Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for Lancaster, Lancashire. It is located in the Southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lancaster County Courthouse 50 N. Duke St. P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608 Phone: 717-299-8275 Prothonotary: 717-299-8282 Register of Wills/Orphan's Court: 717-299-8242 or 717-299-8243 Clerk or Courts Lancaster County Website

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:

Biographies
Some Biographies of Lancaster County courtesy USGenWeb.org

Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Indentured Servants

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources


 * Cemeteries of Lancaster County in Adamstown &amp; Akron Boroughs and Bart, Brecknock, &amp; Caernarvon Townships. Lists of cemeteries, some with lists of burials

Church Records
County-wide Database - Multi-denominational


 * 1708-1985 Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry $


 * Contains the church records of:
 * Columbia: Presbyterian Church; United Church of Christ
 * Eden: Mount Hope United Methodist Church
 * Ephrata: Bethany United Church of Christ
 * Lancaster: First Presbyterian Church; Salem United Church of Christ; St. John's Episcopal Church
 * Leacock: Christ Episcopal Church
 * Lititz: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Maytown: St. John's Lutheran Church
 * Millersville: St. Paul Lutheran Church
 * Mohnton: Swamp Lutheran Church
 * Reamstown: Salem Lutheran Church
 * Rohrerstown: Trinity Lutheran Church
 * Rothsville: Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church


 * 1723-1800 Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Lancaster County, 1723-1800 2 vols. Washington, D.C.: Humphrey Publications, 1997..


 * Contains records from the following churches: Sadsbury Monthly Meeting, Sadsbury Township; Little Britain Monthly Meeting, Little Britain Township; St. James' Protestant Episcopal Church, Lancaster; Muddy Creek Lutheran Church, East Cocalico Township; Emanuel Lutheran Church, Elizabeth Township, also called Old Warwick Lutheran Church; Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster; Moravian Church, Lancaster; First Reformed Church, Lancaster; Trinity Lutheran Church, New Holland; St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Lancaster; Zion Lutheran Church, Manheim; Muddy Creek Reformed Church, East Cocalico Township; Bangor Protestant Episcopal Church, Caenarfon [sic] Township; Bergstrasse Lutheran Church, Ephrata Township; Records of Rev. John Waldschmidt; Records of Rev. John Cuthbertson; Records of Rev. Traugott Frederick Illing; Christ Lutheran Church, Elizabethtown; St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Strasburg; Swamp Reformed Church, West Cocalico Township; Zion Reformed Church, Elizabeth Township, also known as Reyer's Reformed Church; Blasser Reformed Church, West Donegal Township; White Oak Lutheran and Reformed churches, Penn Township; Zeltenreich/Seltenreich Reformed Church, Earl Township; Maytown Reformed Church, East Donegal Township; St. Paul's Reformed Church, Manheim; Pequea Reformed, Strasburg Township; Maytown Lutheran Church, East Donegal Township; Cocalico Reformed Church, Ephrata; Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever, Jr.; Moravian Church, Lititz.


 * 1729-1881 Pennsylvania Church Records - Adams, Berks, and Lancaster Counties, 1729-1881 at Ancestry $
 * Church and Religious Records of Lancaster County, courtesy USGenWeb.org
 * Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site has several listings of online Lancaster County church records.

Amish Lancaster County had one of the largest Mennonite and Amish populations in Pennsylvania in the 1800s.

Catholic


 * 1787-1804 St. Mary's Catholic Church, Lancaster, PA Marriages, Baptisms, Burials 1787-1804 at PAGenWeb

Church of the Brethren


 * Church of the Brethren Network includes Conestoga Congregation Baptisms 1739-1747 and Conestoga Congregation Baptisms 1748-1769.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Blue Ridge District of the Eastern States Mission comprised church members living in southeastern Pennsylvania. District headquarters were in Lancaster, with branches located in Bucks, Fulton, Lancaster, and York counties.


 * Record of Members, [1929]-1944,

Ephrata Community


 * 1728-1853 Sachse, Julius F. "The Registers of the Ephrata Community," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Burials 1728-1853: Vol. 14 (1890):297-312, Burials 1730s-1813: 387-402. For online access, see WeRelate. Also available on the Church of the Brethren Network website.

Episcopalian

St. James's Church, Lancaster

Registers begin in 1755.


 * 1755-1759 Private Marriage Register of Rev. Thomas Barton, in York County, Pennsylvania in "Private Church Registers to 1800, York County, Pennsylvania" at Ancestry ($).
 * 1755-1756, 1783-1796 St. James Church, Lancaster, Baptism Index 1755-1756 and 1783-1796 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

St. John's Church, Pequea

Registers are lost, but some parishioners appear in the registers of St. James's Church, Lancaster.

St. Thomas's Church, Caernarvon

Registers are lost, but some parishioners appear in the registers of St. James's Church, Lancaster.

Bangor Church, Caernarvon

Registers are lost, but some parishioners appear in the registers of St. James's Church, Lancaster. An old trunk was discovered at Bangor Church with "sundry account-books and ancient title-deeds."

Evangelical

Salem Church of the Evangelical Association, Lancaster


 * 1852-1877 Salem Church of the Evangelical Association, Lancaster, Marriage Index 1852-1877 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Trinity Church, Lititz


 * 1875-1885 Trinity Church, Lititz, Marriage Index 1875-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Evangelical Lutheran

Rev. John Casper Stoever's Records, 1730-1779:


 * Book: Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever, Baptismal and Marriage, 1730-1779. (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Pub.,1896). Digital version: Internet Archive.
 * Transcripts:
 * - Rev. John Casper Stoever’s Baptisms in Alphabetical Order
 * - Marriage Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever with all 1,429 marriages compiled by Mildred Smith (Lancaster County Genealogy Project).

Augustus Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Providence


 * 1729-1777 Augustus Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Providence, Baptism Index 1729-1777 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ephrata Township


 * 1742-1875 Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ephrata Township, Baptism Index 1742-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches  and.

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Elizabethtown


 * 1770-1875 Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Elizabethtown, Baptism Index 1840-1908 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1779-1885 Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Elizabethtown, Marriage Index 1779-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches,  and.

Lutheran


 * Weiser, Frederick Sheely. Parochial Registers for Lutheran Congregations in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1729-1960: A Guide to Genealogical Resources in the Parish Records of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, As Well As to Translations and Copies in Print in Public Institutions Lancaster, Pa.: unknown, 1961. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Cocalico Evangelisch Luttnusche


 * 1729-1742 Cocalico Evangelisch Luttnusche, Baptism Index 1729-1742 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Evangelical Church, Lutheran County


 * 1868-1967 Evangelical Church, Lutheran County, Baptism Index 1868-1967 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Mount Joy


 * 1833-1853 Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Mount Joy, Baptism Index 1833-1853 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Swamp Lutheran Church, Reinholds


 * 1808-1875 Swamp Lutheran Church, Reinholds, Baptism Index 1808-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Holland


 * 1730-1799 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Holland, Baptism Index 1730-1799 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

White Oaks Lutheran and Reformed Church, Penn Township


 * 1754-1789 White Oaks Lutheran and Reformed Church, Penn Township, Baptism Index 1754-1789 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Manheim


 * 1759-1875 Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Manheim, Baptism Index 1759-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1771-1782, 1807-1812 - Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Manheim, Marriage Index 1771-1782 and 1807-1812 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Mennonites Lancaster County had one of the largest Mennonite and Amish populations in Pennsylvania in the 1800s.

Presbyterian The first Scotch-Irish settlement in Lancaster County was made at Chickies Creek in 1714. Donegal Presbyterian Church was built there shortly thereafter. Pequea Presbyterian Church, constructed at another early Scotch-Irish settlement, was built in 1724.

Paxtang Church and Derry Church were both organized in 1729.


 * 1741-1810 Marriage Record of Paxtang and Derry Churches, 1741-1810 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol. 8, Part 10) at Ancestry ($); Google Books

The Hanover Presbyterian Church was built in 1736 in a Scotch-Irish settlement. This ground later fell within the bounds of Dauphin County and still later Lebanon County after those counties split off.

Cedar Grove Presbyterian Church, East Earl


 * 1840-1908 Cedar Grove Presbyterian Church, East Earl, Baptism Index 1840-1908 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Middle Octorara Presbyterian Church, Quarryville


 * 1808-1821, 1846-1859 Middle Octorara Presbyterian Church, Quarryville, Baptism Index 1808-1821 and 1846-1859 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches  and.

Seltenreich Presbyterian Church


 * 1766-1800 Seltenreich Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1766-1800 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1766-1779 Seltenreich Presbyterian Church Marriage Index 1766-1779 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Quaker


 * 1800s-1900s Pennsylvania Quaker Records: Warrington, York County, Little Brittain, Lancaster County, Centre, Centre County, West Branch, Clearfield County, Dunnings Creek, Bedford County n.p. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive

Reformed

First Reformed Church, Lancaster


 * 1736-1800 First Reformed Church, Lancaster, Baptism Index 1736-1800 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Keller's Reformed Church, Cocalico


 * 1738-1806, 1853-1861 Keller's Reformed Church, Cocalico, Baptism Index 1738-1806 and 1853-1861 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1767-1779 Keller's Reformed Church, Cocalico, Marriage Index 1767-1779 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Muddy Creek Reformed Church, East Cocalico Township


 * 1766-1779 Muddy Creek Reformed Church, East Cocalico Township, Marriage Index 1766-1779 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Reformed Church of Cocalico


 * 1743-1772 Reformed Church of Cocalico, Baptism Index 1743-1772 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1753 Reformed Church of Cocalico, Marriage Index 1753 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Reformed Church of Maytown


 * 1774-1819 - Transcript of baptismal record of the Reformed Church of Maytown, Lancaster County, 1765 (1774)-1819. Typescript held at the Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Zion's Reformed Church, Brickerville


 * 1766-1820 Zion's Reformed Church, Brickerville, Baptism Index 1766-1820 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1767-1779 Zion's Reformed Church, Brickerville, Marriage Index 1767-1779 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Roman Catholic

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1770-1792 St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Baptism Index 1770-1792 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Prothonotary Office of Prothonotary Katherine Wood-Jacobs – Prothonotary 50 N. Duke St P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 Phone: 717-299-8282 Fax: 717-293-7210 Email: [mailto:kwoodjacobs@co.lancaster.pa.us kwoodjacobs@co.lancaster.pa.us]

Directories

 * Lancaster City and County Directories, 1843-1914

Emigration and Immigration
Major Scotch-Irish Settlements in the 1730's Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Huguenots Shirk, Willis L., Jr. "Assimilating into the Amerian Milieu: French Huguenots in Eighteenth Century Lancaster County", Lancaster Historical Society Journal, 95:3, 74.

Indentured Servants

African American

 * 1780-1846

Guardianship

 * 1730 -1830 Index to Letters of Administration
 * 1742 -1755 Index and Abstracts of Orphans' Court Records
 * 1742 -1867 Miscellaneous Books; Index to Miscellaneous Books, 1742-1891
 * 1942 -1973 Delayed Birth Certificates, filed 1942-1973; Index to volumes 1-25

Land and Property Records
Land records in Lancaster County began in 1728. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Online Land Indexes and Records


 * 1729–present The Recorder of Deeds has placed all county land records on-line which can be viewed for Land Records from 1981 to present can be viewed and searched; you do not have to be a registered user, just login as Guest. Land Records from 1729 to 1981 can be viewed but not searched so have the Page number and the Land Record number (Book and Volume for older records).
 * 1729-1770 Mayhill, R.,Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, deed abstracts and Revolutionary War oaths of allegiance: deed books "A" through "M", 1729 through ca.1770 Everyname (incl adj landowners) index.
 * 1729 -1894 Deeds, 1729-1867; Index, 1729-1894 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1729 -1940 Mortgage records, 1812-1821; mortgagor index, 1729-1940. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

Landowner Maps


 * MacInnes, Sharon Cook and Angus MacInnes. Early Landowners of Pennsylvania: Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Lancaster County, PA Apollo, Pennsylvania: Closson Press, 2008.
 * Gilbert, Geri. The Warrant Maps of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Including an Every-name IndexMorgantown, Pennsylvania: Masthof Press, 2005.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps


 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted downloadable images from the Bridgens' Atlas of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania from Actual Surveys by H.F. Bridgens published by D.S. Bare in 1864. This atlas shows major landowners and geographic sites at the date of publishing.  While the physical maps are in the public domain, the images we have taken of the maps belong to us and are not to be used commercially. We hereby give permission to use them strictly for personal use; please attribute to Ancestor Tracks.
 * An Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of Lancaster County and a Companion Scans of Township Warrantee Maps plus Current Road Overlay CD ($) are also available from Ancestor Tracks. They show precise outlines in metes and bounds of each original tract and all surrounding tracts in the 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 the recorded patent.
 * Lancaster County USGenWeb Project This site contains several maps of Lancaster County both old and modern.
 * Online map site and things to do in Lancaster county PA

Military Records
French and Indian War In 1756, Colonel Armstrong recruited many Scotch-Irish men from Lancaster County. They attacked and destroyed the Indian village at Kittanning (present-day Armstrong County).

Colonel Henry Bouquet led a group of Scotch-Irish men from Lancaster County to rescue Fort Pitt. They decisively defeated the Indians at the Battle of Bushy Run.

Reverend John Elder, pastor of Derry and Paxtang churches, recruited Scotch-Irish rangers from his congregation in Lancaster County. Known as the Paxton Rangers or Paxton Boys, they provided security for white settlements between the Blue Mountains and the Susquehanna River. They are remembered for playing a prominent role in Pontiac's War.

Revolutionary War

Lancaster County men also served in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment,. Digital version at, the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment, and the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment.

Civil War Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Civil War lists Lancaster County Pennsylvania Soldiers in the Civil War - Civil War Books, Rosters, Medal of Honor Recipients, and Soldier Biographies.


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * Mayhill, R., Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, deed abstracts and Revolutionary War oaths of allegiance: deed books "A" through "M", 1729 through ca.1770. At the back of Deed Book L are some Oaths of Allegiance.
 * 1740-1773 Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-1773 on Ancestry $
 * 1743 Extract aus der Registratur der Supreem Court zu Philadelphia - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
 * 1795-1952 on FamilySearch.org, National Archives publication M1248, browsesable images of card index
 * 1795-1931 at FamilySearch
 * 1795-1930 Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1795-1930 on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1522, incomplete for all counties
 * 1795-1930 Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry $

Newspapers
Newspaper Collections


 * Pennsylvania Civil War Era Newspaper Collection


 * Father Abraham 6/12/1868-4/29/1870; 10/25/1872-12/13/1872
 * Lancaster Intelligencer 12/28/1847-12/27/1871

Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts


 * Hawbaker, Gary T., Runaways, Rascals and Rogues:Missing Spouses, Servants and Slaves (Hershey, Pennsylvania:G.T. Habaker, c1987) ; Lancaster Journal, 1794-1810.
 * Der Volksfreund, Lancaster (Pennsylvanien) (SLC, Utah, 1961)

Newspapers of Lancaster County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

Online Newspapers


 * Chronicling America Lancaster Daily Intelligencer 1863-1928 Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
 * Pennsylvania Historic Newspapers


 * Lancaster Intelligencer 1833-1852
 * Marietta Register 1883-1890
 * Mariettian 1858-1860
 * Marietta Advocate and Farmers' and Mechanic's Intelligencer 1833-1835
 * Marietta Pioneer 9/1827-9/1828
 * Pioneer (Marietta) 9/26/1828-1/8/1830

The Lancaster County Digitization Project is a consortium of institutions interested in digitizing the county's newspaper and manuscript collections. Several Lancaster county newspapers are provided in digital format through this and other collaborative efforts.


 * Lancaster Examiner and Hearld (1834-72) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
 * The Columbia Spy (1830-89) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
 * The Intelligencer Journal (1848-71) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
 * The New Holland Clarion (1873-1950) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers
 * The Lancaster Farmer (1869-84) from Collections: Our Digital Newspapers

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * 1947-2010  at FamilySearch
 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Lancaster County.
 * Selected Newspaper Articles from Lancaster Intelligencer1881 -1897; Terre Hill Times 1910-1911; Quarryville Sun, 1918. Courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Obituaries
Online Obituary Abstracts


 * Archived Intelligencer Obituaries
 * Current Lancaster Intelligencer Obituaries
 * Lancaster County Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives
 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Lancaster County.
 * Marshall College Obituaries 19th Century
 * Mennonite and Amish Obituaries

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $
 * 1683-1994  at FamilySearch
 * 1729-1947 Lancaster County Probate Records

Tax Records

 * Pre-1729 Eshelman, H. Frank. Assessment Lists and Other Manuscript Documents of Lancaster County Prior to 1729 Digitized by Internet Archive
 * 1750-1758, 1771-1772 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Assessment Lists 1750, 1751, 1753, 1755, 1758, 1771, 1772 at PAGenWeb
 * 1751, 1756-1758 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Tax Lists 1751, 1756, 1757, 1758: With Additional Tax Lists and Index
 * 1771-1773, 1779, 1782 Proprietary and State Tax Lists of the County of Lancaster: For the Years 1771, 1772, 1773, 1779 and 1782 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 17). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books
 * 1798 Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).

The Salt Lake City has microfilmed many Lancaster County taxation records, and they are available in Salt Lake City and can be accessed in its satellite Family History Centers.

Birth
Old birth records for Lancaster County from 1881 through 1906 are kept by the Register of Wills.


 * 1726-1930  index. Not complete for all years. This collection is an index for the years 1726 to 1930. It is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855 Birth Registrations, online index at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1852-1855 Lancaster County Birth Index 1852-1855, International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1870-1906 Delayed birth certificates, 1870-1906 online index at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1881-1906 Birth Registrations, 1881-1906, Lancaster City at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1893-1907 Births Registrations, 1897-1907 at Lancaster County Archives

Marriage
Pennsylvania marriages are located at the county level. Contact the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania clerk's office for marriage records from 2004 to the present. It is best to contact the Lancaster County Archives for marriage records prior to 2004.


 * 1626-2016 Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
 * 1677-1950  at FamilySearch
 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
 * 1725-1976  index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * 1767-1913  index. Not complete for all years.
 * Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
 * 1852-1855, 1885 Lancaster County Marriage Index 1852-1855 and 1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1852-1855 Marriage Registrations, 1852-1855 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1852-1855 Marriage Registrations, 1852-1855 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1885-1936 Marriage License Index 1885-1936 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1885-1950  Extracted marriage records – Most of the records consist of marriage licenses, certificates, applications, docket books, and affidavits. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
 * Beginning 1948 The Register of Wills keeps a marriage index beginning 1948 with an online index.
 * Marriage Licenses are recorded continuously from 1885 and an index are available on-line.

Death

 * 1720-1999  at FamilySearch — index, some images
 * 1803-1804, 1846-1907 Lancaster County Death Index 1803-1804 and 1846-1907, International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1803-1907 Lancaster County, PA Deaths: 1893-1907 is a database with information extracted from death registrations, and can be used as a finding aid for original entries.
 * 1850-1880  at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1852-1854 Pennsylvania, Deaths, 1852-1854  Index with images. Ancestry ($)
 * 1852-1855 Death Registrations, 1852-1855 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1874-1978 Death Affidavit Index, 1874-1978 at Lancaster County Archives
 * 1893-1907 Death Registrations, 1893-1907 at Lancaster County Archives

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary.


 * 1851-1997 Divorce Records, online index (select Index Book Search)

Archives

 * National Archives at Philadelphia 14700 Townsend Road Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096 Phone: 215-305-2044 Fax: 215-305-2052 website


 * Lancaster County Archives 150 North Queen Street, Suite 10 Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: 717-299-8319 Fax: 717-735-9606 Email: [mailto:archives@co.lancaster.pa.us archives@co.lancaster.pa.us] Website The archives has historic records, such as wills and deeds from the beginning of the county in 1729.


 * Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society (ERHS)] and United Church of Christ Archives (UCC) 555 W. James Street Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: 717-290-8734 Philip Schaff Library Website Website


 * This site has church records and family histories that used to be at the Franklin and Marshall College Library.


 * Bethel Harambee Historical Services  Hopkins Study Center Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church 450-512 East Strawberry Lancaster, PA 17602-4449 Phone: 717-393-8379 Website


 * Has historical documents relating to African American history.

Family History Centers

 * Lancaster Pennsylvania Family History Center

Libraries

 * Franklin and Marshall College Library Archives and Special Collections 450 College Ave P.O. Box 3003 Lancaster, PA 17604 Phone: 717-291-4223 Website Has some genealogical data about College faculty, students and administrators only. All church records and family histories were moved to the Lancaster Theological Seminary in 1967.


 * Lancaster County Library 125 North Duke St Lancaster, PA 17602 Phone: 717-394-2651 Online Catalog Website


 * Winters Heritage House Museum Seibert Genealogy Library and Research Center Elizabethtown Preservation Associates, Inc. P.O. Box 14, 41-47 East High Street Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Phone: 717-367-4672 Fax: 717-367-9991 Email: [mailto:winters-hh@embarqmail.com winters-hh@embarqmail.com] website


 * The library has historical and family records, maps, photographs, etc. Call ahead to make an appointment with a research librarian. The museum has three original log structures dating from 1750-1847, and a brick house dating to 1877.

Museums

 * Amish Farm and House 2395 Lincoln Highway East (Covered Bridge Drive) Lancaster, PA 17602 Phone: 717-394-6185 Fax: 717-394-4857 Email: [mailto:info@amishfarmandhouse.com info@amishfarmandhouse.com] Website


 * Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania 300 Gap Road P. O. Box 15 Strasburg, PA 17579 Phone: 717-687-8628 Website The Museum has thousands of historic books and magazines about railroads plus a large collection of photographs, maps, and manuscripts including a timeline. There is also a library and archives. Try their catalogs to see specific information.


 * Ephrata Cloister 632 West Main Street Ephrata, PA 17522 Phone: 717-733-6600 Email: [mailto:ra-ephratacloister@pa.gov ra-ephratacloister@pa.gov] Website


 * The cloister has a small research library that is open weekdays by appointment only. Limited genealogical materials are available. "The staff is unable to answer genealogical queries, but can provide some advice on available sources." The Cloister is one of 26 historic sites and museums on the Pennsylvania Trail of History.


 * Winters Heritage House Museum Elizabethtown Preservation Associates of Winters Heritage House Museum 41-47 East High Street P.O. Box 14 Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Phone: 717-367-4672 Fax: 717-367-9991 Email: [mailto:winters-hh@embarqmail.com winters-hh@embarqmail.com] website.

Societies

 * LancasterHistory.org Lancaster County's Historical Society and President James Buchanan's Wheatland 230 North President Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 Phone: 717-392-4633 Fax: 717-293-2739 Email: [mailto:info@lancasterhistory.org info@lancasterhistory.org] Website


 * The archive has county records, manuscripts, newspapers, and more. LancasterHistory is a community-based, not-for-profit organization established to educate the public on the history of Lancaster County and its place in the history of Pennsylvania and the United States, to advance the missions of regional historical organizations, and to promote the acquisition, preservation, and interpretation of resources representing the history of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania within the broader context of state and national history, including the life and legacy of America’s fifteenth president, James Buchanan, and to preserve and maintain Wheatland, his home.
 * This historical center has a library and archives with many records of genealogical value. Their collection contains over 15,000 volumes, as well as maps, family files, subject information files, photographs, oral histories, microfilm, and CDs. A reference collection consisting of indexes, genealogical and historical journals, and books is available for browsing. All other books are housed in closed stacks and must be requested at the reference desk. Lancaster city and county directories 1847-1922 and directories for several other Lancaster cities have been digitized and are available online.


 * Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society 2215 Millstream Rd Lancaster, PA 17602-1499 Phone: 717-393-9745 Fax: 717-393-8751 Website Email: [mailto:lmhs@lmhs.org lmhs@lmhs.org]


 * This is the official depository for records of the Atlantic Coast and Lancaster Conferences of the Mennonite Church. In addition, it has many records of other organizations affiliated with them. It also has helps for genealogists.

Websites

 * The Lancaster County PA GenWeb Project, has numerous maps, church records, local histories, family histories, and other genealogical and historical information for Lancaster county.
 * FamilyHart Online Database This is an online family database containing over 843,000 records, mostly of Pennsylvania Dutch Extraction. Many of the families are from Lancaster County. This database adds 1,500 names per week which is updated online every quarter. It is the most comprehensive family database online for Pennsylvania Dutch families.
 * Pennsylvania Dutch Family History, Genealogy, Culture and Life This site contains links to everything Pennsylvania Dutch with a large concentration in Lancaster County.
 * Lancaster 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.