese does not have an archives, the diocese chancellor usually knows where the records are.

Ann Mensch's Local Catholic Church and Family History &amp; Genealogical Research Guide is a free online resource that identifies the parishes of each New York county, years when parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. New York City has exceptional coverage.

New York is divided into eight dioceses:

Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany 40 North Main Ave. Albany, New York 12203 Phone: (518) 453-6600

The Albany Diocese includes the counties of: Albany, Columbia, Delaware, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton(part), Herkimer (part), Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn 310 Prospect Park West Brooklyn, New York 11215 Phone: (718) 399-5900 or (718) 965-7300

The Brooklyn Diocese includes the counties of: Brooklyn and Queens.

Diocese of Buffalo 795 Main Street Buffalo, New York 14203 Phone: (716) 847-8700

The Buffalo Diocese includes the counties of: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming.

Archdiocese of New York Sr. Marguerita Smith 1011 First Avenue New York City, New York 10022 Phone: (212) 371-1000

According to their website, the archives does not hold genealogical records.

The New York Diocese includes the counties of: Bronx, Dutchess, Manhattan, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Staten Island, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

Diocese of Ogdensburg PO Box 369 622 Washington Street Ogdensburg, NY 13669 Phone: (315) 393-2920

The Ogdensburg Diocese includes the counties of: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton (part), Herkimer(part), Jefferson, Lewis (part) and St. Lawrence.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester 1150 Buffalo Rd. Rochester, NY 14624 Phone: (585) 328-3210

The Rochester Diocese includes the counties of: Cayuga, Chemung, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre PO Box 9023 Rockville Centre, NY 11571-9023 Phone: (516) 678-5800 Email: [mailto:archive@drvc.org archives@drvc.org]

The Diocese includes the counties of: Nassau and Suffolk on Long Island.

Genealogy records (sacramental registers) are held by individual parishes. No genealogical records are stored at the Diocesan Archives.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse 240 East Onondaga St. Syracuse, NY (315) 422-7203

To learn more about the Diocese records contact the Vicar for Parishes Office.

The Syracuse Diocese includes the counties of: Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Lewis (part), Madison, Oneida, Onondaga and Oswego.

The Family History Library has many Roman Catholic records for Western (filmed at Canisius College, Buffalo) and Northern New York. It has very few Roman Catholic records for the City of New York.

The Drouin Collection Early U.S. French Catholic Church Records, 1695-1954 ($) (Ancestry). This database only contains the French Catholic parish records from the United States in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Pennsylvania. It is the U.S. part of the U.S. and French-Canadian Drouin Collection. For more details see "The Drouin Collection: Six Databases"

The types of records include baptisms, marriages, and burials as well as confirmations, dispensations, censuses, statements of readmission to the church, and so on. They are written mainly in French, as well as English, Latin, and Italian.

Society of Friends (Quakers)
New York Yearly Meeting Archives Haviland Records Room 15 Rutherford Place New York, NY 10003 Telephone: (212) 777-8866

Many of the records in the archives are on microfilm at the Family History Library. The New York City and Long Island Quaker Records, 1657–1940, transcribed by John Cox, are published in:


 * Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. 6 Vols. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards Brothers, 1936-1950. Volume III covers New York Monthly Meetings. 973 D2he 1969; digital version at Ancestry ($). To locate copies nearest you, use WorldCat.

A useful guide to New York Quaker records and research is:


 * Cox, John, Jr. New York City Church Archives, Religious Society of Friends Catalogue. New York, N.Y.: Historical Records Survey, 1938 and is available in the . To locate a copy nearest you, use WorldCat.

Cox's 1914 guide is available online:


 * Cox, John, Jr. "Quaker Records in New York," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 45, No. 3 (Jul. 1914):262-269; Vol. 45, No. 4 (Oct. 1914):366-373. Digital versions at Internet Archive (free): Vol. 45:262, Vol. 45:366; New York Family History ($); . Includes brief histories of each monthly meeting; details of surviving records.

Bradley identified New York Quaker records that had been published before 1973:


 * Bradley, A. Day. "New York State Quaker Records in Print," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 61 (1973):249-253..

A helpful 1828 census was taken:


 * Fay, Loren V., editor. Quaker Census of 1828: Members of the New York Yearly Meeting, the Religious Society of Friends of New York, Ontario, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Quebec, at the Time of the Separation of 1828. Rhinebeck, N.Y.: Knshp, 1989 and is available in the . Use this to determine the monthly meeting a person attended. It includes name, age, and family group. To locate a copy nearest you, use WorldCat.

For a history of New York Quakers, see:


 * Bowden, James. The History of the Society of Friends in America. 2 vols. London: W. &amp; F.G. Cash, 1850-1854. Digital version of Vol. 1 at Google Books; 973 F2bj v. 1 [Volume 1 includes New York.]

Marriages of some early New York Quakers are found in Philadelphia registers:


 * 1600s-1700s - Potts, William John. "New York Marriages, From the Friends' Records of Philadelphia," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan. 1872):51-52. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1755-1756 - Scott, Kenneth. "Quakers and Moravians in New York in 1755 and 1756," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 58 (1970):253-257..