Brooklyn Borough, New York Genealogy

United States New York  New York City  Kings County   Brooklyn Borough

Guide to Brooklyn and Kings County, New York ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Brooklyn New York Historical Facts
Officially, the Borough of Brooklyn is one of five boroughs of greater New York City since 1898. Kings County is coterminous with the Borough of Brooklyn (meaning they have identical borders).



Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating New York County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation New York County Boundary Maps" (1683-1915) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

1664 Yorkshire became the first large government unit (not actually a county) organized by New York after the English took control from the The Netherlands. It was divided into three ridings including West Riding (now Richmond, Kings, and most of Queens). 1683 November 1 The Province of New York extinguished Yorkshire, creating Kings County from part of it. 1898 January 21 The five boroughs were consolidated into New York City and her county governments were dissolved. The Borough of Brooklyn became a borough of Greater New York City, with the same borders as Kings County. Some record keeping was retained at the county (now borough) level and other record-keeping transferred to the new city.

Record Loss
For a list of record loss in New York Counties see: New York Counties with Burned Courthouses

African Americans

 * Scott, Kenneth. "Manumissions in Kings County, N.Y., 1797-1825," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 65 (1977):177-180..


 * Scott, Kenneth. "Slave Births in Kings County, After 1800" National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 66 (1978):97-103. Digital version at NGS website ($);.

Bible Records

 * 1581–1917 New York, Family Bible Records at Ancestry– ($); Index. Database is a collection of genealogically important records taken from the Bibles of colony and state residents. Reveals the Bible's original owner, brief record of descendants,and a particular event such as birth or marriage as recorded in Bible.

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Individual cemeteries:


 * Green-Wood Cemetery, New York City (Brooklyn) BillionGraves. Page lists county as Kings.
 * Cemetery of the Evergreens, Ridgewood BillionGraves
 * Theevergreenscemetery.com - Evergreens Cemetery (150 year old), Brooklyn, New York. - partial database of interments, collection of photos (ornate headstones and mausoleums) and detailed stories of the famous, infamous, and sometimes quirky individuals buried there.

Census
For information and tips on using and accessing online census records, see New York Census.


 * 1713 - Sisser, Fred. "Brooklyn Residents of May 1713," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 117, No. 4 (Oct. 1986):117. Digital version at New York Family History ($); . 78 names.


 * 1731 - '"1738 Census' of Kings County was Actually Taken in 1731," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 123, No. 2 (Apr. 1992):85-86. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1890 Census is missing. For a substitute, see Directories.

Church Records
Ann Mensch's Local Catholic Church and Family History &amp; Genealogical Research Guide is a free online resource that identifies the parishes of Brooklyn, years when parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. Brooklyn parishes fall under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Registers of the old Flatlands Dutch Reformed Church begin in 1825.


 * 1825-1914 Listings and indexes of baptisms, marriages, deaths, and memberships. For microfilm of original typescript, see

Registers of the old Dutch Reformed Church in New Utrecht begin in 1718.


 * to 1899 - Records of Burials in the Dutch Church, New York. New York, USA: Reformed Dutch Church, 1899. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1688-1804 - Registers of the Births, Marriages, and Deaths of the "Eglise Françoise à la Nouvelle York": from 1688 to 1804. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1968. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1769-1778 "Seat Owners, Brooklyn Dutch Reformed Church, 1769/1778," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 141, No. 2 (Apr. 2010):129-132. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.
 * 1802-1855 Marriages on Long Island, New York, 1802-1855 : marriages performed by Rev. Marmaduke Earl, mainly in the township of Oysterbay, copied by Josephine C. Frost from a manuscript at the Long Island Historical Society of Brooklyn, New York.
 * 1834-1854 - Wolfert, Marion. Index to Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saint Matthew, New York City Records. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Marriage index.
 * 1837-1900 - Reilly, James R. comp. St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Brooklyn, New York, Baptism and Marriage Records, Volumes I-II. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Redmond Press, 1996. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Baptisms 1837-1900.
 * 1837-1900 - Reilly, James R. comp. St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Brooklyn, New York, Baptism and Marriage Records, Volumes I-II. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Redmond Press, 1996. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Marriages 1837-1900.
 * 1866-1887 - "Marriages by a Brooklyn Baptist Minister, 1866-1887," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 116, No. 2 (Apr. 1985):94-98; Vol. 116, No. 3 (Jul. 1985):132-140; Vol. 116, No. 4 (Oct. 1985):220-227. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.
 * 1878-1882, 1891-1906 Reverend (Pastor) Francis J. Schneider Marriages at NYGenWeb - free.
 * Hundreds of baptismal records submitted by volunteers at NYGenWeb - free.
 * Records of Trinity Lutheran Church, Brooklyn, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Directories

 * Fold3.com ($) has Brooklyn City Directories 1862-1913 (4 yrs. missing) available online.
 * City Directories 1856-1957

Genealogy

 * Rootsweb message board for has many information threads about families that resided in that county. There is a search engine that allows you to search by surname and topic.

History
Settlement at Brooklyn began in 1637.

Jewish Records
The Museum of Family History has compiled a list of synagogues that operated in Brooklyn. Synagogue names, addresses, and town associations (nationalities) are included.

Land and Property
Original land records in began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online



Microforms


 * 1684-1949 Deed Records (called conveyances) 1684-1886 - Index included: 1684-1949
 * 1862-1945 Mortgage Records

Books




 * 1679-1694 - McQueen, David. "Kings County, New York, Deeds," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 48, No. 2 (Apr. 1917):110-118; Vol. 48, No. 3 (Jul. 1917):291-298; Vol. 48, No. 4 (Oct. 1917):355-361. Digital version at Internet Archive - free; New York Family History ($); . Abstracts Kings County Deed Book 1.


 * 1694-1710 - Frost, Josephine C. "Genealogical Gleanings from Book No. 2 of Conveyances, Brooklyn, Kings Co., N.Y.," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1694-1695: Vol. 54, No. 2 (Apr. 1923):105-111; 1695-1697: Vol. 54, No. 3 (Jul. 1923):241-251; 1698-1710: Vol. 54, No. 4 (Oct. 1923):303-319. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * Long Island Source Records, courtesy: Ancestry ($)

Maps

 * Maps of New York (1683-1915)

Revolutionary War
King County men served in the 2nd New York Regiment.

Civil War
Available towns. Registers are available for: Flatbush· Flatlands· Gravesend· New Lots· New Utrecht·.

Regiments. Service men in Brooklyn, New York served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their city or county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Kings County:

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1821-1849 Nichols, Joan M. "Oaths of Intention to Become Citizens Kings County Court of Common Pleas September 18, 1821 to May 8, 1849," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 123, No. 2 (Apr. 1992):75-78; Vol. 123, No. 3 (Jul. 1992):148-152. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1865–1957 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.


 * 1907-1924 Kings County Clerk's Office Index to Brooklyn Naturalization Records 1907-1924 at Jewish Genealogical Society - free.

Indexes

 * 1792-1989 Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989 at Ancestry ($). This database is based on NARA's Soundex Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts located in New York City, 1792-1989. All 5 boroughs are included.

The Family History Library has also acquired this comprehensive index for the years 1792 through 1906 on microfilm:. The courts this index covers are:


 * City Court of Brooklyn, 1836-1894
 * Kings County Court, 1806-1906
 * New York City Marine Court, 1806-1849
 * New York County Common Pleas Court, 1792-1895
 * New York County Superior Court, 1828-1895
 * New York City and County Supreme Court, 1868-1906
 * Queens County Court, 1799-1906
 * Queens County Surrogate Court, 1888-1898
 * Richmond County Court, 1869-1906
 * U.S. Circuit Court Southern District, 1846-1876
 * U.S. District Court Eastern District, (Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties), 1865-1906
 * U.S. District Court Southern Court Southern District, (New York, Bronx and also Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties), 1824-1906

Newspapers

 * Brooklyn Daily Eagle 1841-1938
 * Brooklyn Eagle 1938-1955

Other Brooklyn, New York newspapers are available online.


 * Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1841-1902) Brooklyn, NY; Brooklyn Public Library at Brooklyn Public Library - Free.
 * Brooklyn Daily Eagle Online
 * Illustrated Speedway News (Brooklyn, N.Y.). 1964-1965. Available through Ancestry ($).

Probate Records
Probate records including original estates and wills for New York are held in the office of the Kings (Brooklyn) County Surrogate Court beginning in 1787, or when the county was formed. Prior to 1787, most are housed at the New York State Archives. See New York Probate Records for more information about using probate records. Content:  Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence. Record types:  Wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distribution.

Probate Petitions

In 1830, state law required the Surrogate Court clerk to issue a probate petition for a deceased individual with property. This petition, unique to New York, usually lists the deceased's death date. It also lists the heirs, their relationship to the deceased, and their residence.

These petitions are often found in the estate files and can be obtained from the Kings (Brooklyn) County Surrogate Court.

The petitions for Kings (Brooklyn) County are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library and its centers:


 * 19th century The FHL has petitions interfiled by type of estate.

Online Probate Indexes


 * 1683-1744 - Long Island Source Records, courtesy: Ancestry ($)
 * 1787-1805 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1787-1835 Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835 at New York Ancestors ($); includes.
 * 1850-1890 - Barber, Gertrude A. Index of Wills Probated in Kings County, New York: from January 1, 1850 to December 31, 1890. unknown, 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Online Probate Records

Original New York, Kings County Estate Files, 1866-1923 are available free online at FamilySearch. To view these records either use the, or to browse click Historical Records below, then click "Browse through 1,610,840 images". Then select the county name, and then the section of the alphabet for the surname of interest.


 * - Kings County: Estate Files, 1866-1923 (alphabetical by surname)Digital Records only, no microfilm copies.

Probate Records on Microfilm

Additional probate records to those found at Historical Records and described in Online Probate Records above are found on microfilm as follows:


 * 1732–1923 Record of Inventories
 * 1789–1971 Master Card File Index to Kings County Probate Records
 * 1787–1923 Wills and indexes
 * 1830–1898 Decrees of Final Accounting Indexes
 * 1787–1923 Letters of Administration
 * 1814–1868 Guardians Records
 * 1817–1865 Petitions and Orders of Administration
 * 1829–1866 Probate Proceedings
 * 1832–1865 Inventories of Estates
 * 1830–1865 Final Accountings
 * 1870–1915 Decrees on Final Accounting

City Clerk
City Clerk's Office Brooklyn Municipal Building 210 Joralemon Street, Second Floor, Room 205 Brooklyn, NY 11201 Phone: 718-802-4107 Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 4pm Has:


 * Marriages from 1866 to 1907
 * After 1907 if bride's residence or licenses of nonresidents was obtained in Brooklyn

City Historian
Brooklyn Borough Historian Brooklyn Borough Hall 209 Joralemon Street New York, NY 11201 Phone: 718-802-3700 Fax: 718-802-3778 Email: [mailto:askmarty@brooklynnbp.nyc.gov askmarty@brooklynnbp.nyc.gov]

City Registrar
New York City Register, Borough of Brooklyn Brooklyn Business Center Brooklyn Municipal Building 210 Joralemon Street, Room 2, First Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 Phone: 718-802-3590


 * Deeds and mortgages

Courthouses
King's County government offices have birth, death, burial, marriage, divorce, probate, court, and land records. Kings (Brooklyn) County Courthouse page.

Societies
The Gravesend Historical Society P.O. Box 1643, Gravesend Station Gravesend, New York 11223 Phone: 718-375-6831

Kingsborough Historical Society Kingsborough Community College 2001 Oreintal boulevard Brooklyn, New York 11235 Phone: 718-934-3122

Social Groups Online

 * Brooklyn Historical Society - Facebook.


 * Brooklyn College Historical Society - Facebook.


 * New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)


 * Brooklyn Historic Railway Association - Facebook.

Birth
Birth records from 1866 to 1909 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City birth records is available at. Birth records from 1909 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).


 * 1847-1851, 1881-1894 Early Brooklyn &amp; Queens Birth Database at German Genealogy Group - free; includes Flatbush.


 * 1847-1851, 1881-1894 Early Brooklyn &amp; Queens Birth Database at Italian Genealogical Group - free; includes Flatbush.


 * 1866-1869 Register of Births, City of Brooklyn 1866-1869 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1866-1964 Birth Index at Vital Search ($).


 * 1866-1909 Department of Health. Brooklyn Birth Certificates, 1866-1909;.


 * 1870-1892 (incomplete) Long Island City Birth Index at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1875, 1892-1896 Long Island City Birth Register at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1880-1894 Gravesend Birth Index at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1880-1895 Flatlands Birth Index at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1880-1909 New York City Birth index at German Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1880-1909 New York City Births at Italian Genealogical Group - free.


 * 1881-1965 Births Reported in the City of New York, 1881-1965;.


 * 1890-1899 Brooklyn Births Index at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1891-1902 Births Reported in the City of New York, 1891-1902 at Ancestry ($).


 * 1902 1902 New York City Births at NYGenWeb - free.


 * Volunteer submitted birth certificates at NYGenWeb - free.

Birth Substitutes


 * 1640–1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.


 * See Town Clerks' Registers of Men who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for birth information.

Marriage
Marriage records from 1866 to 1937 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City marriages is available at. Marriage records from 1929 to the present can be obtained from the City Clerk of New York City ($).


 * 1664–1784 New York. Secretary of State, Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784 (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860). At Cornell University digital library-free; Internet Archive - free; Ancestry edition($); ; . Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.


 * 1847–1848 and 1908–1936 at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1864-1937 New York City Grooms Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.


 * 1864-1937 New York City Grooms Record index at German Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1866 Brooklyn Marriage Index 1866 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1866-1937 Board of Health. Brooklyn Marriage Certificates, 1866-1937;.


 * 1871-1937 New York City Brides Record Index at German Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1871-1937 New York City Brides Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.


 * 1873-1874 Brooklyn Marriage Certificates 1873-1874 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1875 Marriages 1875 State Census King County, Brooklyn New York are available online.


 * 1880-1892 Early Brooklyn Marriage Database at German Genealogy Group - free; includes Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, and New Utrecht.


 * 1880-1895 Brooklyn Marriage Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free; includes Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, and New Utrecht.


 * 1898-1937 New York City Index to Marriages in All Boroughs, 1888-1937;.


 * 1894 1894 Brooklyn Marriages at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1898-1937 Marriage Index at Vital Search ($).

Marriage Substitutes


 * 1600s-1900 Marriage Index at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1686-1980 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.


 * 1694-1695 "Some Kings County Marriages 1694-95," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 132, No. 1 (Jan. 2001):27. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1800–1855 New York Marriage Notices at Ancestry– ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage notices published in newspapers around the state. Contains name of bride and groon, marriage date, marriage location, residence, and newspaper found in.


 * 1801–1880 Barber Collection- Newspaper Marriages at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."


 * 1802-1821 The Evening Post Newspaper Marriage Announcements: Brooklyn 6 February 1802 -- 8 December 1821 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1835-1855 Some Early Marriages from The New York Herald 1835-1855 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1839-1864 Stevens, Marian F. An Index to the Long Islander, 1839-1864, Marriages-Deaths. Huntington, New York : Huntington American Revolution Bicentennial Committee Huntington Historical Society, 1974..


 * 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browseable.


 * 1863-1934 Vital Records from the Brooklyn Standard Union at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1864-5, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.


 * 1864-5 1865 State Census..Marriage at NYGenWeb - free; incomplete.


 * 1874-5 Marriages 1875 State Census Kings County, Brooklyn, New York at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1888 Marriages 1888 Daily Standard Union Brooklyn Broolyn, New York at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1889 Marriages 1889 Brooklyn Daily Standard Union at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1892-1893 Marriage Announcement Index, Brooklyn Eagle at Longwood Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1929 Brooklyn Blue Book Marriages 1929 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * George M. Easter's Collection of Marriage Records at NYGenWeb - free.


 * Various newspaper abstracts of marriages at NYGenWeb - free.


 * Various marriage substitutes at NYGenWeb - free.

Death
Death records from 1847 to 1853 and 1857 to 1948 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City death records is available at. Death records from 1948 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).


 * 1847-1899 Early Brooklyn &amp; Queens Death Database at German Genealogy Group - free; includes Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, New Utrecht, and other towns.


 * 1847-1899 Early Brooklyn &amp; Queens Death Database at Italian Genealogical Group - free; includes Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, New Utrecht, and other towns.


 * 1862-1948 New York City Death Index at German Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1880-1894 Flatbush Death Index at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1880-1895 Flatlands Death Index at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1880-1889 Gravesend Death Index at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1891-1948 New York City Death Records Search 1891-1948 at Italian Genealogical Group - free.


 * 1892-1902 Deaths Reported in the City of New York. New York: Department of Health. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * 1898-1913 Death Index at Vital Search ($).


 * 1898-1920 Department of Health. Brooklyn Death Certificates, 1898-1920;.


 * 1919-1949 Department of Health. Brooklyn Death Certificates, 1919-1949;.

Death Substitutes


 * 1795 Yellow Fever Deaths at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1795–1952 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.


 * 1801–1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."


 * 1805 Records of Death, Malignant Fever, New York Evening Post, 29 Oct 1805 at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1823-1842 New York Coroner's Reports (incomplete) at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1839-1864 Stevens, Marian F. An Index to the Long Islander, 1839-1864, Marriages-Deaths. Huntington, New York : Huntington American Revolution Bicentennial Committee Huntington Historical Society, 1974..


 * 1841-1902 Brooklyn Daily Eagle Online 1841-1902 at Brooklyn Public Library - free.


 * 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.


 * 1849-50 Williamsburg, Kings Co., NY - 1850 US Census Mortality Schedules at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browseable.


 * See Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for death information.


 * 1864-5, 1874-5 See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.


 * 1864-5 1865 Census Death at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1870-1957 Vital Records from the Brooklyn Standard Union at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1874-5 1875 State Census Deaths, Brooklyn, King County, N.Y. at NYGenWeb - free.


 * 1881-1894 Index to Deaths--Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, New Utrecht--Kings County, New York;.


 * 1885-1923 Local Necrology (as published in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac) at Longwood Genealogy Group - free.


 * 1909-1911 The Forgotten of Ellis Island - Deaths in Quarantine, 1909-1911 - free.


 * 1980-present New York Times and New York City Newspapers Obituaries Archive at Obits Archive.


 * 2000-2004 The Times Newsweekly Established in 1908 as The Ridgewood Times Obituaries at NYGenWeb - free.


 * Various newspaper abstracts of death records at NYGenWeb - free.

Additional Resources

Brooklyn New York Genealogy Websites

 * BrooklynCounty, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * New York Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Brooklyn NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Kings County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Kings County. (Backup site)
 * Kings County (Brooklyn) Genealogy