Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Guide to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Allegheny County is named after the Lenape word for the Allegheny River. The county is located in the western section of the state.

County Courthouse
Allegheny County Courthouse 436 Grant St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: (412) 350-6500 FAX:(412) 350-6512 Orphan's Court Phone: (412)350-5550 Department of Court Records Phone: (412)350-4200 Email: [mailto:civil@alleghenycounty.us civil@alleghenycounty.us] Allegheny County Website


 * In 2008 the office of Prothonotary in Allegheny County was combined into the Court Records Director.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Record Dates
Reg of Wills has marriage records Prothonotary Office has divorce records Clerk Court has probate and court records Recorder deeds has land records

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:

Placenames


 * Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt: Early Names of Pittsburgh Streets 1914. Digital version at Don's List

Bible Records

 * Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives

Biographies

 * A Genealogical and Biographical History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($). Excerpted from Part II, pages 209-786, of History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; edited by Thomas Cushing, Chicago, Illinois : A. Warner, 1889.
 * Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Personal and Genealogical Vol. 1. Madison, Wis.: Northwestern Historical Association, 1904. Digital version at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1.; FamilySearch Digital Library Vol. 2.
 * Family Biographies from The History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (1889) published by A. Warner &amp; Co. are available on the My Genealogy Hound website.

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources


 * 1700-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1845-1960 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images (incomplete)
 * Pennsylvania Genealogy LDS Genealogy
 * Allegheny Cemetery
 * Names in Stone

Census Records

 * 1850-1880  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * U.S. Census Schedules - University of Pittsburgh for Allegheny City 1850, 1860, and 1870 and for Pittsburgh 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. There is no coverage for schedules outside these two cities.

Church Records

 * Visit Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Church Records for information about church denominations and records in Allegheny County.

Court Records

 * 1839-1847 Synopsis: Sampson vs Paul (1839-1847); The News Caster : Publication of The Castor Association of America - V. 11, No. 2 (June 1993). By Nelson, Iva and June E. Herron. n.p. : Castor Association of America, 1993. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1865-1917 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Finding Family and Historical Records at Allegheny County Offices and Allegheny County Court Records website
 * The webpage describes the availability of the records, the office where they are found, years covered, and links to the proper office or website. Records described include adoptions, census, birth, marriage, death,various court records, deeds, divorce, wills and estate, maps, naturalizations, and military records.

Directories

 * 1761-1962 Don's List of Pittsburgh Directories
 * Contains 1761, 1812, 1815-1816, 1826, 1837, 1839, 1841, 1844, 1852, 1854, 1857, 1864-1865, 1867, 1872, 1875, 1877-1879, 1884-1885, 1890, 1895, 1897-1903, 1905, 1907-1908, 1910, 1912, 1914, 1918, 1922, 1930, 1936, 1946, 1951, and 1962 Pittsburgh directories.


 * 1815-1930 Historic Pittsburgh - Full Text Collection
 * Pittsburgh City and Allegheny City Directories (and outlying areas) from 1815 through 1930. Directories were not issued annually until the mid-1850s. Homestead Directories may be found on the same site.


 * 1839-1947 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1841-1847 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1850 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1856-1881 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1857-1860 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1861-1923 Pittsburgh City Directories at Fold3 ($)
 * 1898-1907 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1798-1828  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Alphabet index then by numbered entry
 * 1900-1923  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by county)
 * 1952-1957   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Funeral Homes
1925-1934 Pittsburgh, PA: Gaines Funeral Home Records, 1925-1934 at American Ancestors - index & images ($)

Genealogies

 * A Genealogical and Biographical History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($). Excerpted from Part II, pages 209-786, of History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; edited by Thomas Cushing, Chicago, Illinois : A. Warner, 1889.

Land and Property Records
Land records in Allegheny County began in 1788. These records are filed with the Department of Real Estate office (formerly the Record of Deeds) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. If your ancestor lived in the area which became Allegheny County, they may have filed land claims with Virginia when the area was know as the District of West Augusta.

Online Land Records


 * 1733 -1957 Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of the Land Office, Warrant Registers, 1733-1957, Allegheny County (South and East of the Ohio River)
 * 1792 -1857 Allegheny County Historical Deeds 1792–1857 is a collection of documents recorded in deed books that described people who were involved in the slave trade in the early days of Allegheny County. This collection does not include all deeds recorded between 1792 and 1857.
 * 1986 – present Allegheny County offers online access to indexes and images. Fees apply for copies.
 * 1788 -1904 Deeds, 1788-1901; index, 1788-1904. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

Maps


 * Fishman, Joel. The Warrantee Atlas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh [Pennsylvania] Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, 1982. Originally published by the Pennsylvania State Land Office ca. 1914. Digital version of the 1914 edition available at the University of Pittsburgh's "Historic Pittsburgh Maps Collection."

Local Histories

 * Allegheny County's Hundred Years. 1888. By George H. Thurston. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania : A.A. Anderson. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust;.
 * History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania : Including its Early Settlement. 1889. By Thomas Cushing. Chicago, Illinois : A. Warner. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps
 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Pittsburgh and Allegheny City 1856 from the David Rumsey Map Collection.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Allegheny County Military Service at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives Includes 1835 Revolutionary War Pensioners, 1812 Pensioners, Biographies of original members of Civil War Co. D 149th PA.

Revolutionary War Men living in what is now Allegheny County (then Westmoreland and Washington counties) served in the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment.

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1865-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in the War for the Suppression of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : Roll of Honor, Defenders of the Flag, Attack on Fort Sumter, S.C., April 12, 1861, Surrender at Appomattox, Va., April 9, 1865 by Samuel M. Evans, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, 1924] Online at: FamilySearch Digital Books
 * Black Civil War Soldiers, Allegheny County Pennsylvania By Henry Hively; Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 1. (Summer 1990):39. ;

- 70th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E

World War II
 * 1933-1947  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Where to find Allegheny County naturalization records:


 * 1734 -1906 Common Pleas Court #2
 * 1799 -1894 Common Pleas Court #1
 * 1799 -1906 Quarter Sessions Court
 * 1906 - 1990 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1906 - Present - Index only at Clerk's Office, Pittsburgh
 * Before 1906-Present Federal Archives Records Center Archives Branch, Philadelphia

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1795-1931  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1795-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1798-1910 Naturalization Declarations of Intention and Petitions - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1799-1906 Naturalization Docket - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1820-1906 Index to Declarations and Petitions in the Western District of Pennsylvania, US Circuit and District Courts located in US Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 database on Ancestry $, National Archives publication M1208
 * 1820-1930 Naturalizations - PA Western District on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537, includes Naturalization petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and the Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania
 * 1820-1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1537
 * 1883-1906 Declarations of Intentions - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

Newspapers
Newspapers of Allegheny County

Online Newspapers

The following are some of the online newspapers available in Allegheny County. To learn if there are newspapers on line for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google.com/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.


 * Allegheny Times October 2, 1988 - January 31, 2008
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory
 * McKeesport Daily News Website
 * Penn State Digital Newspapers
 * Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive
 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Pittsburger Volksblatt August 8, 1859-December 31, 1900
 * Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette January 1, 1877 - November 23, 1901
 * Pittsburgh Dispatch
 * Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project
 * Pittsburgh Post-Gazette March 18, 1916 - September 28, 2007
 * Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Sun-Telegraph June 1, 1960 - June 30, 1960
 * The Pittsburgh Catholic Starting in 1844
 * The Pittsburgh Commercial April 29, 1859-May 4, 1965]
 * The Pittsburgh Daily Commercial September 7, 1863 - June 30, 1864
 * The Pittsburgh Daily Gazette March 29, 1847 - June 4, 1872
 * The Pittsburgh Daily Gazette and Advertiser February 24, 1816 - March 27, 1847
 * The Pittsburgh Gazette March 7, 1795 - November 12, 1962
 * The Pittsburgh Press July 18, 1819 - July 28, 1992
 * University of Pittsburgh's, Hillman Library for old newspapers.

Online Newspaper Abstracted Articles


 * Allegheny County Newspapers at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives
 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Allegheny County.

Obituaries
Online Obituary Abstracts


 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1977-2010  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Allegheny County.
 * Allegheny County Obituaries at Allegheny County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Other Records
Poorhouse, Almshouse Allegheny County Workhouse Records, 1866-1971. The site lists the records, including conduct books, 1870-1906, discharge and descriptive dockets, 1873-1971, escaped prisoners, 1882-1971, prison registers 1869-1951, and more. The records are at the Pennsylvania State Archives.

Probate Records
Online Probate Index and Records


 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry - ($) index & images
 * 1683-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1776-1813 Abstracts of Wills and Administrations of Allegheny County, Registered at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, V. 7; V. 7, No. 1, 2, 3. By Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and Wood, Mary Ellis. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, 1920. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1788-1971 (*); Register of Wills and Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1789-1869 Index to Allegheny County, Pa., Wills, Volumes 1-12, 1789-1869. By Closson, Bob and Mary. Apollo, Pennsylvania : Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1979. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1789-1905 (*); Orphans' Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1789-1917 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1789-1917 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1851-1901 (*); Recorder of Deeds at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1874-1903 (*); Register of Wills at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * A Goodly Heritage : Earliest Wills on an American Frontier. By Chalfant, Ella. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania : University of Pittsburgh Press, 1955. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Also Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Allegheny Co, PA Records; The Red Tower : Clan Galbraith Association, Vol. 14. By Clan Galbraith Association of North America. Allegheny County, Pennsylvania : Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1992. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

 * 1791 Returns of Taxables for the Counties of Bedford (1773 to 1784), Huntingdon (1788), Westmoreland (1783, 1786), Fayette (1785, 1786), Allegheny (1791), Washington (1786) and Census of Bedford (1784) and Westmoreland (1783) (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 22). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books
 * 1798 Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

Birth

 * 1520-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1870-1901 Pittsburgh Birth Index 1870-1901, Volumes 1-69, in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1870-1905 Birth and death registers Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
 * 1875 Allegheny County Birth Record Index from Allegheny River Families Archive
 * 1892-1906 - How to Use this Collection; index incomplete for all years.  A very few entries in the early 1700s.
 * 1893-1905 Birth records Registrar of Wills.
 * 1906 to Present see Pennsylvania Vital Records.
 * 1941-1971 Allegheny County Birth Index 1941-1971 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1941-1976 - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Microfiche of birth registers recorded in Allegheny County prior to 1906 are now at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Search and copy fees range from $5-17 with a limit of four names per order.

Marriage

 * 1512-1989  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at Findmypast
 * 1677-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1682-1976 FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * 1709-1940  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1786-1925 Marriage notices from newspapers index 1786-1910; Pennsylvania Marriage records,1852-1854; and Allegheny County Marriages index, 1885-1925, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - research requests.
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1875-1909 Pittsburgh Marriage Index 1875-1909 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1885-1950 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images (May be incomplete and contain some marriages earlier than 1885)
 * 1888-1911 index. Not complete for all years. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1947-2010 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Death

 * 1720-1999  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1825-1906 Pittsburgh Death Index 1825-1906 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
 * 1870-1901 Pittsburgh Death Index 1870-1901, Volumes 1-69, in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch Death Index 1878-1886 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
 * 1856-1971  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1870-1905 at FamilySearch. - How to Use this Collection; index and images; ''Also at Ancestry ($)
 * Microfiche of death registers recorded in Allegheny County prior to 1906 are now at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Search and copy fees range from $5-17 with a limit of four names per order.


 * Index of Allegheny County Death Registrations 1852 1853 1854 from the USGenWeb Archives
 * Allegheny County Death Registrations: 1852 1853 1854 from the USGenWeb Archives

Divorce
Divorce records are handled by the Department of Court Records Civil/Family Division (formerly the office of the Prothonotary). While no on-line indexes or records are available, records may be obtained on site or by correspondence. An index to divorce records is included in the Ejectment and Miscellaneous Index. Request at the main desk. Older records may be in storage and have to be ordered.


 * Allegheny County Divorce Index from the USGenWeb Archives
 * Department of Court Records Civil/Family Division

Archives
Merrick Archives Allegheny College Pelletier Library, Room 304 555 N Main St Meadville, PA 16335 Phone: 814-332-2398 Email: [mailto:merrick@allegheny.edu merrick@allegheny.edu] Website
 * Call in advance for an appointment with the Archivist or to confirm current hours. The Merrick Archives has records and biographical information for faculty, staff, and alumni.

National Archives at Philadelphia 14700 Townsend Rd Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096 Phone: 215-305-2044 Fax: 215-305-2052 Email: [mailto:philadelphia.archives@nara.gov philadelphia.archives@nara.gov] Website Facebook

FamilySearch Centers

 * Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 3rd FamilySearch Center
 * Pittsburgh Pennsylvania West FamilySearch Center
 * Bethel Park Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - an affiliate library.
 * Pleasant Hills Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Shaler North Hills Library - an affiliate library.
 * Upper St. Clair Township Library - an affiliate library.
 * Whitehall Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Department, Records Research 4400 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Phone: 412-622-3114 Email: [mailto:info@carnegielibrary.org info@carnegielibrary.org] Website Facebook
 * Genealogy Resources
 * Birth Registers, City of Pittsburgh (1870-1905); Allegheny City (1885-October, 1907); Allegheny County (1893-1905); McKeesport (1892-1905); Sewickley (1896-1905); Wilkinsburg (1899-1905)
 * County Death Registers, City of Pittsburgh (1870-1905); Online Index for City of Pittsburgh Only; Allegheny City (1875-May, 1907); Allegheny County (1893-1905); McKeesport (1887-1905); Sewickley (1894-1905)
 * Registers are written entries, not certificates. Birth and Death Certificates are state-issued and are not available for dates prior to 1906.
 * After 1906 birth and death certificates are available from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records in New Castle, PA.
 * Additional Pittsburgh locations

Historic Pittsburgh Digital Library Website Pelletier Library Allegheny College 555 N Main St Meadville, PA 16335 Phone: 814-332-4312 Email: [mailto:library.services@allegheny.edu library.services@allegheny.edu] Website Facebook

Museums
Senator John Heinz History Center  1212 Smallman St Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Phone: 412-454-6000 Email: [mailto:info@heinzhistorycenter.org info@heinzhistorycenter.org] Website Facebook
 * Collection includes 3,500 individual archival collections of families and businesses; over 40,000 books, pamphlets, and monographs, plus 500 maps and atlases.

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum 4141 Fifth Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Phone: 412-621-4253 Fax: 412-683-9339 Email: [mailto:info@soldiersandsailorshall.org info@soldiersandsailorshall.org] Website Facebook
 * Originally built to honor veterans of the Civil War, but was later expanded to honor soldiers of all conflicts. It contains artifact, interpretive displays, letters, journals, and more.

Societies
Afro-American Historical Genealogical Society, Pittsburgh Chapter Pittsburgh, PA Email: [mailto:pittsburgh@aahgs.org pittsburgh@aahgs.org] Website Facebook Facebook Directory of Pennsylvania Genealogical and Historical Societies Website Historical Society of Pennsylvania 1300 Locust St Philadelphia, PA 19107 Phone: 215-732-6200 Fax: 215-732-2680 Email: [mailto:enews@hsp.org enews@hsp.org] Website Facebook
 * Tips for Planning a Visit.
 * The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania collects genealogical materials from Pennsylvania and every other state east of the Mississippi River. Its collections also cover pre-migration from Europe, the genealogical “stepping stones” across the Caribbean, and out-migration to Canada. Its collection includes 600,000 printed items and more than 21 million manuscript and graphic items. It is one of the largest family history libraries in the nation, has preeminent printed collections on Pennsylvania and regional history, and offers superb manuscript collections renowned for their strength in 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century history. By acquiring the holdings of The Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies in 2002 and those of The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania in 2006, the Society has become a chief center for the documentation and study of the ethnic communities and immigrant experiences between the late 19th century century and our own times.

North Hills Genealogists 9000 Babcock Blvd Allison Park, PA PO Box 169 Wexford, PA 15090 Email: [mailto:nhg@northhillsgenealogists.org nhg@northhillsgenealogists.org] Website Facebook Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society 4400 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15213-4080 Phone: 412-687-6811 Email: [mailto:info@wpgs.org info@wpgs.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Allegheny County Resources for Genealogical Research from the county website
 * Linkpendium - Allegheny County
 * The Allegheny County PAGenWeb Project, a member of The PAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Allegheny County
 * Coraopolis History Archive
 * Allegheny County PA Genealogy
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.