Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland Genealogy


 * This article is about a city in Maryland. For the surrounding county, see Baltimore County, Maryland. For other uses, see Baltimore (disambiguation).

Guide to Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Baltimore City is named for Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore, Proprietor of Maryland. Baltimore is the anglicized name for the Irish Gaelic name, Baile an Tí Mhóir, meaning the Town of the Big House referring to the O'Driscoll castle that still domains the town. It is in the southern area of the state.

Courthouse
Baltimore City Courthouse (Clerk's Office located in Courthouse East) Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse 100 N. Calvert Street Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone: 410-333-3722 Baltimore City Clerk's Office City Health Department has birth, death and burial records. Common Pleas Court has marriage records. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce records, trust estates, adoption and name changes from 1853. Register of Wills has probate records.

Populated Places
Baltimore is an independent city and is not part of any county in Maryland. It is not to be confused with the surrounding Baltimore County, which is a separate government entity. In 1796, the towns of Baltimore, Jonestown, and Fells Points were incorporated as the City of Baltimore. Baltimore remained a part of Baltimore County until it became an independent city in 1851. Baltimore is officially divided into nine geographical regions: North, Northeast, East, Southeast, South, Southwest, West, Northwest, and Central. For a list of Baltimore's neighborhoods and their respective geographical regions, go to this Wikipedia Article.

History Timeline

 * 13 September 1814 The Battle of Baltimore: In the War of 1812, the British troops attacked Baltimore after the burning of Washington, D.C.
 * The Union troops occupied Baltimore to prevent the secession of Maryland from the Union during the Civil War, after Confederate sympathizers attacked the Union troops in the Baltimore riot of 1861. Maryland came under direct Federal administration.
 * 7 February 1904 The Great Fire of Baltimore destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in 30 hours.

Cemeteries

 * Many Baltimore City cemetery records have been published by various volunteers. The Baltimore County Genealogical Society has a good collection. You can use WorldCat.org to search for the name of the church you are interested in, and find out what libraries hold it. If you choose to buy instead of borrow, you may check Amazon.com or Heritage Books, Inc. Here is a partial list of books available:
 * Holy Rosary Church Cemetery, Tombstone inscriptions of; Baltimore County, Maryland. Baltimore County Genealogical Society. Towson, Md: Baltimore County Genealogical Society, 1999.
 * Mt. Carmel Cemetery Records: 1854-1882. Baltimore County Genealogical Society. Westminster, MD: Family Line Publications, 1998.
 * Mt. Carmel Cemetery Records, 1883-1893, Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore County Genealogical Society. Westminster, Md: Family Line Publications, 1998.
 * Mt. Carmel Cemetery Records: 1893-1905. Baltimore County Genealogical Society. Westminster, MD: Family Line Publications, 1998.
 * Mt. Carmel Cemetery Records: 1905-1936. Baltimore County Genealogical Society. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books, 2001.
 * Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Baltimore County Historical Society. Westminster, Md. (Rear 63 East Main Street): Family Line Publications, 1989.
 * St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Tombstone Inscriptions of; Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore County Genealogical Society. Towson, Md. (P.O. Box 10085, Towson 21285-0085): Baltimore County Genealogical Society, 2002.
 * Western Cemetery: Interment Records, Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore County Genealogical Society. Baltimore, Md: Baltimore County Genealogical Society, 2004.
 * — index - How to Use this Collection

Census Records
Federal Census reports available 1800-1930 including slave and veterans schedules.

Police Census 1868 The Baltimore City Archives has a police census for some city wards of Baltimore on one microfilm.

How to Find Church Records

 * Maryland Church Records
 * Maryland State Archives] has a large collection of church records on microfilm.
 * Baltimore Roman Catholic Parish list contains a list of all parishes listed in the collections located on Findmypast.
 * Guide to Maryland Religious Institutions'' is not intended to be a complete listing of all Religious institutions in Maryland. It was originally based upon the churches recorded by the Federal Works Progress Administration during a records survey conducted from 1935 to 1941. It has been expanded by later acquisitions from religious organizations to the Maryland State Archives. Microfilm of sacramental records for about seventy-five parishes, mostly Baltimore city churches established before 1900, are available for public use at the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis.


 * The Baltimore County Genealogical Society has a good collection.

 Roman Catholic Archive 

Associated Archives St. Mary's Seminary &amp; University 5400 Roland Avenue Baltimore, MD 21210 Phone: 410-864-4074 Fax: 410-864-3690 Email: [mailto:archives@stmarys.edu archives@stmarys.edu]

Area included in the archdiocese: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard counties and the city of Baltimore.

The Diocese of Baltimore was the first Catholic diocese in the United States. Established in 1789, it included the entire country at the time. Records were transferred to the new dioceses as they were created. Original sacramental records are kept by the parishes. Some records not available for public use at the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis may be found at the Associated Archives at St. Mary's Seminary &amp; University. Certificates may be issued by the parish of origin.

Diocesan history: The Premier See: A History of the Archdiocese of Baltimore 1789-1989, Thomas W. Spalding (Baltimore, Md. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1989).

Catholic newspaper: The Catholic Review PO Box 777 Cathedral St. Baltimore, MD 21203 The newspaper carries few obituaries. The earlier newspaper for the diocese was The Catholic Mirror, 1850-1908. The newspapers are on microfilm at the main branch of the Encoh Pratt Library in Baltimore. List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories

 * Fold3.com ($) has Baltimore City Directories 1863-1923 (5 yrs. missing) available online. Fold3 is free at some libraries and at National Archives research rooms.
 * Internet Archive (free) has similar coverage as Fold3. You can search Internet Archive or see a list linking to each directory from the University of Maryland website.

Emigration and Immigration
Online Records


 * 1820-1948 at FamilySearch— index and images- How to Use this Collection
 * 1897-1952 - at FamilySearch — index and images- How to Use this Collection
 * The New Early Settlers of Maryland database is a great place to start searching for immigrants who had arrived in the colony by the 1680s. The database "comprises 34,326 entries from Gust Skordas' Early Settlers of Maryland and Carson Gibb's Supplement to the Early Settlers of Maryland." Available online, courtesy: Maryland State Archives.

Other Baltimore City immigration resources include:


 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Intercepted Letters Relating to America 1777-1811," The Genealogist, Vol. 14, No.   2 (Fall 2000):184-200; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Spring 2001):53-74. Discusses overseas contacts of individuals with the following Baltimore County surnames: Albers, Anspach, Barry, Barton, Beatty, Beays, Belt, Bolte, Brothers, Brown, Browne, Brune, Buchanan, Burke, Campbell, Caton, Clarke, Courteney, Dickey, Dicky, Donnell, Dormy, Dorsly, Duncan, Gernon, Gillmer, Gilmore, Gittings [Gettings], Goverts, Graf, Grant, Grundy, Gwin, Haslett, Hoffman, Hollins, Holmes, Hudson, Kalkman, Konig, Lone, McCreery, McFadon, Maris, Merryman, Moncrieff, Olliver, Patterson, Pringle, Salmon, Sears, Sherlock, Smith, Somervell, Spears, Sterrett, Stewart, Stiles, Taylor, Thompson, Thorowgood, Valck, Von Kapffe, Von Stapff, Walsh, Williams, Williamson, Wilson, Yellot, Young, Zwisler.
 * [http://www.pricegen.com/immigrantservants/search/simple.php/search/advancedResults.php?surname=&givenName=&varientSurnameSpellings=&gender=&dateOfBirthDay=&dateOfBirthMonth=&dateOfBirthQuantifier=&dateOfBirthYear=&placeOfBirthParish=&placeOfBirthTown=&placeOfBirthCity=&placeOfBirthCounty=&placeOfBirthColony=&placeOfBirthNation=&occupations=&religions=&orphan=&familyPosition=&immigrationYearQualifier=&immigrationYear=&portOfDepartureTown=&portOfDepartureCity=&portOfDepartureCounty=&portOfDepartureNation=&placeOfArrivalTown=&placeOfArrivalCounty=&placeOfArrivalColony=&shipName=&convict=&yearOfIndentureQualifier=&yearOfIndenture=&lengthOfIndentureYears=&lengthOfIndentureMonths=&yearOfFreedomQualifier=&yearOfFreedom=&placeOfIndentureTown=&placeOfIndentureCity=&placeOfIndentureCounty=Baltimore&placeOfIndentureColony=Maryland&agentSurname=&agentGivenName=&agentTitle=&masterSurname=&masterGivenName=&masterTitle=&residenceParish=&residenceTown=&residenceCity=&residenceCounty=&residenceColony=&residenceNation=&landowner=&literate=&spouseSurname=&spouseGivenName=&spouseMarriageDateDay=&spouseMarriageDateMonth=&spouseMarriageDateQualifier=&spouseMarriageDateYear=&spouseMarriageLocationParish=&spouseMarriageLocationCounty=&spouseMarriageLocationColony=&spouseMarriageLocationNation=&deathDateDay=&deathDateMonth=&deathDateQualifier=&deathDateYear=&deathLocality=&deathCounty=&deathColony=&deathState=&testate=&proofServantStatus=&proofConvictStatus=&headright=&preServitudeSources=&postServitudeSources=&comments=&family=&sourceCitations=&interestedResearchers= List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe] who served labor terms in Colonial Baltimore City and County, Maryland (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database. Includes Richard J. Cox's abstracts of Maryland Gazette runaways.

Genealogies

 * [Brispo] Russell, George Ely. "Portuguese and Spanish Colonists in Seventeenth-Century Maryland," The American Genealogist, Vol. 76, No. 1 (January 2001):50-60; Vol. 77, No. 1 (Apr. 2001):138-147.
 * [Decosta] Russell, George Ely. "Portuguese and Spanish Colonists in Seventeenth-Century Maryland," The American Genealogist, Vol. 76, No. 1 (January 2001):50-60; Vol. 77, No. 1 (Apr. 2001):138-147.
 * [Philpot] Russell, George Ely. "Brian Philpot Family of Maryland: With Notes on English Relatives," The Genealogist, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Fall 2003):131-165.

Land and Property Records
Through a Joint eGovernment Service of the Maryland Judiciary and the Maryland State Archives, free images and indexes of the complete series of Baltimore City Deed Books (1653-present) have been uploaded to their website: A Digital Image Retrieval System for Land Records in Maryland. (Requires free registration.)

Local Histories

 * Annals of Baltimore. 1824. By Thomas W. Griffith. Baltimore, Printed by W. Wooddy.  Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.
 * Baltimore, its History and its People. 3 volumes. 1912. By Clayton Coleman Hall. New York, New York : Lewis Historical Pub. Co. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 3 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Vol. 1 - Internet Archive; . Vol. 1 - History; Vols. 2 & 3 - Biography.
 * Baltimore, Past and Present. 1871. By Brantz Mayer. Baltimore, Maryland : Richardson & Bennett. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Google Books;.
 * The Chronicles of Baltimore. 1874. By J. Thomas Scharf. Baltimore, Maryland : Turnbull Brothers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books; . Item may be 1989 reprint by publisher Ann Arbor, Michigan : UMI.
 * History of Baltimore, Maryland : from its Founding as a Town to the Current Year 1729-1898. 1898. By Henry Elliott Shepherd. N.p: S.B. Nelson.  Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.
 * The Monumental City, its Past History ... . 1873-1876. By George W. Howard. Baltimore, Maryland : J.D. Ehlers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); . Item may be a reprint, microform or electronic resource.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places



Revolutionary War

 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841. Digital version at Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. See Maryland, Baltimore City on page 128.
 * "Baltimore Privateers from 1777 to 1783," The Maryland and Delaware Genealogist, Vol. 31, No. 2 (Spring 1990):46-47; Vol. 31, No. 3 (Summer 1990):88-89, .....

War of 1812
Cranwell, John Philips and William Bowers Crane Men of Marque a history of private armed vessels out of Baltimore during the War of 1812(Norton, c 1940, New York) pages 427Bibliography pages 415-418, FHL 975.26 M3

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index- How to Use this Collection

Since the city broke off from surrounding Baltimore County in 1851, the Civil War records for the city of Baltimore will be in the city's military records rather than with the county's records.


 * - 1st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Butler's) (1st Regulars), Company G
 * - 1st Regiment, Maryland Eastern Shore Infantry Company I
 * - 1st Regiment, Maryland Infantry, Potomac Home Brigade, Company C, and C
 * - 2nd Regiment, Maryland Cavalry (6 months, 1863-1864), Company A, B, and E
 * - 2nd Regiment, Maryland Eastern Shore Infantry, Company F
 * - 3rd Regiment, Maryland Cavalry, Company A,B,H, and K
 * - 5th Regiment, Maryland InfantryCompany B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and K
 * - 6th Regiment, Maryland Infantry Company F, and I
 * - 8th Regiment, Maryland Infantry, Company B, C, D, F, and G
 * - 9th Regiment, Maryland Infantry (6 months, 1863-1864), Company A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and K
 * - 21st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company B (Maryland Guard).

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship
Though it does not appear on the FamilySearch Catalog under the naturalization section of the City of Baltimore or Baltimore County, the Family History Library has acquired published abstracts of Baltimore naturalizations from 1784 through 1854:


 * Oszakiewski, Robert Andrew. Maryland Naturalization Abstracts. Baltimore County and Baltimore City [1784-1854]. Westminster, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1995. Available at.

Newspapers

 * Afro-American Ledger - newspaper digitized in Google News Archive; includes 1906-1917
 * Afro American - newspaper digitized in Google News Archive; includes 1902-1992
 * Baltimore Afro-American - more digitized issues; covers 1943-2003
 * 1799-1801 issues of the American &amp; Commercial Daily Advertiser - Google News Archive
 * 1800-1880 issues of the American &amp; Commercial Daily Advertiser - newspaper digitized in Google News Archive
 * 1854-1869 issues of the American &amp; Commercial Daily Advertiser - Google News Archive
 * 1857-1902 - issues of the Baltimore American &amp; Commercial Advertiser - Google News Archive
 * Baltimore Bee - 200 issues from 1875-1876 in Google News Archive
 * Baltimore Morning Herald - 1100+ issues digitized in Google News Archive
 * Baltimore Sunday Herald - 60 issues digitiezed in Google New Archive
 * Baltimore Sun 1837-1985 - complete, OCR search capable (library card required, non-resident: $)
 * Baltimore City newspapers are identified in "Guide to Maryland Newspapers," available online, courtesy: Special Collections, Maryland State Archives.
 * Baltimore Sun Photographic Archives - digitized photos of those appearing in the paper.

Other Records

 * Baltimore Sun Photographic Archives - digitized photos of those appearing in the paper.

Probate Records
Many of those who died in Baltimore will be listed in the administration accounts, and may even have a will.

Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1635–1743 Maryland Calendar of Wills 1635-1743 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1635–1777 Maryland Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1777 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1796–1940 at FamilySearch images - How to Use this Collection
 * Images. at . Maryland, registers of wills books. County Registrar of Wills in Maryland. Includes Baltimore City. - How to Use this Collection

School Records

 * Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Yearbooks - from 1901 to 1989. Some gaps, but this is likely to be filled in over time.

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 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Marriage

 * 1658-1940 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1666-1970 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1851-1914 [Baltimore City Marriage Licenses Index https://www.mdgensoc.org/cstm_mdgsDB.php] at Maryland Genealogical Society - index ($), incomplete for 1851-1885

Death

 * 1875-1972 Baltimore City Death Certificate Index 1875-1972, available online, courtesy: Vital Records Indexing Project, Maryland State Archives.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch — images - How to Use this Collection

Archives

 * Baltimore City Archives - unique special collections
 * Maryland State Archives - vital records, church records, and much more

Family History Centers

 * Baltimore Maryland Family History Center
 * Baltimore Maryland Inner Harbor Family History Center

Libraries
The following societies and libraries are useful in genealogical research. While some collections are available at multiple locations, these often have unique collections. In most cases, a visit to their website will give you an idea of what they hold.
 * Enoch Pratt Free Library - city directory microfilms etc.
 * Maryland State Law Library - Baltimore Sun microfilms, published genealogies

Societies

 * Baltimore County Genealogical Society - popular collection of books, microfilms, etc.
 * Maryland Genealogical Society - partnership with MdHS
 * Maryland Historical Society - church records etc.

Websites

 * Baltimore City, Maryland Genealogy, History and Facts (Genealogy Inc)
 * Baltimore City History: research guides to public records, maps, populations, and local histories.
 * "Baltimore City," in Genealogical Sources in Periodicals at The Maryland State Archives.
 * The Baltimore City MDGenWeb Project, a member of The MDGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project. Links to Marriages, Baltimore Death Certificates, Obituaries, Births, Baltimore Death Index, Divorce, Ship passenger lists, Military, Immigration, Wills, Family group sheets, Census, Church records of Marriage, Birth, Death and Baptisms.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Baltimore City.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Baltimore City. (Mirror site)
 * Baltimore City Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * - 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

Research Guides

 * Barnes, Robert. Guide to Research in Baltimore City and County. 2nd Edition. Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1993.
 * "A Guide to Research in the Public Records of Baltimore City," available online, courtesy: Baltimore City History website.