Union County, New Jersey Genealogy

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

Description
Union County is located in the northeastern region of the state. It was created in 1857. Elizabeth is the county seat. The county was named for The union of the United States, which was being threatened by the dispute over slavery.

County Courthouse
 Union County Courthouse 2 Broad Street Elizabeth, NJ 07207-2204 Phone: 908-787-1650 Union County Courthouse

County Clerk has land records from 1857 and military discharge records from 1941. Clerk Superior Court has divorce records from 1848 and court records. County Surrogate has probate records from 1857. Town Clerks have birth and death 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:

Census Records

 * 1855 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * 1675-1970 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

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

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records

 * Goodwin, Aaron. "The Elizabeth-Town Associates: Signatures on the Original Answer, 1751," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 138, No. 3 (Jul. 2007):189-198. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.

Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men from Union County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Union County.
 * - 83rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company K

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1796-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers
Courtesy of the Plainfield Public Library:
 * Courier News Obituary Index: mid-1920s-mid-1980s

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1656-1999 New Jersey Wills and Probate Records 1656-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1670-1760 Calendar of New Jersey Wills 1670-1760 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1670-1817 New Jersey Abstract of Wills 1670-1817 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1678-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; Use the Surrogate's Docket Index 1700-1972 to obtain the Docket Number for the name. Then, use the Docket Number to locate the correct Estate file.

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

Birth

 * 1600-1990 New Jersey Vital Records, Historical Society of Pennsylvania at Findmypast — index & images, ($)
 * 1660-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; ''Also at: Ancestry Index ($)
 * 1746-1795 New Jersey Baptisms 1746-1795 at Findmypast — index, ($)
 * 1901-1903 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Marriage

 * 1600s-1900s US Marriages, New Jersey at Findmypast — index, ($)
 * 1670-1965 New Jersey Marriage Records, 1670-1965 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 1670-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1678-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1683-1802 New Jersey Marriage Records, 1683-1802 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 1684-1895 New Jersey Compiled Marriage Records, 1684-1895 at Ancestry — index, ($)
 * 1901-1914 New Jersey Marriage License Index, 1901-1914 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1901-2016 New Jersey Marriage Index, 1901-2016 at Ancestry — index, ($);
 * 1901-2016 New Jersey Marriage Index, 1901-2016 at Findmypast - Browse index ($)
 * 1915-2016 New Jersey Marriage License Index, 1915-2016 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * For a complete list of all New Jersey Marriage databases

Death

 * 1600-1990 New Jersey Vital Records, Historical Society of Pennsylvania at Findmypast — index & images, ($)
 * 1798-1971 New Jersey Deaths and Burials Index, 1798-1971 at Ancestry — index, ($)
 * 1848-1878 Death Records, May 1848 - May 1878 at New Jersey State Archives - index, $ for photocopies
 * 1878-1900 Death Records, June 1878 - December 1900 at New Jersey Department of State — index, $ for photocopies
 * 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1901-2017 The New Jersey Death Index at New Jersey Death Index — index; Also at: Ancestry index ($)
 * 1920-2017 New Jersey Death Index, 1920-1929, 1949-2017 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * For a complete list of all New Jersey Death databases

FamilySearch Centers

 * Maplewood New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Morristown New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Newark New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Scotch Plains New Jersey FamilySearch Center
 * Bloomfield Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Morristown & Morris Township Library - an affiliate library
 * New Providence Memorial Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Plainfield New Jersey Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Plainfield Public Library 800 Park Avenue Plainfield, NJ 07060 Telephone: 908-757-1111 The Local History, Genealogy & Special Collections Department offers newspapers, city directories, local histories, church records, biographies, and more.Website

Societies
Union County Historical Society 116 E. Fourth Ave. Roselle, NJ 07203 Telephone: 908-245-9010 Website Cranford Historical Society 38 Springfield Avenue Cranford, NJ 07016 Telephone: 908-276-0082 E-mail:[mailto:info@unioncountyhistoricalsocietynj.org info@unioncountyhistoricalsocietynj.org] Website Hillside Historical Society 111 Conant St Hillside, NJ 07205 Telephone: 908-353-8828 Website New Providence Historical Society 1350 Springfield Ave. New Providence 07974 Plainfield, Historical Society 602 West Front Street Plainfield NJ Website Rahway Historical Society 1632 St. Georges Ave. Rahway Website Springfield Historical Society 126 Morris Ave Springfield, NJ. Telephone: 973-912-4464 Facebook Summit Historical Society 90 Butler Parkway Summit, NJ 07901 Telephone: 908-277-1747 Westfield, Genealogical Society Of 550 East Broad Street Westfield Website

Websites

 * Union County NJGenWeb Project, a member of The NJGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Union County NJ 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.