Vital
Records in
New York State
Transcribed by Arlene Goodwin
New York State Archives Information Leaflet #2
Introduction
New York began statewide registration of births, marriages, and deaths in 1880-81, under supervision of the State and local boards of health. Compliance with the law was incomplete until 1900 or even later; therefore certificates are lacking for many events. Several of the State’s larger cities recorded vital events for varying periods of time prior to 1880; see reverse for more information. An 1847 law required the school districts in each town to collect vital statistics. They ceased doing so after a few years. (The State Archives and Department of Health hold no records created under the 1847 law.)
Vital Records IndexesScope of Indexes: The indexes do not include vital events in New York City and in the former city of Brooklyn for any period. The indexes do include events in the former towns of Kings County prior to their annexation by City of Brooklyn in the 1880’s and ‘90s; in portions of Westchester Count prior to their annexation by New York City in 1895; and in Richmond County (Staten Island) and the western towns of Queens County prior to their incorporation into the City of New York, Jan. 1, 1898.
The indexes do not include births and deaths in Albany, Buffalo, and Yonkers prior to 1914, or marriages in those cities prior to 1908. (Contact the local registrar of vital statistics in those cities for information about earlier records.) The birth indexes do not include original data for adopted infants. The birth and death indexes do include data on individuals who were born or died in the state facility.Conditions of Use: The microfiche indexes may be used at three locations:
[1] New York Archives, Cultural Education Center, Empire State Plaza, Albany, Monday-Friday, 9:00-4:45, except state holidays. No appointment is needed to use the indexes. Researchers must produce identification, sign a registration form, and comply with the rules of the research room. Several microfiche readers are available for use, but a researcher may be limited to one hour’s use of a reader, if other persons are waiting to use the readers.[2] National Archives – Northeast Region, 201 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014; telephone (212) 227-1300 [www.nara.gov/regional/newyork.html].
[3] Rochester Public Library,115 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604; telephone (716) 428-8440 [mcls.rochester.lib.ny.us/central] (eff. Oct. 2000).
[4] Onondaga County Public Library, 447 South Salina Street, Syracuse, NY 13202; telephone (315) 435-1900 [www.ocpl.lib.ny.us] (eff. Feb. 2002)
Transcription, reproduction, loan, or sale of the indexes is not permitted. The data in the indexes is not available in electronic format for online access. Sources of Birth, Marriage, and Death CertificatesThe New York State Archives does not hold birth, marriage, and death certificates, only indexes to them. The State Department of Health and local registrars of vital statistics are authorized to furnish uncertified copies of vital records for genealogical purposes. Data on living persons is restricted by law. Contact of DOH or a local registrar for application forms and general information.
Statewide (except cities noted below): Birth, marriage, and death certificates for New York State (except five boroughs of New York City) are held by:
New York
State Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Records
800 North Pearl Street, 2nd Floor
Albany, NY
12204
(518) 474-3077
http://www.health.state.ny.us/vital_records/genealogy.htm
Local registrars of vital statistics (town, village, or city) hold registers of birth, marriage, and deaths. Contact the registrar’s office for further information:
Manhattan *
Births: July
1847-48, July 1853-1909
Deaths:
1795, 1802-04,1808,1812-1948
Marriages:
June 1847-48, July 1853-1937
*Includes records for western Bronx, 1874-97, and eastern Bronx, 1895-97.
Brooklyn *
Births:
1866-1909
Deaths:
1847-53, 1857-1948
Marriages:
1866-1937
*Pre-1898
records are for Brooklyn city only. Records for former towns in Kings County
usually commence 1880-82; a few have vital records for later 1840’s.
Bronx, Queens, Staten Island*
Births:
1898-1909
Deaths:
1898-1948
Marriages:
1898-1937
*There are
scattered earlier records for towns and village prior to their incorporation
into New York City in 1898, Long Island City records start in 1871.
For further
information contact:
New York City
Municipal Archives
31 Chambers
Street (Room 103)
New York, NY
10007
(212)788-8580
[www.ci.nyc.us/html/doris]
for more recent birth and death records, contact:
New York City
Department of Health
Office of
Vital Records
125 Worth
Street
New York, NY
10013
(212)788-4520
[www.ci.nyc.us/htrml/doh/htmlvr/vr.html]
Post 1937 marriage records are held by the borough offices of the New York City Clerk. For addresses of borough offices, contact:
New York City
Clerk’s Office
Municipal
Building (Room 252)
1 Centre
Street
New York, NY
10007
(212) 669-2400
Other
Official Vital Records in Upstate Cities and Counties:
A few upstate cities began recording vital events a few years prior to 1880: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Elmira, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Yonkers. For further information contact the city clerk’s office. Some county clerks hold marriage records for the period ca 1908-35.
Bibliography
Estelle M. Guzik, ed., Genealogical Resources in the New York Metropolitan Area. New York 1989. [Contains detailed information on New York City vital records.]
New York State Department of Health. New York State Gazetteer. Albany: 1995. [Official listing of towns, cities, villages, and hamlets, giving the local registration districts in which they are located. Gazetteer does not contain addresses and phone numbers of local registrars of vital statistics. Contact telephone directory assistance for phone numbers.
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index. [This is an index to claims for Social Security death benefits; it is available online [www.ancestry.com/ssdi/advancede.htm]
U. S. Work Projects Administration. Historical Records Survey. Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records in New York State (Including New York City), 3 vols. Albany, 1942.
______. Guide to Vital Statistics in the City of New York: Churches, 5 vols, New York: 1942.
______.
Guide to Vital Statistics Records of Churches in New York Sate (Exclusive of
New York City), 2 vols. Albany: 1942
The New York
State Archives is a program of the State Education Department, Office of
Cultural Education. For further information on the Archives’ holdings and
services, contact:
New York
State Archives
Cultural
Education Center Room 3043
Albany, NY
12230
(518)
474-8955
E-mail
Archref@mail. nysed.gov
www.archives.nysed.gov