Bucks County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States Pennsylvania  Bucks County

Guide to  ancestry, family history and genealogy''' courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

Bucks County Pennsylvania Historical Facts



 * Parent Counties: Original county formed from colonial lands 10 March 1682.


 * County Seat: Doylestown


 * Neighboring Counties: residents may also have records in


 * Northampton (north)
 * Hunterdon County, New Jersey (east)
 * Montgomery (west)
 * Mercer County, New Jersey (southeast)
 * Philadelphia (southwest)
 * Burlington County, New Jersey (south)
 * Warren County, New Jersey (northeast)
 * Lehigh (northwest)

Scotch-Irish immigrants made a settlement in upper Bucks County in 1728. The settlement grew rapidly and became known as "Craig Settlement" or "Irish Settlement." The settlement fell within the bounds of Northampton County once it split off.

For animated maps illustrating Pennsylvania county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Pennsylvania County Boundary Maps" (1673-1878) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Records Loss
For a list of record loss in Pennsylvania counties see: Pennsylvania Counties with Burned Courthouses

Biographies

 * Bucks County Biographies at Bucks County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives

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

The Mennonite Heritage Center 565 Yoder Road Harleysville PA 19438-1020 215-256-3020 [mailto:library@mhep.org library@mhep.org] Hours: Tuesday thru Friday, 10am–5pm, Saturday, 10am–2pm The Cemetery Database at the Mennonite Heritage Center includes 86,000 burial records from 125 local cemeteries. Records cover cemeteries in the counties of Berks, Bucks, Butler, Chester, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Westmoreland. The database provides transcriptions from Mennonite, Brethren, Lutheran, Reformed, Union, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, community, and private cemeteries. Search the list of cemeteries and the alphabetical surname lists in Adobe PDF format. Visit the Mennonite Heritage Center to search the cemetery database by various criteria. The transcriptions are available for further research at the MHC library.

County-wide Database - Multi-denominational



 * 1708-1985 - Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, free to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry.com – $; 7,542,774 entries. This database is incomplete for all counties.


 * Contains church records of:
 * The Reverend Simon K. Gross Pastoral Records
 * Bensalem: Bensalem Methodist Churchyard; Vandgrift Cemetery
 * Blooming Glen: Blooming Glen Mennonite Cemetery
 * Bristol: John Black Funeral Homes, Record Books
 * Buckingham: Forest Grove Presbyterian Cemetery; Forestville Presbyterian Church; Trinity Episcopal Church
 * Churchville: North and Southampton Reformed Church
 * Doylestown: Doylestown Mennonite Church Records; St. Paul's Episcopal Church
 * Durham: Durham Reformed Church; Lutheran Church
 * Fallsington: All Saints Episcopal Church
 * Ferndale: St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * Haycock Run: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
 * Hilltown: Hilltown Baptist Church; Kratz Diaries; St. Peter's Lutheran Church
 * Hulmeville: Beechwood Cemetery; Grace Episcopal Church; Lewis Preston Townsend Funeral Ledger
 * Langhorne: Langhorne Presbyterian Church; St. James Episcopal Church
 * Milford: East Swamp Mennonite Cemetery; West Swamp Mennonite Cemetery
 * Milford Square: Jacob Clymer Justice of the Peace Dockets; William Z. Gottshalk Family Records
 * Morrisville: First Presbyterian Church
 * Newportville: Ascension Church
 * Newtown: St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church; St. Luke's Church
 * Northampton: Richboro Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Perkasie: Deep Run Mennonite Church Records; St. Andrew's United Church of Christ
 * Philadelphia: Southampton Baptist Church; Jonathan Worrall, J.P./Misc. Marriage Licenses, 1890-1915; Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Pleasant Valley: Trinity United Church of Christ
 * Quakertown: Emmanuel Church; First United Church of Christ; St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church; Swamp Mennonite Charge Church Bulletin; Swamp Mennonite Church Class Records; Swamp Mennonite Meetinghouse Construction; Union Cemetery
 * Richboro: Dutch Reformed Church; Union Cemetery
 * Richland: Flatland Mennonite Cemetery
 * Ridge Valley: The Reverend Simon K. Gross Pastoral Record
 * Riegelsville: St. John's United Church of Christ; St. Peter's Lutheran Church
 * Sellersville: Bucks County Historical Society
 * Southampton: St. Columba Church; William Grant Funeral Home
 * Springfield: Springfield Mennonite Cemetery; St. Paul Salem United Methodist; Trinity Lutheran Church
 * Springtown: Christ Lutheran Church
 * Torresdale: All Saints Episcopal Church
 * Trevose: Scottsville United Methodist Church
 * Trumbauersville: Christ Lutheran Church
 * Upper Black Eddy: Upper Tinicum Lutheran Church
 * West Rockhill: Ridge Valley Reformed Church
 * Wrightstown: Holy Nativity Episcopal Church; Penns Park Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Yardley: St. Andrew's Episcopal Church


 * 1682-1800 - Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Bucks County, 1682-1800. Washington, D.C.: Humphrey Publications, 1993..


 * Contains church records of Falls Friends Monthly Meeting; Middletown Friends Monthly Meeting; Wrightstown Friends Monthly Meeting; Richland Friends Monthly Meeting; Buckingham Friends Monthly Meeting; Southampton Baptist Church; Tinicum Presbyterian, also known as Red Hill; Neshaminy Presbyterian Church, Hartsville in Warwick Township; Newtown Presbyterian Church in Newtown Township; Reformed Low Dutch Church of Southampton and Northampton Townships; Dutch Reformed Church, Bensalem; Tohickon Reformed Congregation in Bedminister Township; Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, also known as Tinicum Lutheran Church in Tinicum Township; Tohickon Lutheran Congregation in Bedminister Township; Christ Reformed Church, Trumbauersville in Milford Township; Springfield Lutheran Church in Springfield Township; St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bedminister Township, also known as Keller's Lutheran Church; Springfield Reformed Church in Springfield Township; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Nockamixon Township; St. Luke's Reformed Church, Ferndale in Nockamixon Township; Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Trumbauersville in Milford Township. Also includes the journal of John Dyer, Plumsteadville, Plumstead Township, beginning in 1769.

Nancy Janyszeski has compiled a detailed list of Bucks County churches at PAGenWeb.

Catholic

 * 1803-1913 - St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Haycock Township, Christenings (1803-1811), Christenings (1866-1869), Christenings (1869-1870), Marriages (1803-1859), Marriages (1803-1910), Marriages (1885-1913) at PAGenWeb - free.

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,

Dutch Reformed
Reformed Dutch Church, Churchville


 * 1737-1780 - Reformed Dutch Church, Churchville, Baptism Index 1737-1780 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1738-1772 - Reformed Dutch Church, Churchville, Marriage Index 1738-1772 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Southampton Dutch Reformed Church


 * 1710-1800 - Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1710-1800: Southampton Dutch Reformed Church at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages.

Episcopalian
St. James's Church, Bristol

Early registers "were stolen to prevent their evidence in a lawsuit."

Lutheran
Keller's Lutheran Church, Bedminster Township


 * 1751-1798 - Keller's Lutheran Church (Bucks County, Pennsylvania: Keller's Church, Bedminster Township) at Ancestry ($).
 * 1862 - Keller's Lutheran Church, Marriage Index 1862 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Nockamixon


 * 1770-1820 - Bucks County, Pennsylvania Church Records, 1770-1820: Nockamixon Township at Ancestry ($). Includes baptisms, marriages, and deaths from Nockamixon Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Nockamixon Lutheran Congregation, and Nockamixon Reformed Congregation.

Tohickon


 * 1749-1839 - Tohickon Lutheran Church Baptism Index 1749-1839 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Springfield Township


 * 1751-1795 - Hinke, William J. Trinity Union Church, Record of the Lutheran Congregation, Springfield Township, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania, 1751-95 at Ancestry ($).
 * 1753-1797 - Trinity Union Church, Springfield Township, Marriage Index 1753-1797 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1760-1800 - Hinke, William J. Trinity Union Church, Record of the Reformed Congregation, Springfield Township, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania, 1760-1800 at Ancestry ($).
 * 1760-1829 - Hinke, William J. Trinity Union Church, Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania Records of the Reformed Church, 1760-1829 at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, deaths.
 * 1801-1829 - Trinity Union Reformed Church, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1801-29 at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, burials.

Upper Tinicum Lutheran Church


 * 1883-1928 - Upper Tinicum Lutheran Church Burials 1883-1928 at PAGenWeb - free.

Presbyterian
Several Presbyterian churches were built in Bucks County to accommodate Scotch-Irish settlers. Neshaminy Presbyterian Church in Warwick Township was organized in 1726. A Presbyterian Church was organized at "Craig's Settlement" by 1737. Mount Bethel Prebyterian Church was organized in 1738 in "Hunter's Settlement" in Lower and Upper Mount Bethel Townships. The latter two churches fell within the bounds of Northampton County after it split off in 1751.

Neshaminy Presbyterian Church


 * 1788-1884 - Neshaminy Presbyterian Church of Warminster and Warwick, Hartsville, Baptism Index 1788-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1788-1885 - Neshaminy Presbyterian Church of Warminster and Warwick, Hartsville, Marriage Index 1788-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1788-1885 - Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1788-1885: Neshaminy Presbyterian Church at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, burials.

Newtown Presbyterian Church


 * 1769-1812, 1838-1888 - Newtown Presbyterian Church, Marriage Index 1769-1812 and 1838-1888 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batches and.
 * 1771-1811, 1888 - Newtown Presbyterian Church, Baptism Index 1771-1811 and 1888 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batches and.

Presbyterian Church, Bensalem


 * 1844-1867 - Presbyterian Church, Bensalem, Baptism Index 1844-1867 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1839-1868 - Presbyterian Church, Bensalem, Marriage Index 1839-1868 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Solebury Presbyterian Church


 * 1812-1867 - Solebury Presbyterian Church, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1812-67 at Ancestry ($).

Reformed
Durham Union Church, Durham Township


 * 1807-1875 - Durham Union Church, Durham Township, Baptism Index 1807-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

First Reformed Church, Quakertown


 * Snyder, Elam J. Historical Sketch of First Reformed Church and Auxiliary Organizations, Quakertown, Pa.: Including a List of Present Members of Congregation and Societies. 1919. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Lower Milford or Swamp Reformed Church, Trumbauersville


 * 1773-1796 - Lower Milford or Swamp Reformed Church, Trumbauersville, Marriage Index 1773-1796 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Nockamixon


 * 1770-1820 - Bucks County, Pennsylvania Church Records, 1770-1820: Nockamixon Township at Ancestry ($). Includes baptisms, marriages, and deaths from Nockamixon Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Nockamixon Lutheran Congregation, and Nockamixon Reformed Congregation.

Reformed Dutch Church, Smithfield


 * 1741-1807 - Reformed Dutch Church, Smithfield, Baptism Index 1741-1807 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1742-1752, 1785-1786 - Reformed Dutch Church, Smithfield, Baptism Index 1742-1752 and 1785-1786 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Reformed Nether Dutch Church, Southampton


 * 1710-1820 - Reformed Nether Dutch Church, Southampton, Baptism Index 1710-1820 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1710-1713, 1738-1772, 1788-1819 - Reformed Nether Dutch Church, Southampton, Marriage Index 1710-1713, 1738-1772, and 1788-1819 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

St. Paul's Reformed Church, Applebachsville Township


 * 1868-1875 - St. Paul's Reformed Church, Applebachsville Township, Baptism Index 1868-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1876-1878 - St. Paul's Reformed Church, Applebachsville Township, Marriage Index 1876-1878 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Tohickon Union Reformed Church


 * 1744-1801 - Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1744-1801: Tohickon Union Reformed Church at Ancestry ($).
 * 1745-1869 - Tohickon Union Reformed Church Baptism Index 1745-1869 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1750-1800 - Hinke, William J. A History of the Tohickon Union Church, Bedminster Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania: With Copy of Church Records, Reformed Congregation, Lutheran Congregation. Meadville, Pa.: Tribune Pub. Co., 1925. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, burials.
 * 1755-1855 - Tohickon Union Reformed Church Marriage Index 1755-1855 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Trinity Union Reformed Church


 * 1801-1829 - Trinity Union Reformed Church, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1801-29 at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, burials.

Court of Common Pleas
The Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of Pennsylvania. Major civil and criminal cases are heard in these courts. Judges also decide cases involving adoption, divorce, child custody, abuse, juvenile delinquency, estates, guardianships, charitable organizations and many other matters. The Common Pleas courts are organized into 60 judicial districts. County has its own judicial district. Judges of the Common Pleas courts are elected to 10-year terms. A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.

Prothonotary
The Office of the Prothonotary Bucks County Courthouse Patricia L. Bachtle 55 East Court Street Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901 Phone: 215-348-6191 Fax: 215-348-6184

Orphan's Court (see Vital Records)
Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court Donald Petrille, Jr., Esquire

55 East Court Street, 3rd Floor Doylestown, PA 18901

215-348-6265 (Register of Wills) 215-348-6271 (Orphans’ Court) The Archive Research Center is open to the public! No appointment is required to visit. You are welcome to visit our office on the third floor of the Courthouse and discover for yourself the wealth of information available. The Center has birth records prior to 1907.


 * 1685-1900 Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Orphans' Court Records

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1677-1687 - "A Partial List of the Families Who Resided in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Prior to 1687, With the Date of Their Arrival," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 9 (1885):223-233. For free online access, see WeRelate.

Gazetteers

 * United States Geographic Survey Place Names - GNIS for Bucks County (more than 2000 entries) (may not always be present in alphabetic order on first try.)

Published Histories
[http://www.worldcat.org/title/history-of-bucks-county-pennsylvania-from-the-discovery-of-the-delaware-to-the-present-time/oclc/1727483&referer=brief_results Davis, W. W. H. The History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania: From the Discovery of the Delaware to the Present Time. Doylestown, Pa: Democrat Book and Job Office Print, 1876]

Land and Property
Land records in Bucks County began in 1684. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Doylestown, 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


 * 1980–present Bucks County offers online access to land records. Fees apply.

Land Records on Microfilm


 * 1684–1919 Deeds, 1684-1866; Index, 1684-1919
 * 1684–1919 Mortgages, 1782-1821; Index, 1684-1919.

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 Bucks County Pennsylvania Land in online catalogs such as:


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

Maps

 * Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
 * Ancestor Tracks has posted free, downloadable images of two 19th century wall maps: (1) "Maps of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, from Surveys" published in 1850 by W. E. Morris; (2) "Map of Bucks and Montgomery Counties and the Consolidated City of Philadelphia" published by Kuhn and Shrope in 1857; and (3) "Barnes' Driving Map of Philadelphia and Surroundings" published in 1868 by R. L. Barnes. These images show many landowners, towns and villages and roads as of the date of publication. These are invaluable sources to be used with the 1850 and 1860 censuses. 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.

Migration
Early migration routes to Northampton County for European settlers included:


 * Minsi Path from Kingston, New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that is, from the Ulster and Delaware Turnpike  to the Great Valley Road.
 * Lehigh and Lackawanna Paths from Unadilla, New York to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that is, from the Catskill Turnpike  to the Great Valley Road.
 * Delaware River.

Revolutionary War
Bucks County men also served in the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment and the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment.

During the Revolutionary period, committees of safety governed local communities. Minutes of the Bucks County Committee have been published:


 * "Minutes of the Committee of Safety of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1774-1776," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 15 (1891):257-290. For free online access, see WeRelate.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1795-1952 – on FamilySearch.org - free, National Archives publication M1248, browsesable images of card index


 * 1795-1931 – on FamilySearch.org - free, National Archives publication M1522, browsesable images of petitions, no index, use index listed above


 * 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.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1522

Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm


 * 1743 Extract aus der Registratur der Supreem Court zu Philadelphia

Newspapers
Newspapers of Bucks County


 * Pennsylvania Newspapers
 * Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

Online Newspapers

To learn if there are newspapers online for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google.com/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Bucks County.

Newspaper Index


 * McNealy Terry A. (compiler), Index to Bucks County references in the Pennsylvania Gazette 1728-1789 (Doylestown, Pennsylvania:Bucks County Genealogical Society) Alphabetically arranged by surnames and subjects. "Bucks County had no newspaper of its own in the 18th century.--Intro."

Obituaries
Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died. However, sometimes an obituary is found in the location from which he or she originated. To find an obituary, see the information under the Newspaper heading

Online Obituary Abstracts


 * PA-Roots Obituaries for Bucks County.

Obituary Excerpts and Abstracts


 * A Record of deaths in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and territory immediately contiguous, 1934-1956: compiled mainly from the newspapers of the county; also burials in Richlandtown, Doylestown, Deep Run Mennonite, Kellers Church, and New Britain Beulah cemeteries (SLC, Utah, 1958)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes


 * 1684-1850 - Williams, Richard T. Index of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Wills and Administration Records, 1684 to 1850. Danboro, Pa.: R.T. and M.C. Williams, 1981. Digital version at ($).

Online Probate Records

Many original Bucks County probate records are available free online as digital images at:


 * 1684-1958 – at FamilySearch.org - free. Includes  Will Index (1684-1831), Will Abstracts (1685-1825), Will Books 1-32 (1684-1906), Wills and Letters of Administration (1684-1693); Estate Index (1684-1939); Inventories (1684-1688); Orphans' Court Record Index (1683-1958), Orphans' Court Records Vols. 1-16 (1752-1866); Register's Dockets Vols. 4-9 (1839-1913).


 * 1684-1693 - "Bucks County Wills, 1684-1693," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 (Jul. 1897):198-224. For free online access, see WeRelate

Online Probate Abstracts


 * 1682-1825 Abstracts Books A and 1 - 10 at Bucks County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives Includes index.

Original Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1839-1913 Register Dockets
 * 1713-1906 Wills Index included: 1682-1939

Archives



 * See Courthouse section below.

Courthouse
Bucks County Courthouse 55 East Court Street Doylestown, PA 18901

Offices of the Bucks County Court include:


 * Clerk of Courts
 * Coroner
 * Prothonotary Naturalization Papers for the years 1802 to 1906 and Term Papers from 1733 to 1920 have been microfilmed and are available for public review in the Prothonotary's office.
 * The Office of the Prothonotary Bucks County Courthouse 55 East Court Street Doylestown PA 18901 Phone: 215-348-6191 Fax: 215-348-6184
 * Recorder of Deeds All papers recorded in the office of Recorder of Deeds are public information, with the exception of Military Discharge Papers. Anyone can come in and look at any Deeds or Mortgages. Earliest records are for 1684. There are indexes
 * Register of Wills Research Center is open to the public. No appointment is required to visit. Records date back to 1684.
 * Genealogical and Archival Search Requests is available for the public. The site lists what records can be searched by staff and the cost.

Family History Centers
Also see below:


 * Doylestown Pennsylvania Family History Center
 * Morrisville Pennsylvania Family History Center

Libraries
Bucks County Library Network Bucks County Free Library is a seven-branch county library system. It has an online catalog, and it shows a sizable genealogy and biography collection.

The Mennonite Heritage Center 565 Yoder Road Harleysville PA 19438-1020 215-256-3020 [mailto:library@mhep.org library@mhep.org] Hours: Tuesday thru Friday, 10am–5pm, Saturday, 10am–2pm

The Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania support the John L. Ruth Historical Library and Museum at the Mennonite Heritage Center. Located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania the records and resources of this treasure also cover the counties of Bucks, Chester, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, and Philadelphia. The website provides a comprehensive overview of library resources, online cemetery database, manuscript collections, photo collections, archival collections, and more.

Museums

 * Historic Fallsington Information Center and Office 4 Yardley Ave. Fallsington, PA 19054-1117 Phone: 215-295-6567 email: info@historicfallsington.org The village of Fallsington was significant as a religious, social and market center for the surrounding area and a stop for stagecoaches. There are several historic homes and buildings as well as a manuscript collection with genealogical and historical records.

Societies
Rich in history, contains a number of societies dealing with the history of the area.


 * Bucks County Historical Society 84 South Pine Street Doylestown, PA 18901 Telephone: (215) 345-0210 Online catalog: RolloPAC Research Library Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 1-5 pm, Friday and Saturday 10 am-5 pm The Bucks County Historical Society operates the Mercer Museum and the Fonthill Castle. The research library of the museum is the major research center for local and family history related to Bucks County and the surrounding region. The Library houses over 20,000 books, periodicals and pamphlets, 2500 feet of county archives, over 800 manuscript collections, over 12,000 images, and maps and other records that document local history, and more. The online catalog searches collections of the Archives, the Museum, and the Library as well as an obituary collection from 2000 to the present.  The Library is the depository for many Bucks County government records dating from 1683. These records come from the offices of the Court of Quarter Sessions, Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans Court, Prothonotary and the County Commissioners. Special indexes to county collections include the following: naturalization records (1802-1906), criminal papers (1697-1786), quarter sessions (1684-1700), coroners papers (1700-1900), divorces (1806-1948), marriage licenses (1852-1854, 1885-1946), vendues (1784-1884), tavern licenses (1742-1923), deed books and grantor/grantee index (1684-1919), wills and administrations (1684-1900), and mechanics liens (1836-1949). At this time, none of these indexes are available online.


 * Bucks County Genealogical Society PO Box 826 Washington Crossing, PA 18977

The BCGS was formed in February 2012 and has about 150 members. Monthly meetings feature informative speakers on topics of interest to genealogists. One of its projects is a Cemetery Assessment Project, with the goal of gathering information such as location of burial records and contact information for all the cemeteries in Bucks County.

Taxation

 * 1693 - 1693 Tax List at Bucks County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives


 * 1779, 1781-1786 - Proprietary and Other Tax Lists of the County of Bucks: For the Years 1779, 1781, 1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1786. (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 13). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books - free.


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

Vital Records
See also How to order Pennsylvania Vital Records

The Archive Research Center, located on the third floor of the Bucks County Courthouse, is open to the public for genealogical research. The Bucks County Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphan's Court has microfilm records dating back to 1684. Some original records are stored off-site and are available by advance request. Copy services (by fee) include the following:


 * 1684-1950 Genealogical Search Request, index search by name
 * 1684-1987 Index printout with name, death year, index number
 * 1987-present Index printout also includes date of death
 * 1885-present Marriage Application Record, Certified Application, Marriage Certificate
 * 1893-1906 Certified Birth/Death Record

Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court 55 East Court Street 3rd Floor, Administration Building Doylestown PA 18901 Register of Wills: 215-348-6265, registerofwills@co.bucks.pa.us Orphans' Court: 215-348-6271, orphanscourt@co.bucks.pa.us

Birth

 * 1726-1930 - - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is an electronic 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.


 * 1852-1855 - Bucks County Birth Index 1852-1855 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Births Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.

Marriage

 * 1700-1821 - Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties.
 * 1711-1797 – Bucks Co residents listed in Early NJ Marriage Bond Abstracts 1711-1797 at USGenWeb - Not all years represented.
 * 1725-1976 - - free index. Not complete for all years. This index is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * 1773-1824 - "Marriages Copies from the Docket of Isaac Hicks: Justice of the Peace of Bucks County from 1773 to 1824," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jun. 1908):201-225. For free online access, see WeRelate; the Family History Library also has this series in its collection:.
 * Pre-1810 – Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) This database is incomplete for all counties. Includes 35,000 marriage records from vol. VIII of of the second series of the Pennsylvania Archives.
 * 1836-1904 - - free index. Not complete for all years; some images available.
 * 1852-1854 - Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.
 * 1885-1950 - Extracted marriage records – free. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.

Divorce
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary. The office of the Prothonotary is located in the courthouse building.

Death

 * 1810-1924 - Bucks County Death Index 1810-1924 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1852-1854 – Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry.com – ($) Index with images.

Death Substitutes


 * Bucks County (Pennsylvania). Coroner. Coroner's Views and Inquisitions, 1710-1906; Index, 1722-1946. Coroner's reports supply information on accidental or suspicious deaths.

Genealogy Societies and Libraries

 * List of Pennsylvania Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies

Bucks County Pennsylvania Genealogy Websites

 * Bucks County, PA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * The Bucks County PAGenWeb Project, an member of The PAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Bucks County PA Genealogy
 * Linkpendium - Bucks County
 * Linkpendium - Bucks County

Populated Places

 * Boroughs: Bristol . Chalfont . Doylestown . Dublin . Hulmeville . Ivyland . Langhorne . Langhorne Manor . Morrisville . New Britain . New Hope . Newtown . Penndel . Perkasie . Quakertown . Richlandtown . Riegelsville . Sellersville . Silverdale . Telford . Trumbauersville . Tullytown . Yardley
 * Townships: Bedminster . Bensalem . Bridgeton . Bristol . Buckingham . Doylestown . Durham . East Rockhill . Falls . Haycock . Hilltown . Lower Makefield . Lower Southampton . Middletown . Milford . New Britain . Newtown . Nockamixon . Northampton . Plumstead . Richland . Solebury . Springfield . Tinicum . Upper Makefield . Upper Southampton . Warminster . Warrington . Warwick . West Rockhill . Wrightstown
 * Unincorporated communities: Brittany Farms-Highlands . Churchville . Cornwells Heights-Eddington . Croydon . Erwinna . Fairless Hills . Fallsington . Feasterville-Trevose . Holland . Lahaska . Levittown . Lumberville . Newtown Grant . Point Pleasant . Plumsteadville . Richboro . Southampton . The Devil's Half-Acre . Uhlerstown . Upper Black Eddy . Village Shires . Warminster Heights . Washington Crossing . Woodbourne . Woodside