New York City Vital Records

Vital Records
See also:

New York City Municipal Achives

The Italian Genealogical Society, with the assistance of the NYC Municipal Archives, has been placing indexes to NYC records online, free of charge to the public. See the following:

Vital Records Index for NYC Indexes to Naturalizations for NYC

The Family History Library has microfilms of some New York City births to 1909, deaths to 1919, and indexes to both to 1965. The New York Public Library has the indexes to the present, but it does not search them in response to mail or telephone inquiries. Birth records to 1909 and death records to 1948 for the five boroughs of New York City are at the New York City Municipal Archives.

New York City Birth Records
Birth records from as early as 1847 (depending on the borough) to as late to 1909 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. Birth records from 1909 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).

Microfilms at the Family History Library include:

Bronx (Bronx County)

Brooklyn (Kings County)

Births 1847–1851, 1880–1895 (years vary) for the towns of Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, and New Utrecht are found in the FamilySearch Catalog Place Search under NEW YORK, KINGS, [TOWN] - VITAL RECORDS.

Manhattan (New York County)

One study concludes there was a significant amount of under-registration of births in Manhattan. In 1855, 13% were recorded; in 1875, 33%; in 1896, 35%; in 1935, 80%; and by 1955, 91%.

Queens (Queens County)

Births 1847–1898 (years vary) for the towns of College Point, Far Rockaway, Flushing, Jamaica, Long Island City, Newtown, Richmond Hill, Rockaway, and Whitestone are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog Place Search under NEW YORK, QUEENS, [TOWN] - VITAL RECORDS

Staten Island (Richmond County)

Births 1847–1853, 1881–1897 (years vary) for the towns of Castleton, Edgewater, Middletown, Northfield, Port Richmond, Southfield, Tottenville, and Westfield are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog Place Search under NEW YORK, RICHMOND, [TOWN] - VITAL RECORDS

Online Records
Death records from as early as 1795 (depending on the borough) to 1948 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. Death records from 1948 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).
 * 1862–1948 New York City Death Index, 1862–1948 - index ($)


 * 1680-1684 - Sypher, Francis J. "New York City Coroner's Reports, 1680-1684," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 136, No. 4 (Oct. 2005):261-271. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1792-1793 - Moorhouse, Ann. "A 1792/3 New York City Coroner's Bill," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 117, No. 1 (Jan. 1986):16-17. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1795 - "New York City Deaths," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1795: Vol. 81, No. 3 (Jul. 1950):146-155; 1795: Vol. 81, No. 4 (Oct. 1950):203-206. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1795-1820 - Scott, Kenneth. "Early New York City Coroner's Reports," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1795-1798: Vol. 119, No. 2 (Apr. 1988):76-79; 1802-1805: Vol. 119, No. 3 (Jul. 1988):145-150; 1806-1807, 1819: Vol. 119, No. 4 (Oct. 1988):217-219; 1819: Vol. 120, No. 1 (Jan. 1989):18-20; 1819-1820: Vol. 120, No. 2 (Apr. 1989):88-92. Digital version at New York Family History ($); . Records from 1808 to 1818 have not been located.


 * 1799 - Farrell, Charles. "Deaths from Fever in New York City 1799," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 131, No. 2 (Apr. 2000):117-124. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1803 - Farrell, Charles. "Deaths from Fever in New York City 1803," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 129, No. 1 (Jan. 1998):13-20. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1857-1868 Marriage & Death Notices The New York Society Library.

A vaulable tool to search for death records in the five boroughs is One-Step Webpages by Steve Morse.It includes indexes for: Brooklyn, 1862-1890; Brooklyn and Manhatten, 1891-1897; All boroughs, 1898-1948.

Bronx (Bronx County)

Brooklyn (Kings County)


 * Deaths 1847–1851, 1880–1895 (years vary) for the towns of Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, New Lots, and New Utrecht are found in the FamilySearch Catalog Place Search under NEW YORK, KINGS, [TOWN] - VITAL RECORDS

Manhattan (New York County)

Queens (Queens County)

Deaths 1847–1898 (years vary) for the towns of College Point, Far Rockaway, Flushing, Jamaica, Long Island City, Newtown, Richmond Hill, Rockaway, and Whitestone are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog Place Search under NEW YORK, QUEENS, [TOWN] - VITAL RECORDS

Staten Island (Richmond County)

Deaths 1847–1853, 1881–1897 (years vary) for the towns of Castleton, Edgewater, Middletown, Northfield, Port Richmond, Southfield, Tottenville, and Westfield are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog Place Search under NEW YORK, RICHMOND, [TOWN] - VITAL RECORDS.

You can obtain New York City birth (1910 to the present) and death (1949 to the present) certificates for a fee from:

New York City Department of Health Bureau of Vital Records 125 Worth Street, Room 133 New York, NY 10013-0046 Telephone: 212-788-4500 Internet: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/about/about-doh.page

Mailing Address: Division of Vital Records City of New York, Department of Health P.O. Box 3776 Church Street Station New York, NY 10007

For birth records through 1909 and death records through 1948, write to:

New York City Department of Records and Information Services Municipal Archives 31 Chambers Street, Room 103 New York, NY 10007 Telephone: 212-788-8580 or 212-566-5292 Fax: 212-385-4253 Internet: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/index.page

New York City Birth and Death Records are available using a credit card. Write to the New York City Department of Health, 125 Worth Street, New York, NY 10013. A "Hotline" telephone number, 212-788-4505, is available for information and for ordering birth and death certificates using a credit card. You can order birth records from 1910 to the present or death records from 1949 to the present. Using a credit card the cost is $15.00. Five to seven business days are required for delivery. You can also order by sending a fax of the application to 212-962-6105. They can fax a copy of the application to your fax machine. The fee is also $15.00. Five to seven business days are required for delivery.

The records are not available for genealogical purposes and are subject to certain other restrictions.

All other local registrars sent copies of their records to the State Department of Health. Most New York deaths after 1962 are in the Social Security Death Index.


 * Barbara Kronman, Guide to New York City Public Records, 4th ed. (New York: Public Interest Clearinghouse, 1992). . Includes chapters on city government, courts, libraries, and personal information. Shows how to obtain vital records, name change records, and naturalizations.

New York City Marriage Records
Marriage records from as early as 1848 (depending on the borough) 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 FamilySearch Digital Library. Marriage records from 1929 to the present can be obtained from the City Clerk of New York City ($). NYC Marriage & Death Notices 1857-1868 can be found at The New York Society Library.

A bride and groom index is available through One-Step Webpages by Stephen P. Morse. The groom index includes: Manhatten, 1866-1907; Brooklyn, 1864-1907; All Boroughs, 1908-1937. The bride index includes: Manhatten, 1866-1937; Brooklyn, 1871-1918, 1928-1937; Queens, 1905-1937; Bronx, 1899-1937 and Richmond, 1898-1937.


 * 1833-1834 - Christoph, Peter R. "Marriages Solemnized by Gideon Lee, Mayor of New York City, 1833-1834," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 110, No. 2 (Apr. 1979):111-113. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


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


 * 1865-1937 New York City Grooms Index and New York City Brides Index at German Genealogy Group.

Marriage Licenses and Certificates
For marriage records for Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Richmond through 1937, write:

New York City Department of Records and Information Services Municipal Archives 31 Chambers Street, Room 103 New York, NY 10007 Telephone: 212-788-8580 or 212-566-5292 Fax: 212-385-4253 Website

Pre-1938 New York City marriages, some as early as 1830, are found at the Municipal Archives. The Family History Library has microfilmed marriages of:

Some eighteenth-century New York City marriage licenses survive and have been published:


 * 1770s-1780s - Kelby, Robert H. "New York Marriage Licenses," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Surnames A-D: Vol. 46, No. 3 (Jul. 1915):279-289; Surnames D-H: Vol. 46, No. 4 (Oct. 1915):337-342; Surnames H-L: Vol. 47, No. 1 (Jan. 1916):68-72; Surnames L-R: Vol. 47, No. 2 (Apr. 1916):176-185; Surnames R-W: Vol. 47, No. 3 (Jul. 1916):286-296. Digital version at New York Family History ($); . Internet Archive has digitized Vol. 46, but not Vol. 47.

Bronx (Bronx County)

Brooklyn (Kings County)

Queens (Queens County)

Staten Island (Richmond County)

City Clerk Licenses
For marriages between 1908 and 1929, there is a source of more detailed genealogical information than the certificates issued by the Department of Health: the "Application, Affidavit, and License" records issued by the Clerk's office in each borough.

Unique information
Not in regular certificates, this additional information can be found in clerk's licenses:


 * Bride’s occupation (sometimes includes employer name and address for both spouses, too)
 * Specific town of birth for bride and groom
 * Country of birth for each spouse's parents
 * Addresses of Witnesses (possible family members)
 * Names of former spouses, living or dead
 * If divorced, lists when and where divorce or divorces were granted
 * 3 different sets of handwriting (helps with legibility or creative spelling issues)

Document parts
A typical Marriage License includes three parts:


 * Affidavit for License to Marry. If they could write, the bride and groom usually filled out this form — an exciting primary source document in their handwriting. The form contains the unique information described above. On the reverse side of the affidavit is the Certificate of Consent, signed by parents or guardians of minors who wished to marry.
 * Marriage License. The information is similar to that of the affidavit. The City Clerk signed this form, empowering authorized persons to marry the applicants. Attachments, such as the divorce decree for the first marriage, birth certificate, and baptismal certificate, can sometimes be found with licenses. (Attachments will be photocopied with licenses found at the NYC Municipal Archives. However, it is not the policy of the City Clerk to photocopy attachments or otherwise provide them to researchers.)
 * Marriage Certificate. This is the City Clerk's marriage certificate, not the Health Department's marriage certificate. The person who performed the marriage was instructed to return the signed license and certificate to the City Clerk for filing.

Search instructions
The index to these licenses is free online at the Internet Archive thanks to Reclaim the Records. In the NYG&B Newsletter, Leslie Corn recommends this search process:


 * If possible, determine the exact marriage date and location/borough. Searching the Health department certificate indexes is a good first step, although you may not always find a certificate to match to a clerk's license.
 * Determine the borough(s) to search: licenses were supposed to be filed in bride's county of residence, but may be in a different county (such as where the marriage certificate was registered). Also, Bronx licenses were issued in Manhattan until 1914 (when Bronx county was created).
 * Determine the year and month(s) to search: licenses were usually filed immediately before the marriage certificate date, but could sometimes be weeks or months ahead.
 * Determine a volume: each volume in the free online index is for both a specific year and specific borough.
 * Search within a volume: each volume is organized in increments of 2-4 months and then, within that increment, by the first two letters of the surname (groom on the left side of a page, bride on the right side).

Request a copy
Currently microfilm copies of New York City marriage licenses are not available at any library. All requests must be made to NYC Records & Information Services (for licenses prior to 1949) or the Office of the City Clerk (after 1949). Instructions and links for each option are on the website. If you require a marriage certificate for legal purposes, please follow the special instructions on the website.

Newspapers
For New York City's five boroughs and some other counties, many newspaper notices of births, marriages, and deaths have been published. See New York Newspapers for a partial list. In the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog, these notices are listed under:


 * NEW YORK, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - NEWSPAPERS
 * NEW YORK, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - OBITUARIES

Different jurisdictions
Check also under the state and county levels.

Religious institutions
Some church marriage records have been published or have been microfilmed for the five boroughs. An example from the Family History Library collection is:


 * William Scott Fisher, New York City Methodist Marriages, 1785–1893, 2 vols. (Camden, Maine: Picton Press, 1994). ; . Contains a groom index and a bride index, each of which has about 41,000 names.

New York City Divorce records
Divorce records may be obtained from the County Clerk in the County where the divorce decree was granted. For information on how to obtain a copy of a divorce record in New York City boroughs:


 * New York County, Manhattan call (646) 386-5955.
 * Kings County Brooklyn call (718) 643-5894.
 * Queens County call (718) 298-0601
 * Bronx call (718) 590-3638
 * Staten Island call (718) 390-5389

(The Office of the County Clerk does not have a web site.)