Essex County, New Jersey Genealogy

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

Description
Essex County is located in the northeast region of the state. It was created on March 7, 1683. Newark is the county seat. The county was named for Essex, England.

County Courthouse
Essex County Courthouse 465 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Newark, NJ 07102 Phone: 973-776-9300 Essex County Website

County Clerk has marriage records 1795-1879, divorce and court records from 1948 and naturalization records 1779-1929. City Clerks have birth and death records. County Surrogate has probate records. Register of 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:

History Timeline

 * 1675, part of East Jersey
 * History of Essex County as stated on official Essex County, New Jersey government site
 * 1710, New Barbadoes twp. to Bergen County
 * 1741, part to Somerset County.
 * 1822, water boundry defined
 * 1837, part to Passaic County.
 * 1857, part to Union County.
 * 1871, Union County boundary clarified
 * 1876, some changes with Union boundary
 * 1882, Union County boundary further clarified
 * 1891, Part of Millburn twp. to to Union County's Springfield twp
 * 1892, more minor changes with Union boundary
 * 1907, parts of Acquackanonk &amp; Little Falls twps. of Passaic County to Montclair
 * 1958, some of Springfield twp., Union County to here.

Cemeteries

 * 1871-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1895-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Woodland Cemetery, 670 10th Street, Newark NJ

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

Dutch Reformed Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1694 Zabriskie, George Olin. "Resident of North-Eastern New Jersey in 1694," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 108, No. 3 (Jul. 1977):157-158. Digital version at New York Family History ($); . List of residents in Dutch Reformed congregation of Acquackanonk Township and New Barbados.
 * East Orange
 * Newark
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Local Histories

 * New Jersey Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * United States Geographic Survey Place Names - GNIS for Essex County(over 1180 entries) (may not always be present in alphabetic order on first try.)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Unfiled veterans' grave registration records
 * Veterans' grave registration record, ca. 1776-1979
 * Veterans interment record, ca. 1776-1940
 * Essex County. Veterans individual grave field report sheets
 * Essex County. Veterans burial records, 1863-1923

Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men in Essex County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in this county:
 * - 70th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company K
 * - 71st Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, D and E

 World War I 
 * History of the Essex Troop, 1890-1925.Newark, New Jersey : Essex Troop, 1925.

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1656-1999 New Jersey Wills and Probate Records 1656-1999 at Ancestry.com — 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. 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

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

Family History Centers

 * Caldwell New Jersey Family History Center
 * Maplewood New Jersey Family History Center
 * Morristown New Jersey Family History Center
 * Newark New Jersey Family History Center
 * Passaic New Jersey Family History Center
 * Paterson New Jersey Family History Center
 * Short Hills New Jersey Family History Center
 * Union City New Jersey Family History Center
 * Bloomfield Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Morristown & Morris Township Library - an affiliate library
 * New Providence Memorial Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Essex County Hall of Records 465 Martin Luther King Blvd, Rm #405 Newark, NJ 07102 Website

Societies
Montclair Historical Society 108 Orange Road Montclair, NJ 07042 Telephone: 973-744-1796 E-mail:[mailto:mail@montclairhistorical.org mail@montclairhistorical.org] Website Millburn-short Hills Historical Society PO Box 243 Short Hills 07078 Website Nutley Historical Society 65 Church Street Nutley NJ 07110 Telephone: 973-667-1528 Website Roseland Historical Society 126 Eagle Rock Avenue Roseland Facebook Verona Historical Society PO Box 191 Verona 07044 Website {| border="0" style="float: right;"

Websites

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