Schenectady County, New York Genealogy

United States

New York

Schenectady County

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

New York Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Schenectady Organized: March 7, 1809 Parent County(s): Albany Neighboring Counties Albany • Fulton • Montgomery • Saratoga • Schoharie See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

The county was named for the Mohawk language word meaning "on the other side of the pine lands," a term originally applied to Albany. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Schenectady County Courthouse
612 State St
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: 518-285-8401
Schenectady County Website

The Schenectady County Clerk's office has marriage, divorce, court and land records as well as maps and city directories.
The Surrogate Court has probate records.

Schenectady 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
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1880	1908	1880	1858	1858	1630	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

Parent County(s): Created from Albany on March 7, 1809 . County Seat: Schenectady New York Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county New York Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating New York 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:

Cities
Schenectady (county seat)
Towns
Duanesburg Glenville	Niskayuna Princetown	Rotterdam
Villages
Delanson	Scotia
Hamlets
Alplaus	Quaker Street
Census-designated places
Duanesburg Duane Lake	East Glenville Mariaville Lake	Niskayuna Rotterdam

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.
  

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Schenectady County, New York online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find A Grave Tombstone Transcription Project BillionGraves Interment.net New York Gravestones NYGenWeb Cemeteries Names in Stone Linkpendium
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find A Grave FamilySearch Places
See New York Cemeteries for more information.

• 1800-1965 New York, Cemetery Abstracts, 1800-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1810	10,201	—
1820	13,081	28.2%
1830	12,347	−5.6%
1840	17,387	40.8%
1850	20,054	15.3%
1860	20,002	−0.3%
1870	21,347	6.7%
1880	23,538	10.3%
1890	29,797	26.6%
1900	46,852	57.2%
1910	88,235	88.3%
1920	109,363	23.9%
1930	125,021	14.3%
1940	122,494	−2.0%
1950	142,497	16.3%
1960	152,896	7.3%
1970	160,979	5.3%
1980	149,946	−6.9%
1990	149,285	−0.4%
2000	146,555	−1.8%
2010	154,727	5.6%
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.
• 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.

State

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

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.

Church Records

• See New York Church Records for more resources

• 1600s-1i872 Schenectady Baptisms from Pearson's Genealogies at Ancestral Things
• 1640-1962 New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1795-1952 New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• Church Records at NYGenWeb - Baptist, Christian, Dutch, Episcopal, Greek Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed, and Roman Catholic

Catholic

• Local Catholic Church and Family History & Genealogical Research Guide is a free online resource that identifies the parishes of Schenectady County, years parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. Schenectady County parishes fall under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Albany.
  

Lutheran

• 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($) — index & images

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places

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.

• 1810-1843 Marie Hall Cormack, Transcript of books 118-121 of old records in the County Clerk's Office : ca. 1810-1843 (1939–1940). FS Library Book 974.744 P2c v. 1–2.

Directories

• 1857 The Schenectady city directory : containing the names and residences of the citizens; also, a business directory - 1857. by William Boyd, Directory Publisher, Schenectady, 1857. Online at:FamilySearch Digital Library

• 1864-1865 Schenectady City and County Directory ... 1864-5. Online at:Don's List.

• 1870-1871 Gazetteer and business directory of Albany & Schenectady Co., N.Y., for 1870-71, Hammilton Child Publisher, Syracuse, NY. 1870 Online at:FamilySearch Digital Library

Emigration and Immigration

• 1906-1942 New York Book Indexes to Passenger Lists, 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Funeral Homes

Bekkering Ellis Funeral Home in Scotia Bonds Funeral Home in Schenectady Curtis Funeral Home & Cremations Inc. in Schenectady Daly Funeral Home in Schenectady DeLegge Funeral Home in Schenectady DeMarco-Stone Funeral Homes in Rotterdam Gleason Funeral Home, Inc. in Schenectady Glenville Funeral Home] in Scotia Rossi & Ditoro Funeral Home in Schenectady Scott & Barbieri Family Funeral Homes in Schenectady Scott & Barbieri Family Funeral Homes in Scotia White-Van Buren Funeral Home in Delanson

Genealogies

• 1662-1800 S0chenectady NY First Settlers 1662-1800. Online at:Schenectady, NY: First Settlers, 1662-1800 at American Ancestors ($) — index & images

• 1662-1800 Centennial address relating to the early history of Schenectady, and its first settlers : delivered at Schenectady, July 4th, 1876. by John Sanders, Van Benthuysen Publisher, Albany, NY. 1876. Online at:FamilySearch Digital Library

Land and Property Records

• See New York Land and Property for more resources.

• Original land records in Schenectady County began in 1809. These records are housed at the Schenectady County Courthouse in Schenectady, New York.
  
• The Schenectady County Clerk has put a deed index online.
  

A guide at NYGenWeb explains how to use this database:

• Schenectady County, New York Property Assessments and Land Records

For more recent sales, a subscription site can help: NYDeeds.com ($).

Local Histories

• 1600s-1800s Schenectady Marriages from Pearson's Genealogies at Ancestral Things
• 1662-1800 Schenectady, NY: First Settlers, 1662-1800 at American Ancestors ($) — index & images
• Schenectady Digital History Archive includes: "Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs: Index to Families".
  

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of New York (1683-1915)
• 1870-71 Child, Hamilton. Gazetteer and business directory of Albany and Schenectady Co., N. Y. for 1870-71. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University Microfilms International - Books on Demand, 1989. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library fiche 6072149
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

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

• Mohawk River pre-historic
• Hudson River pre-historic
• Lake Champlain pre-historic
• Richelieu River pre-historic
• Saint Lawrence River prehistoric
• Lake Champlain Trail pre-historic
• Mohawk or Iroquois Trail 1722
• Forbidden Path or Catskill Turnpike
• Greenwood Road
• Old Connecticut Path
• Champlain Canal 1823
• Erie Canal 1825
• Chambly Canal 1843

Military Records

Civil War

• 1861-1865 New York, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch —How to Use this Collection; index & images at partner site

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: Duanesburg · Glenville · Niskayuna · Rotterdam .

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

- 7th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Company C.

- 18th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A and E.

- 18th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company E.

- 25th Regiment, New York Cavalry, Companies D, L and M.

- 30th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.

- 43rd Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.

- 91st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.

- 134th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B, F, H and I.

- 175th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D and E.

- 177th Regiment, New York Infantry

- 192nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies D, E, F, G, H and I.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

• 1791-1980 New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1872-1878 New York, Record of Naturalized Voters Registered, 1872-1878 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Newspapers

• 1800-1855 New York Marriage Notices at Ancestry ($) – index. This database is a collection of marriage notices published in newspapers around the state. Contains name of bride and groom, marriage date, marriage location, residence, and newspaper found in.
  
• 1801-1880 Barber Collection- Newspaper Marriages at Ancestry ($) – index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
  
• 1801-1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at – ($) index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
  
• 1808-1850 Fred Q.Bowman, 7000 Hudson-Mohawk Valley, (NY), Vital Records, 1808-1850 (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1997). At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.7 V2bo. Abstracts from newspapers filed at the New York State Library in Albany.
  
• 1856-1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry ($) – index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browsable.
  
• Library of Congress U.S. Newspaper Directoryat Chronicling America - shows 100 newspapers published in the county since settlement.

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

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1626-1836 Calendar of Wills On File and Recorded in the Offices of the Clerk of the Court of Appeals, of the County Clerk at Albany, and of the Secretary of State, 1626-1836 at FamilySearch Digital Library; Also at: Ancestry ($), American Ancestors ($)
• 1629-1971 New York Probate Records, 1629-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
• 1659-1999 New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
• 1787-1835 Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835 at American Ancestors ($).
• 1809-1917 SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
  
• 1809-1845 Barber, Gertrude A. Abstracts of Wills of Schenectady County, N.Y.: Copied from the Original Records at the Surrogate's Office, Schenectady, N.Y. unknown, 1989. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  
• 1866-1923 New York, Kings County Estate Files, 1866-1923 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1629-1971 New York Probate Records, 1629-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
• 1809-1929 Probate Records: Administration bonds 1890-1901; General index 1809-1916; Guardianship bonds 1890-1929; Letters of administration 1809-1921; Letters of guardianship 1809-1907; Letters of testamentary 1839-1918; Probate records 1871-1917; Will and letter index 1809-1830; Wills 1806-1917. FS Library Film 503213 (38 films)

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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.
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

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

• See New York Vital Records for more databases and information about obtaining 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

• 1640-1962 New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1881-1942 New York, Birth Indexes Outside of New York City, 1881-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1881-1942 New York, Birth Index, 1881-1942 at Ancestry ($) — index
• 1881-1942 Reclaim the Records: New York State Birth Index at Internet Archive - images of index

Marriage

• 1639-1962 New York, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index
• 1664-1784 Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784, by New York. Secretary of State. Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860. FS Library Film 514675 Item 1 or 930131 Item 2; At various libraries (WorldCat); Online at: Cornell University, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.
  
• 1686-1980 New York Marriages, 1686-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1847-1936 New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1881-1964 Reclaim the Records: New York State Marriage Index at Internet Archive - images of index
• 1908-1935 New York Marriages, 1908-1935 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Death

• 1824-1962 New York, Church and Civil Deaths, 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1880-1956 New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1880-1956 New York, Death Index, 1880-1956 at Ancestry ($) — index only
  
• 1880-1956 Reclaim the Records: New York State Death Index at Internet Archive - images of index
• 1957-1963 New York State Health Department, Genealogical Research Death Index, 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

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

• 1872-1878 New York, Record of Naturalized Voters Registered, 1872-1878 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Research Facilities

Archives

• See New York Archives and Libraries for state-wide archive facilities.

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Schenectady County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1983). At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 974.744 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

County Historian
Schenectady County Historian
c/o County Manager's Office
620 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Email: historian@schenectadycounty.com

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

• Albany New York FamilySearch Center
• Schoharie Valley New York FamilySearch Center
• Guilderland Public Library - an affiliate library
• New York State Library and New York State Archives - an affiliate library

Libraries

• See New York Archives and Libraries for state-wide library facilities.

Grems-Doolittle Library and Archives
32 Washington Ave.
Schenectady, NY 12305
Website

Housed at the Schenectady County Historical Society. Collection includes Almshouse records, Bibles, City Directories, County Histories, Deeds, Newspapers, Wills, and more. The Library also accepts Research Requests.

Schenectady County Public Library System
Central Library
99 Clinton St.
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: 588-318-4500
Website

Includes ten branch libraries throughout Schenectady County. Also hosts Schenectady Digital History Archive and holds subscriptions to major genealogical websites. The Schenectady County Public Library is part of the Mohawk Valley Library System, a "a public library system serving 14 member libraries" in Fulton, Montgomery, Schenectady, and Schoharie Counties. Highlights from the historical and genealogical collections can also be found on The Documentarian

Schaffer Library
Union College
807 Union St.
Schenectady, NY
Phone: 518-388-6620
Website

The Special Collections and The College Archives are housed on the third floor of the library. Resources include local history and manuscript collections.

Societies

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

Capital District Genealogical Society
Empire State Plaza Station
PO Box 2175
Albany, NY 12220-0175
Website

Counties served include Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Washington.)

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 include 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.)

Schenectady County Historical Society
32 Washington Avenue
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: 518.374.0263
Website

The Historical Society also houses and maintains the Grems- Doolittle Library and Archives, the Schenectady County Historical Society Museum and more.

Schenectada Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution
Email: B1093@citlink.net
Website

Websites

• Schenectady NY GenWeb
• Schenectady County Genealogy
• Ancestry
• FamilySearch Catalog – 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.

This table contains the dates the local or state government began recording in the county or county equivalent. Use substitute records for earlier dates. If you believe there is an error, email us at wikisupport@familysearch.org.

County boundary maps are currently unavailable. Download information instead.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

A national directory from the Library of Congress that lists of libraries around the country that have the newspapers in their collections.

FamilySearch affiliate libraries may have access to center-only databases, but do not always have all services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.