Nassau County, New York Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Mineola
Organized: 1 January 1899
Parent County(s): Queens
Neighboring Counties
Bronx Fairfield (CT) Queens Suffolk Westchester
Courthouse
New York Nassau County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Ny-nassau.png


County Information

Description

The county was named for the old name for Long Island, which was at one time named Nassau, after the Dutch Prince William of Nassau, a member of the House of Nassau, itself named for the German town of Nassau. The county is located in the southeastern area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Nassau County Courthouse
262 Old Country Rd
Mineola, NY 11501
Phone: 516-493-3710
Nassau County Website

The Nassau County Clerk's office has marriage, land, court, military discharge and naturalization records as well as the state census. The Surrogate Court has probate records.

Nassau County, New York Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[2]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1880 1907 1880 1899 1899 1899 1663
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1880. General compliance for births by 1915 and deaths by 1890.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]

Cities
Towns


History Timeline

  • 1664 Yorkshire became the first large government unit (not actually a county) organized by New York after the English took control from the Netherlands. It was divided into three ridings including North Riding (Westchester, Bronx, New York (Manhattan), Nassau and part of Queens counties).[6][7]
  • 1683 New York ended Yorkshire, creating Queens (including later Nassau County) from part of Yorkshire.
  • 1899 Nassau County was created from the eastern 70 percent of Queens.

Resources

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.

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Nassau County, New York online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See New York Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1900 55,448
1910 83,930 51.4%
1920 126,120 50.3%
1930 303,053 140.3%
1940 406,748 34.2%
1950 672,765 65.4%
1960 1,300,171 93.3%
1970 1,428,080 9.8%
1980 1,321,582 −7.5%
1990 1,287,348 −2.6%
2000 1,334,544 3.7%
2010 1,339,532 0.4%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

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

Federal
U.S. Census Mortality Schedules for New York, 1850-1880:

  • Available online at Ancestry ($).
  • Deaths are included for the 12 months prior to the census, 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, and 1879-80 beginning 1 June and ending 31 May of the census year.[8]
  • Basic contents of the records include: Name, sex, age, color, marital status, place of birth, month of death, occupation, and cause of death. 1870 also has parents' birthplace. 1880 lists how long a resident of the county.
  • Also on FS Library Films 1415128–42.
  • 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.

State

Source 1825 1835 1845 1855 1865 1875 1892 1905 1915 1925
Ancestry.com - - - - - - - - Yes Yes
FS Library Films - - - - - - - - Yes Yes
FamilySearch Index and Images - - - - Yes Yes - Yes Yes Yes
New York State Library Films - - - - - - - - Yes Yes


Church Records


Catholic


Reformed Dutch

  • 1785-1878 Frost, Josephine C. Marriages Recorded at Reformed Dutch Church, Manhasset, Long Island: 1785-1878, Also a Few Deaths 1841-1878. Brooklyn, N.Y., 1913. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


Society of Friends (Quakers)


List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Ancestors may have been involved in municipal, state, or federal court cases and actions. See also New York Court Records and United States Court Records.

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

Local Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Queens BoroughSuffolk CountyNY NASSAU.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Military Records

Civil War

Service men in Nausau County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.[10]

- 14th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies A and B.
- 24th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company D.
- 119th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
- 139th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A and I.
- 142nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company F.
- 145th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company K.
- 155th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D and E.
- 176th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C and D.
- 193rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
- 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A and C.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

The FamilySearch Library has also acquired this comprehensive index for the years 1792 through 1906 on microfilm: FS Library Film 1419807 (1st of 294 films). 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

Newspapers

  • Long Island NY Daily Star 1881-1889
  • Long Island NY Star Journal 1938-1967

Obituaries

Other Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

Probate records (wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions) for New York are held in the office of the county Surrogate Court beginning in 1787, or when the county was formed. Prior to 1787, most are housed at the New York State Archives.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
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.[11] See New York Probate Records for online resources, details, links, and more.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

Town Records

Town records in New York may include early births, marriages, deaths, divorces, local histories, selected military records, and town meeting minutes. Vital records from 1880/1882 are kept by town and village clerks, although some (Kent’s and Putnam Valley’s) are available in the County Historian’s Office. See:

  • New York Towns, Villages, and Cities: A Guide to Genealogical Sources by Gordon L. Remington. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002. FS Library Book 974.7 D27r; At various libraries (WorldCat); Alphabetical list including date founded, if a town history exists, church and cemetery sources, and if a Civil War register (TCR) exists.

Vital Records

Vital records of birth, marriage or death were first recorded at the local level in the village clerk, town clerk, or city clerk’s ledger book.

Birth

Marriage

Death

Divorce

Divorce judgment papers often include date and place of the marriage and the names and birthdates of any children. Local newspapers may publish notices of divorce actions.

  • Pre–1787 All divorces were granted by the governor or legislature and were very rare.
  • 1787–1847 All divorces were granted by the court of chancery. These records are found in the New York State Archives or for the New York City area at the New York County Clerk's office.These divorces were granted only on the grounds of adultery.
  • 1847–present All divorces are handled by the county Supreme Court where the divorce was granted. Divorce files in New York are sealed for 100 years. Contact the County Clerk for information about divorce records.

Voting Records

Research Facilities

Archives

County Historian

  • Nassau County Historian[12]
Genealogical Resources: The County Historian may provide access to obituaries, vital records, church records, maps, and family files or journals. Some historians provide search services for their office records and others may refer you to local genealogists who research in the area.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

Libraries
The Nassau Library System consists of 54 public libraries in Nassau County. Each library has access to genealogical databases - especially newspaper sites. Many are accessible with your library card from home. A list of the libraries in this system and their website and contact information is found here.

Genealogical Resources: The library houses obituaries for local newspapers. The Baldwin History room houses history books on Nassau County and Baldwin as well as Suffolk, Queens, Kings, and New York Counties. Collections include journals, photographs, school records, directories, and yearbooks. Baldwin History room open by appointment only.

Genealogical Resources: The Robert R. Coles Long Island History Room contains books; periodical series; artifacts; pamphlets; maps; microfilmed documents; records and manuscripts, and microfilm of local newspapers for the local area. The room has limited hours. Digital collection. Email for history room: Longislandhistory@glencovelibrary.org.

  • Hofstra University Library
    Joan & Donald E. Axinn Library
    Special Collections Department
    Room 032
    Hempstead, NY 11549-1000
    Phone: 516-463-6158
    Website
Genealogical Resources: Has the historical and genealogical collections of the Nassau County Historical Society, Oceanside Historical Society Collection (now defunct), Nassau County Museum Reference Collection, family history collections, newspapers, and photographs.

Genealogical Resources: The library has a Local History Center containing digital collections and onsite marterial including newspapers, histories, maps, and manuscripts. The center has limited hours and can be contacted at: localhistory@pwpl.org.

Museums

Societies

Listed below are societies in Nassau County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see New York Societies.

  • Nassau County Historical Society
    Box 207
    Garden City, NY 11530
    Phone: 516-538-7679
    Email: Natalie.A.Naylor"at"hofstra.edu
    Website

The Nassau County Historical Society Journal is the official publication and released annually. The society has no research staff but their collection of books and manuscripts are located at: Long Island Studies Institute
Website

Joan And Donald E. Axinn Library, Room 032
123 Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY 11549-1230
Phone: 516-463-6411
Email: LISI@hofstra.edu

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. Wikipedia contributors, "Nassau County, New York" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nassau_County,_New_York, accessed 21 Nov 2018
  2. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Nassau County, New York. Page 488-493 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 490-492.
  3. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 490. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  4. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. Wikipedia contributors, "Nassau County, New York," in "Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nassau_County,_New_York, accessed 25 January 2020.
  6. Kathryn Ford Thorne, New York Atlas of Historical County Boundaries (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993), 115, and 153-55. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.7 E7t.
  7. Wikipedia contributors, "York Shire (Province of New York)" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_Shire_(Province_of_New_York) (accessed 16 December 2011).
  8. Arlene Eakle, and Johni Cerni, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1984), 103. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27ts.
  9. WeRelate contributors, "Source:New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (New York Genealogical and Biographical Society)," in WeRelate, http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Source:New_York_Genealogical_and_Biographical_Record_%28New_York_Genealogical_and_Biographical_Society%29, accessed 17 February 2012.
  10. Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. (Albany, N.Y.: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912). Internet Archive digital copy; At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Film 1486494-96; Fiche 6083559-64; Book 974.7 M2p.
  11. Alice Eichholz, Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 479. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27rb 2004. Henry B. Hoff, "Navigating New York Probate," American Ancestors 12 (Fall 2011): 54.
  12. Elizabeth Petty Bentley, Genealogist's Address Book: State and Local Resources, with Special Resources Including Ethnic and Religious Organizations, 6th ed. (Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Pub., 2009), 432. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D24ben 2009.