New York Vital Records

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New York

Vital Records

New York Vital Records Dates

Government Registration	Births	Marriages	Deaths
New York City*	1847, 1853	1829	1812
City/Town/Village**	1847	1847	1847
State***	1880	1880	1880
General Compliance	1913	1880	1890
*Most of NYC records started 1866. Their records are not part of state collections **City, town, village dates vary ***3 other cities were not included in the state collections until 1914

Online Resources

Note: Cities of Albany (Albany County); Buffalo (Erie County); and Yonkers (Weschester County) were not included in the state records and indexes until 1914.

Birth

• 1640-1962 New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962 at FamilySearch — index
• 1704-1962 New York Church and Civil Births and Baptisms, 1704-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1881-1942 New York, Birth Index, 1881–1942 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1881-1942 New York State Birth Index, 1881-1942 at Reclaim the Records — index
• 1881-1942 New York, Birth Indexes outside of New York City, 1881-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

• Pre-1699 American Marriages Before 1699 at Ancestry — index ($)
• Pre-1784 Names of persons for whom marriage licenses were issued by the secretary of the province of New York, previous to 1784 at FamilySearch — eBook; Also at: Ancestry($)
• 1600s-1900s US Marriages – New York at Findmypast — index ($)
• 1600-1784 New York Marriages Index, 1600-1784 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1639-1962 US Marriages – New York at Findmypast — index & images ($)
• 1686-1980 New York Marriages, 1686-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1847-1936 New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1881-1952 New York State Marriages, 1881-1952 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1881-1967 New York State Marriage Index, 1881-1967 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1908-1935 New York Marriages, 1908-1935 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Death

• 1758-1862 New York Deaths and Burials 1758-1862 at Findmypast — index ($)
• 1795-1952 New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1801-1890 New York, Death Newspaper Extracts, 1801-1890 (Barber Collection) at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1824-1962 New York, Church and Civil Deaths, 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1852-1956 New York Death Index, 1852-1956 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1880-1955 New York State Death Index at Findmypast — index ($)
• 1880-1956 New York State Death Index, 1880-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: MyHeritage($)
• 1957-1963 New York State Health Department Genealogical Research Death Index, 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
• 1957-1969 New York State Deaths, 1957-1969 at MyHeritage — index ($)

Divorce

• See New York Divorce Records for more resources.

New York City

Birth

• 1846-1909 New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1855-1949 Historical Vital Records of NYC at New York City Municipal Archives; ongoing project digitizing original birth, marriage, and death records — index & images
• 1858-1909 German Genealogy Group Birth records from 1858 to 1909 for the five boroughs of New York City (Bronx, Kings, Manhattan, Queens and Richmond).
• 1866-1909 New York, New York, U.S., Index to Birth Certificates, 1866-1909 at Ancestry - index ($)
• 1878-1909 New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Birth Index, 1878-1909 at Ancestry - index ($); Also at MyHeritage index ($)
• 1879-1909 New York City Birth Index at SteveMorse.org — index & images
• 1910-1965 New York, New York, U.S., Birth Index, 1910-1965 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

Marriage

• 1829-1940 New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index
• 1855-1949 Historical Vital Records of NYC at New York City Municipal Archives; ongoing project digitizing original birth, marriage, and death records — index & images
• 1864-1937 New York City Marriage Indexes, 1864-1937 - Groom at SteveMorse.org — index & images; Also at: New York City Grooms Index German Genealogy Group - index
• 1864-1937 New York City Marriage Indexes, 1864-1937 - Bride at SteveMorse.org — index & images; Also at: New York City Brides Index at German Genealogy Group - index
• 1866-1937 New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937 at Ancestry - index ($); Also at MyHeritage ($)
• 1907-2018 New York, New York, U.S., Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018 at Ancestry - index ($)
• 1908-1910, 1938-1940 New York, New York, Index to Marriage Licenses, 1908-1910, 1938-1940 at Ancestry - index ($)
• 1950-2017 New York City Marriages, 1950-2017 at MyHeritage - index ($)
• 1950-1995 New York, New York City Marriage Licenses Index, 1950-1995 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Death

• 1795-1949 New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1814-1816 New York City, Compiled Death Index, 1814-1816 at Ancestry - index ($)
• 1855-1949 Historical Vital Records of NYC at New York City Municipal Archives; ongoing project digitizing original birth, marriage, and death records — index & images
• 1862-1948 New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948 at Ancestry - index ($); Also at MyHeritage ($)
• 1862-1948 New York, New York, U.S., Index to Death Certificates, 1862-1948 at Ancestry - index ($); Also at: German Genealogy Group — index;
• 1866-1948 New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948 at MyHeritage — index ($)
• 1949-1965 New York, New York, U.S., Death Index, 1949-1965 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

Get Copies

Please note that New York State does not hold New York City vital records.

Restrictions: Birth records 75 years, death records 50 years, marriage records 50 years Restrictions waived if the applicant provides documentation of direct line descent Persons to whom the record relates must be deceased
New York State	New York City
Steps: Search indexes in Online Resources Note date, place, and certificate number Order copies from Dept of Health or from that town, village, city New York State Department of Health Vital Records Section New York State Bureau of Vital Records 800 North Pearl Albany, NY 12204 Phone: 855-322-1022 Email: dohweb@health.ny.gov Website The State Department of Health issues certified copies of restricted records when requirements are met Uncertified copies available of vital records for genealogical purposes Birth, Death, Marriage order forms Orders may take 8 months or longer. Local registrars may respond more quickly New York State Archives New York State Education Department Cultural Education Center Albany, NY 12230 Phone: (518) 474-6926 Email: archinfo@nysed.gov Website The New York State Archives only holds indexes to birth, marriage, and death certificates City/Town/Village Records Contact the clerk or registrar of the locality to obtain a copy of unrestricted certificates. Search indexes in Online Resources above to learn the locality where an event occurred. Search the Internet for contact information for a local registrar. See also: New York State Towns, Villages, and Cities : A Guide to Genealogical Sources, by Gordon L. Remington. FS Catalog book 974.7 D27r; At various libraries (WorldCat);	New York City Municipal Archives (NYCMA) (births, marriages, deaths) 31 Chambers Street New York, New York 10007 Website NYC Historical Vital Records Project at New York City Municipal Archives Order Vital Records at NYC Department Records and Information Services NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (births and deaths) Records Access Officer Gotham Center 42-09 28th Street, Floor 14th, CN31 Long Island City, NY 11101 Phone: 212-639-9675 Website Order Records City Clerk of New York (marriages) Attn: Record Room 141 Worth Street New York, NY 10013 Website Order Form See also: New York City Vital Records

Coverage and Compliance

Statewide: (except New York City)

• 1847-1849: Several laws were passed in the New York State Legislature requiring the creation of birth, marriage, and death records by municipalities in the state. Compliance stopped a few years after.
• 1880-1881: New York began statewide registration of births, marriages, and deaths, under supervision of the State and local boards of health.
  • Compliance with the law was incomplete until 1913 or even later, resulting with incomplete records.
• See New York Law and Legislation for more information.

New York City:

• 1847-1913: These laws transformed vital record keeping practices in New York City and in municipalities whose vital records are now held by the New York City Municipal Archives.
• 1866: New York State Legislature created the New York City Metropolitan Board of Health, marking the beginning of birth, marriage, and death certificates issued in the City of New York and in the City of Brooklyn (Brooklyn had begun issuing death certificates in 1862). Compliance unknown

New York Cities That Kept Early Vital Records:

City	Birth and Death Years
New York	1847 for births, 1801 for deaths
Brooklyn	1866 for births, 1847 for deaths
Albany	1870
Buffalo, Erie County	1878
Syracuse	1873
Rochester	1875
Utica	1873
Yonkers, Westchester County	1875

Information in the Records

Birth Records

New York Birth Records May Include*
Name of Child	x
Birth Date/Place	x
Sex/Race	x
Parents' Names	x
Parents' Birthplace	x
# of Children Born/Living	x
Residence/Occupation	x
Midwife/Doctor	x
* Early records may have less information

New York State
Births and deaths are recorded in the town, village, or city where the event took place, then a copy is sent to the New York State Bureau of Vital Records

• 1847: School District Clerks reported to town clerks, who reported to county clerks, who then reported to Secretary of State
• 1853: Law required physicians and midwives to keep registers
  
• 1880: State began collecting records from towns, villages, cities
  • Exceptions:
    • New York City not included in any state collections
    • Albany, Buffalo, and Yonkers were separate until 1914

New York City

• 1847: Towns, villages, cities in NYC area recorded and reported to counties at the time.
• 1853: Health Inspector of NYC required to collect and report births, marriages, and deaths
• 1866: Metropolitan Board of Health created to receive reports of births and deaths.
  • 1847-1849, 1853-1917, 1866-1909: Collections Guide - Birth records at NYC Municipal Archives
    

Delayed Birth Records
Delayed birth records were created in the 1940s for adults without birth certificates, in order to be eligible for Social Security benefits.

See also:

• New York Guided Research
• How to Find New York Birth Records
• How to Find New York City Birth Records
• United States Delayed Birth Records
• How to Find Birth Information in the United States
• United States Birth Records
• United States How to Use Birth Records

Marriage Records

New York Marriage Records May Include:*
Names of Bride/Groom**	x
Date/Place of Marriage	x
Presiding Official	x
# of Times Married	x
Dates/Places of Birth	x
Residences/Race	x
Parents' Names	x
* Early records may have less information ** May be previous married name of bride

Before the state began registering vital statistics in 1881, some marriages were recorded by justices of the peace and some by school districts. They include licenses, affidavits, and certificates of marriage.

• For a brief period (1908-1936) the city and town licenses provide information not in the Department of Health certificates, such as:

1. Town of birth—in the United States or abroad
2. Parents' country of birth
3. Former spouses living or dead
4. If divorced, when and where divorce or divorces were granted

• These records remain in the custody of the town or county clerks, except where they have been transferred to a county/state/city archives

New York State
Marriages are recorded in the town, village, or city where the event took place, then a copy is sent to the New York State Bureau of Vital Records. Most counties have copies.

• 1847: Law requiring localities to keep and report vital records passed but often disregarded after 3-4 years.
• 1880: State began collecting records from towns, villages, cities
  • Exceptions:
    • New York City was not part of state collections
    • Albany, Buffalo, and Yonkers separate until 1914

New York City

• 1847: Localities within present NYC collected marriage information and reported to counties
• 1853: Health Inspector of NYC required to collect and report births, marriages, and deaths
• 1898: City Clerk of NYC receives report of NYC marriages.
  • 1829-1949, 1866-1949: Collections Guide - Marriage records at NYC Municipal Archives

Gretna Greens. When an eloping, New York couples would get married in alternate places instead of New York City.
These include:

• • Niagara Falls, New York
  • Ogdensburgh, St. Lawrence, New York
  • Buffalo, Erie, New York
  • Crown Point, Essex, New York
  • Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
  • Elkton, Cecil, Maryland
  • Prince William County, Virginia

See also:

• New York Guided Research
• How to Find New York Marriage Records
• How to Find New York City Marriage Records
• United States Marriage Records
• United States How to Use Marriage Records
• New York Divorce Records

Death Records

New York Death Records May Include:*
Name of Decedent	x
Date/Place of Death	x
Sex/Race	x
Occupation	x
Age/Date of Birth	x
State/Country of Birth	x
Length of Residence	x
Name of Spouse	x
Parents' Names	x
Birth Places of Parents	x
Physician	x
Cause of Death	x
Informant	x
Cemetery	x
* Early records may have less information

New York State
Births and deaths are recorded in the town, village, or city where the event took place, then a copy is sent to the New York State Bureau of Vital Records

• 1847: School District Clerks reported to town clerks, who reported to county clerks, who then reported to Secretary of State
• 1880: State began collecting records from towns, villages, cities
  • Exceptions:
    • New York City was not part of state collections
    • Albany, Buffalo, and Yonkers were separate until 1914

New York City
Births and deaths were sent to the 5 counties before 1847 and to the Metropolitan Board of Health since 1866

• 1847: Towns in the now NYC area were responsible to collect vital records and forward to county officials
• 1853: Health Inspector of NYC required to collect and report births, marriages, and deaths
• 1866: Metropolitan Board of Health created to receive reports of births and deaths.
  • 1795, 1802-1804, 1812-1948, 1866-1948: Collections Guide - Death records at NYC Municipal Archives

See also:

• New York Guided Research
• How to Find New York Death Records
• How to Find New York City Death Records
• United States Death Records
• United States How to Find Death Records
• United States How to Use Death Records

Cause of Death

• Causes of Death - use this resource when trying to interpret a disease or medical condition listed on a death record or certificate.

Additional Information

See also:

• New York City Vital Records
• New York Town Records
• United States Vital Records wiki page
• Locating United States Vital Records
• Guide to Public Vital Statistics in New York (including New York City). Albany, [New York] : Historical Records Survey (New York), 1942. Vol 1, Births; Vol 2, Marriages; Vol 3, Deaths. book 977.7 V2h (film 928101 items 1-3); At various libraries (WorldCat); Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, vol. 1; FamilySearch Digital Library, vol. 2; FamilySearch Digital Library, vol. 3.
• New York GenWeb

Strategy

Tips for Using Vital Records

• Certificate or record is not found:

1. Couples often married in the county where bride lived or they may have eloped
2. Search the towns and cities where the event took place. Also search surrounding counties to locate the document.
3. The record may not exist because of record loss at the the county courthouse. See Burned, Lost, or Missing Records.
4. The event may not have been recorded by the government at that time. Substitute Records.

• Examine the record to determine accuracy:

1. Person providing information may not remember events accurately
2. Informant may not have been present at the time of the event
3. Informant may give false information to hide age, race, religion, or illegitimacy
4. Grieving relatives may not have remembered correctly

• Review the informant on the document:

1. Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record
2. See if records about the informant may have clues about the family
3. Verify vital information with other sources
   

• Marriage certificates in New York may give date and U.S. city or town of birth for bride and groom

See also:

• New York Research Tips and Strategies
• United States Basic Search Strategies
• United States Research Tips and Strategies

Burned, Lost, or Missing Records

The following counties had record loss. Click on the county for more information.

Albany Niagara Orange Schoharie Sullivan

See also:

• Burned Counties Research for strategies to find ancestors in spite of record loss.

Substitute Records

For other records that may give birth, marriage, or death information, see:

• New York Substitute Records
• Substitute Records for United States Birth Information
• Substitute Records for United States Marriage Information
• Substitute Records for United States Death Information

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