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Onondaga County, New York Genealogy

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Guide to Onondaga 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: Syracuse
Organized: March 5, 1794
Parent County(s): Herkimer, Tioga
Neighboring Counties
Cayuga • Cortland • Madison • Oswego
Courthouse
New York, Onondaga County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Ny-onondaga.png


County Information

Description

The county was named for the Onondaga people which means "People of the Hills. The county is located in the central area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Onondaga County Courthouse
505 S State St
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: 315-671-1030
Onondaga County Website

The Onondaga County Clerk's office has land, divorce, court, naturalization, military and state census records.
The Surrogate Court has probate records.

Onondaga 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
1865 1880 1865 1795 1784 1796 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
Villages
Hamlets
American Indian Communities
Census-designated places


History Timeline

  • 8 March 1799 Cayuga County set off.
  • 8 April 1808: Cortland County set off.
  • 1 March 1816: Oswego County set off.

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 Kent, Delaware online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Delaware Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1800 7,406 —
1810 25,987 250.9%
1820 41,467 59.6%
1830 58,973 42.2%
1840 67,911 15.2%
1850 85,890 26.5%
1860 90,686 5.6%
1870 104,183 14.9%
1880 117,893 13.2%
1890 146,247 24.1%
1900 168,735 15.4%
1910 200,298 18.7%
1920 241,465 20.6%
1930 291,606 20.8%
1940 295,108 1.2%
1950 341,719 15.8%
1960 423,028 23.8%
1970 472,746 11.8%
1980 463,920 −1.9%
1990 468,973 1.1%
2000 458,336 −2.3%
2010 467,026 1.9%
Source: "Wikipedia"

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

1820 United States Census: The American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association (APHGA) found that the 1820 census was incorrectly microfilmed, with several pages out of sequence for Onondaga County. Both the Ancestry and Heritage Quest indices placed household from Manilus in neighboring Cicero. Corrected indices are free of charge from APHGA and are posted online.

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.[6]
  • 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 Yes - Yes Yes
FS Library Films - - - Yes Yes Yes
FamilySearch Images - - - Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
New York State Library Films - - - Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Onondaga County Public Library Yes Yes
  • 1864-5, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.

New York State 1865 and 1875 Census Marriage, Mortality; and 1865 Soldier Mortality records:

  • Images available online at New York State Census, 1865 and New York State Census, 1875. Click on the link to go to the page, then click on the ‘Browse through images’ link and select your county, then select an ancestor's town and browse to the end of the population schedule until you find the Marriage, Mortality, and 1865 soldier mortality schedules.
  • Includes marriages and deaths for the 12 months prior to the census, ending 1 June of the census year.
  • Marriage entry content: Husband's name, wife's name, ages and previous marital status, month and day and place of marriage, and church or civil ceremony.
  • Death entry content: Name, age, sex, color, marital status, month and day of death, native state or country, occupation and cause of death.
  • 1865 deaths of officers and enlisted men entry content: Name, age, marital status, citizenship status, enlistment date, original regiment, original rank, regiment at death, rank at death, promotions, death date and place, manner of death, surviving associates, and burial place.
  • Also on microfilm. See the FamilySearch Library line in the above State Census Chart.
  • Census Records For Onondaga County
  • 1864-5, 1874-5 See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.

Church Records


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

American Germans Records

American Irish Records

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

Original land records in Onondaga County began in 1794. These records are housed at the Onondaga County Clerks Office in Syracuse.

Online Records

  • Onondaga Land Records. Includes grantor indices for property transactions in the towns of Manlius, Pompey, and Tully; as well as bounty land records.

Local Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Oswego CountyMadison CountyCortland CountyCayuga CountyNY ONONDAGA.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Early migration routes to and from Onondaga County for European settlers included:

Military Records

Military Records including Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, Indian War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War.

American Revolution

War of 1812

Civil War

Town registers. The New York town clerks kept a bound register of all soldiers from their town serving in the Civil War 1861-1865. Registers are arranged by county, and town. Some town registers are missing. The registers include an index at the start of each town.

Content. Many register entries include full name, residence, date and place of birth, parents names, marital status, date of enlistment and muster and rank, discharges, death, or promotion.

Access. The original registers are at the New York State Archives in Albany, New York. Microfilm copies are found at the FamilySearch Library (FS Library Film 1993401-37). They are also indexed and available at Ancestry.com ($).

Available towns. Registers are available for: Camillus · Cicero · Clay · DeWitt · Elbridge · Fabius · LaFayette · Manlius · Otisco · Pompey · Salina · Syracuse - 1st thru 8th Wards · Skaneateles · Spafford · Tully · Van Buren.

Regiments. Service men in Onondaga County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.[8]

- 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery, Batteries A and B.
- 1st Regiment, New York Light Artillery, Battery B.
- 1st Regiment, New York Veteran Cavalry, Company F.
- 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, 2nd Company L.
- 8th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company M.
- 10th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A.
- 12th Independent Company, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, E, F, H and I.
- 12th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company G.
- 14th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
- 15th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
- 16th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company A.
- 20th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies F, G, I and L.
- 20th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.
- 22nd Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies B, E, H and I .
- 24th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies K and M.
- 86th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A.
- 101st Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, H, I and K.
- 122nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G,H, I and K.
- 149th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
- 176th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.
- 179th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D.
- 193rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, C and K.
- 194th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies H and I.


World War I


World War II

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers

  • Baldwinsville NY Gazette Farmers Journal 1879-1965
  • Baldwinsville NY Gazette Anniversary 1846-1896
  • Baldwinsville NY Messenger 1941-1988
  • Baldwinsville NY Onondaga Gazette 1846-1857
  • Baldwinsville NY Republican 1843-1846
  • Fayetteville NY Bulletin 1901-1989
  • Fayetteville NY Luminary 1840-1842
  • Fayetteville NY National Citizen & Ballot Box 1878-1881
  • Fayetteville NY Onondaga Independent 1899
  • Fayetteville NY Thrift News 1935-1941
  • Fayetteville NY Weekly Recorder 1866-1897
  • Marcellus NY Observer 1879-2007
  • Skaneatles NY Columbian 1835-1853
  • Skaneatles NY Democrat 1843-1921
  • Skaneatles NY Free Press 1892-1989
  • Syracuse NY Daily Courier 1856-1898
  • Syracuse NY Daily Journal 1847-1921
  • Syracuse NY Daily Star 1847-1852
  • Syracuse NY Empire State Democrat 1843-1844
  • Syracuse NY Evening Chronicle 1853-1855
  • Syracuse NY Evening Herald 1877-1897
  • Syracuse NY Evening Telegram 1898-1922
  • Syracuse NY Gazette & General Advertiser 1828-1829
  • Syracuse NY L'UNIONE (Italian Newspaper) 1908-1909
  • Syracuse NY Onondaga Standard 1841-1849
  • Syracuse NY Post Standard 1900-1921
  • Syracuse NY Religious Recorder 1851-1853
  • Syracuse NY Republican 1853-1854
  • Syracuse NY Standard 1851-1899
  • Syracuse NY Sunday Times 1876-1880
  • Syracuse NY The Carson League 1851-1854
  • Syracuse NY The State League 1851-1869
  • Syracuse NY Weekly Express 1887-1892
  • Syracuse NY Wesleyan 1853-1856
  • Tully NY Independent 1967-1978
  • Tully NY Times 1855-1945

Obituaries

Courtesy of the Onondaga County Public Library:

Other Records

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

  • 1827-1962 Onondaga County Poorhouse Ledger and Onondaga County Hospital Ledgers FS Library Film 1993147(first of 12 films). Microfilm of original ledgers at the town hall, Onondaga, New York. Includes town, date, name, age, admission and discharge, nativity, cause of pauperism, charges per inmate, deaths and transfers, pauper children bound out, their ages and to whom bound, and other reports. Birth records include baby number, name, date of birth, sex, alive or stillborn, sex, legitimacy; and parents' name, nativity, occupation, nativity, age, color and number of other children. Death records include number and name of corpse, date of death and burial, relative's name and residence, and who claimed body. Onondaga County poorhouse, located on Onondaga Hill four miles from Syracuse opened for the reception of paupers, December 17, 1827.
  • 1827-1962 Onondaga County Poorhouse Ledger and Onondaga County Hospital Ledgers FS Library Film 1993147(first of 12 films). Microfilm of original ledgers at the town hall, Onondaga, New York. Includes town, date, name, age, admission and discharge, nativity, cause of pauperism, charges per inmate, deaths and transfers, pauper children bound out, their ages and to whom bound, and other reports. Birth records include baby number, name, date of birth, sex, alive or stillborn, sex, legimacy; and parents' name, nativity, occupation, nativity, age, color and number of other children. Death records include number and name of corpse, date of death and burial, relative's name and residence, and who claimed body. Onondaga County poorhouse, located on Onondaga Hill four miles from Syracuse opened for the reception of paupers, December 17, 1827.

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.[9] See New York Probate Records for online resources, details, links, and more.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records

Online School Indexes and 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.


Onondaga County is unusual in New York state because birth, and death records and some marriage records for Onondaga County are on file with the Office of Vital Statistics in Syracuse. Search request forms are available at the Office of Vital Statistics, or may be found online or requested by mail. (Fees apply for both a record search and for a document copy.) Marriage records are usually found at the office of the town clerk.

Birth

Marriage

In 1880, town clerks were to record the marriage and a copy was sent to the New York State Department of Health (state level). The marriages in this county were recorded by the county clerk from Onondaga until 1908.[10] If you know where a birth, marriage or death took place, a copy of the certificate or record may be obtained by writing to the town, village or city clerk.

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

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Onondaga County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1985). At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.765 A3g v. 1–3 and film 1320833 Items 1-3. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies. Contents: v. 1. Resources in Syracuse University Special Collections, George Arents Research Library -- v. 2. Resources in Syracuse University Archives -- v. 3. Resources in public libraries, museums, historical societies and medical centers.

County Historian
A Historian has not been located for Onodaga County, New York. View the towns for the Town Historian. Also see Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center for further information.

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

Onondaga County Public Library
The Galleries of Syracuse
447 S. Salina St.
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: 315–435–1900
Email: lhg@onlib.org
Website

Genealogical resources: Newspapers, Histories, Maps, Atlases, Directories

Museums

Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center
321 Montgomery St.
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: 315-428-1864
Website

Genealogical resources: Research Center and Online Database of archival holdings. Research service for remote patrons available for a fee. Vertical files include biographical and genealogical information as well as town files for all towns in Onondaga County.

Societies

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

Central New York Genealogical Society
Box 104, Colvin Station
Syracuse, NY 13205
Email: contact@cnygs.org
Web Contact Form
Website

Member queries; surname research list; online resources; six meetings/year; publishes Tree Talks (At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.7 B2t) quarterly with annual index.
Counties served: Albany, Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Washington, Wayne, Warren, Wyoming, and Yates.

Onondaga Historical Association
321 Montgomery St
Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 428-1864
Email: ohamuseum@cnyhistory.org
Website

Syracuse Chapter Empire State Society Sons of the American Revolution
Website

Skaneateles Historical Society
Website

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Onondaga County, New York" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onondaga_County,_New_York accessed 21 Nov 2018
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Onondaga 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, "Onondaga County, New York," in "Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onondaga_County,_New_York, accessed 12 Feburary 2020.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ Compare the more northerly route in Handybook, 849, with the more southerly route described in Wikipedia contributors, "New York State Route 5" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Route_5 (accessed 28 June 2011).
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 488-493. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
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