Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania  Westmoreland County  

Parent County
26 February 1773: Westmoreland County was created from Bedford County.

Boundary Changes
Several counties were set off over the years.


 * 28 March 1781: Washington County
 * 26 September 1783: Fayette County
 * 24 September 1788: Allegheny County
 * 12 March 1800: Armstrong County
 * 30 March 1803: Indiana County

Neighboring Counties
Allegheny | Armstong | Butler | Cambria | Fayette | Indiana | Somerset | Washington

Cemeteries

 * Feightner Cemetery, Greensburg BillionGraves
 * Union Cemetery, Arnold BillionGraves

Census

 * 1783 - 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 - free.

Church Records

 * "100 years of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese 1843–1943". Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly, 17:1. FamilySearch Library book 974.8 B2wg. Contains chronolgy, map, county-by-county information.

Land and Property
Land records in Westmoreland County began in 1773. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, and maps. Property records include liens as well as livestock brands and estray records.

The following are examples of available resources:

Online Land Records


 * 1850–present The Recorder of Deeds offers online access to land records. The online indexes are free but fees apply for copies.

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1773-1886 Deeds and Index

Additional Resources

Note that the "Maps" section below includes maps related to land ownership.

See Pennsylvania Land and Property for more information about using land records, especially about original land warrants, surveys, and patents filed at the state land office.

Additional resources can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Westmoreland County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
 * (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search.)

Maps

 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free downloadable images from the Map of Westmoreland Co. Pennsylvania from Actual Surveys by D.J. Lake &amp; N.S. Ames, published by Wm. J. Barker in 1857
 * Ancestor Tracks also has an Atlas of the Township Warrantee Maps of Westmoreland County and a Companion Scans of Township Warrantee Maps plus Current Road Overlay CD ($). They show precise outlines in metes and bounds of each original tract and all surrounding tracts in each township, giving the names of the warrantee and patentee; dates of the warrant, survey, and patent; and the patent and survey book and page of each recorded patent.
 * The 1867 Atlas of Westmoreland County has been posted at USGenWeb Digital Map Library.

Revolutionary War
Westmoreland County men also served in the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.

Obituaries
Courtesy of the Baltzer Meyer Historical Society:

Obituary Index created from their collection of obituaries of the years of individuals who resided in or had connections to Westmoreland County.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Greensburg Pennsylvania Family History Center

Taxation

 * 1783, 1786 - 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 - free.


 * 1798 - Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

Birth

 * 1782-1930 - - free index. Not complete for all years.
 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.

Marriage

 * 1802-1976 - - free index. Not complete for all years.

Divorce
Divorce records are handled by the office of the Prothonotary. While no on-line indexes or records are available, records may be obtained by visiting or writing to the Prothonotary at:

Death

 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – $ Index with images.

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * An early history of the county published in 1906 and biographical sketches of early residents can be found in this transcription project: Westmoreland County History.
 * An early history of the county published in 1906 and biographical sketches of early residents can be found in this transcription project: Westmoreland County History.