Bronx Borough, New York Genealogy

United States

New York

New York City

Bronx Borough

Guide to Bronx Borough (previously Bronx County), New York ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

This page describes sources of genealogical data about Bronx Borough, New York Genealogy families, including links to smaller localities at the bottom of this page. New York-related pages show useful statewide sources. United States pages explain the terminology and contents of genealogical records. Information about the Bronx County is included here.

New York Online Genealogy Records

Bronx Borough, New York
Map
Location in the state of New York
Location of New York in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	January 1, 1914
County Seat	New York City
Courthouse
Address	Office of Bronx Borough President 851 Grand Concourse Bronx, NY 10451 Bronx Website

New York City map with the Bronx highlighted in yellow.

Bronx Borough, New York Historical Facts

Description

The County was named for Jonas Bronck. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

Bronx Borough, New York Record Dates

The Bronx does not have a county government. Officially, the Borough of Bronx is one of five boroughs of greater New York City since 1914. The county is coterminous with the Borough of Bronx (meaning they have identical borders.)

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1898	1897	1898	1914	1657	1914	1663
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1880. General compliance for births by 1915 and deaths by 1890.

Parent county: In 1914 The Bronx was created as a separate borough of New York City  mostly from the mainland part of New York (Manhattan) County.

• 1898-1913 The Bronx  was part of New York (Manhattan) County, New York, an NYC borough
• 1683-1895 East Bronx was part of Westchester County; starting 1895 part of New York County
• 1683-1874 West Bronx was part of Westchester County; starting 1874 part of New York Co.

Boundary Changes

For animated maps illustrating New York County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation New York County Boundary Maps" (1683-1915) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

1664 Yorkshire became the first large government unit (not actually a county) organized by New York after the English took control from the The Netherlands. It was divided into three ridings including North Riding (Westchester, Bronx, New York (Manhattan), Nassau and part of Queens counties).
1683 New York extinguished Yorkshire. What later became the Bronx was then created part of Westchester County from part of Yorkshire.
1874 The West Bronx was annexed to New York County.
1895 Areas east of the Bronx River were annexed to New York County.
1898 What became the five boroughs were consolidated into New York City, and her county governments were dissolved. The Bronx joined New York City attached to Manhattan.
1914 Bronx was separated from Manhattan. Bronx borough/county borders are the same.

Record Loss

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

Bronx Borough New York Genealogy 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

Online Grave Transcripts	Published Grave Transcripts	County Cemetery Directories
Findagrave.com*	Family History Library*	Findagrave.com*
Interment.net*	WorldCat*	Tombstone Project*
Cemetery Site*		Names in Stone*
New York Gravestones*		Billion Graves*
NYGenWeb*		FamilySearch Places
Billion Graves*
Names in Stone*
Linkpendium*
Ancestry*
*See the New York Cemeteries page for details about each site.

• 1800-1965 - New York, Cemetery Abstracts, 1800-1965 at FamilySearch — index

Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Census

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	1,781	—
1800	1,755	−1.5%
1810	2,267	29.2%
1820	2,782	22.7%
1830	3,023	8.7%
1840	5,346	76.8%
1850	8,032	50.2%
1860	23,593	193.7%
1870	37,393	58.5%
1880	51,980	39.0%
1890	88,908	71.0%
1900	200,507	125.5%
1910	430,980	114.9%
1920	732,016	69.8%
1930	1,265,258	72.8%
1940	1,394,711	10.2%
1950	1,451,277	4.1%
1960	1,424,815	−1.8%
1970	1,471,701	3.3%
1980	1,168,972	−20.6%
1990	1,203,789	3.0%
2000	1,332,650	10.7%
2010	1,385,108	3.9%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

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

• The 1890 Census is lost. For a substitute, see Directories.
  

• 1698 - Randolph, Howard S.F. "The Census of 1698 for Mamaroneck, Morrisania, and New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 59, No. 2 (Apr. 1928):103-107. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 59.

Federal

Before the annexation, see Westchester County.

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 FHL Films 1415128–42.

State

Source	1825	1835	1845	1855	1865	1875	1892	1905	1915	1925
Ancestry.com	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	Yes
Family History Library film	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	Yes
FamilySearch index and image	-	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	-	Yes	Yes	Yes
New York State Library film	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	Yes

City

• 1890 - New York, New York City, Police Census, 1890 at FamilySearch — index

Church Records

Church records are good substitutes for birth, marriage, and death information and are most often found on a local city/town or county level.  Published and manuscript church records can be found at public, university, and private libraries.

For a brief general history of denominations and a guide to finding various New York denomination's records, see New York Church Records Wiki page.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places

Ann Mensch's Local Catholic Church and Family History & Genealogical Research Guide is a free online resource that identifies the parishes of the Bronx, years when parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. Parishes in the Bronx fall under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of New York.

• Records of Burials in the Dutch Church, New York. New York, USA: Reformed Dutch Church, 1899. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  

• 1838-1918 West Farms Reformed Church FHL film 960993-960994 Minutes of consistory meetings, lists of members, records of marriages and baptisms, 1838-1866, Minutes of consistory meetings, 1866-1918
• 1886-1925 Zion German Presbyterian Church FHL film 960995 Contains minutes of meetings, lists of officers and members, records of baptisms, marriages and deaths. Text in German and English.

Church Histories

• Frederick L. Attwood, History of Fordham Manor Reformed Church: 2703 Reservoir Avenue, Bronx, New York, 1696-1946 (Bronx, N.Y.?: The Church?, 1946). Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• John Campbell, History of the Church of the Mediator: Kingsbridge, New York (New York: unknown, 1990). Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• Atley W. Henry, Fordham Manor Reformed Church: 2703 Reservoir Avenue, New York 63, New York: 250th Anniversary Historical Pageant (Bronx, N.Y.?: The Church?, 1991). Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• 250th Anniversary Services Celebrating the Foundation of Fordham Manor Reformed Church: 2703 Reservoir Avenue, New York 63, New York : November 17, through November 24, 1946 (Bronx, N.Y.?: The Church?, 1991). Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Additional Church Records

Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Bronx Borough, New York Genealogy Church Records  in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).

Court Records

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

Emigration and Immigration

• 1906-1942 - New York Book Indexes to Passenger Lists, 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1917-1957 - New York, New York, Index to Alien Crewmen Who Were Discharged or Who Deserted, 1917-1957 at FamilySearch — index
• 1944-1948 - United States, New York, Index to Passengers Arriving at New York City, compiled 1944-1948 at FamilySearch — index

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Genealogy

• Rootsweb message board for Bronx Borough, New York Genealogy has many information threads about families that resided in that county. There is a search engine that allows you to search by surname and topic.
  
• Bronx Rootsweb mailing lists

History

Origins and name of the Bronx

• The Bronx was called Rananchqua by the native Siwanoy band of Lenape ("the Delawares" to Europeans), while other Native Americans knew the Bronx as Keskeskeck. It was divided by the Aquahung River.

• Jonas Bronck (died 1643), a Dutch sea-captain born in Sweden (about 1600), entering New Netherland in 1639, became the first recorded European settler in the area. He leased land from the Dutch West India Company on the neck of the mainland immediately north of the Dutch settlement in Harlem, and bought additional tracts from the local tribes. He eventually accumulated 500 acres (about 200 hectares, 2 square km, or 3/4 of a square mile) between the Harlem River and the Aquahung, which became known as Bronck's River, or "the Bronx". Dutch and English settlers referred to the area as Bronck's Land.

• The Bronx is referred to, both legally, and colloquially, with a definite article, as The Bronx. (The name of the coterminous Bronx County, or more formally the County of Bronx, does not include a the, nor does the United States Postal Service in its database of Bronx addresses.) The name for this region, apparently after the Bronx River, first appeared in the Annexed District of the Bronx created in 1874 out of part of Westchester County and was continued in the Borough of the Bronx, which included a larger annexation from Westchester County in 1898. The use of the definite article is attributed to the style of referring to rivers. Another explanation for the use of the definite article in the borough's name is that the original form of the name was possessive: The Bronck’s or The Broncks’ (referring to the family).

Before 1914

• The development of the Bronx is directly connected to its strategic location between New England and New York (Manhattan). Control over the bridges across the Harlem River plagued the period of British colonial rule. Kingsbridge, built in 1693 where Broadway reached the Spuyten Duyvil Creek, was a possession of the lords of Philipse Manor. The tolls they charged were resented by Bronx farmers with crops and cattle to sell in New York. It was angry farmers who built a "free bridge" across the Harlem River which led to the abandonment of tolls altogether.

• The territory now contained within Bronx County was originally part of Westchester County, one of the 12 original counties of the English Province of New York. The present Bronx County was contained in the town of Westchester and parts of the towns of Yonkers, Eastchester, and Pelham. In 1846, a new town, West Farms, was created by division of Westchester; in turn, in 1855, the town of Morrisania was created from West Farms. In 1873, the town of Kingsbridge (roughly corresponding to the modern Bronx neighborhoods of Kingsbridge, Riverdale, and Woodlawn) was established within the former borders of Yonkers.

• The consolidation of the Bronx into New York City proceeded in two stages. In 1873, the state legislature annexed Kingsbridge, West Farms and Morrisania to New York, effective in 1874; the three towns were abolished in the process.[20][21] In 1895, three years before New York's consolidation with Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, the whole of the territory east of the Bronx River, including the Town of Westchester (which had voted in 1894 against consolidation) and portions of Eastchester and Pelham, were annexed to the city. City Island, a nautical community, voted to join the city in 1896.

• 1 January 1898: The consolidated City of New York was born, including the Bronx as one of the five distinct Boroughs. (At the same time the Bronx's territory moved from Westchester County into New York County, which already contained Manhattan and the rest of pre-1874 New York City.)

• 19 April 1912: Those parts of New York County which had been annexed from Westchester County in the past decades were newly constituted as Bronx County, the 62nd and last county to be created by the state, effective in 1914. Bronx County's courts opened for business on January 2, 1914 (the same day that John P. Mitchel started work as Mayor of New York City). Source:Bronx_County, New York

Jewish Records

The Museum of Family History has compiled a list of synagogues that operated in the Bronx. Synagogue names, addresses, and town associations (nationalities) are included.

Land and Property

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See New York Land and Property for more details, especially about the papers generated in New York State by large speculative land companies.

Original land records in Bronx Borough, New York Genealogy began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online

Microforms

• 1657-1895 Certified copies of Westchester County (now Bronx County) deeds, 1657-1895 FHL film 1413001 (first of 90 films - Index included: Grantees and grantors 1667 - 1895. One needs to search the indexes first since the libers (volumes) in the FamilySearch Catalog do not list years. When using the indexes be sure to record liber and page numbers from the New York column. The records include "general and referees' deeds, leases, easements, reservations and other instruments except mortgages, affecting the right, title and interest in real property, showing names of grantor, grantee, witness or other principal parties ... Arr. chron. by date of certification."
  
• 1874-1890 Conveyances of land originally in New York County (now Bronx County), New York, 1874-1890 FHL film 1413005 (first of 23 films - Grantee and Grantor indexes included: 1874 - 1890. Deeds are organized according to New York liber numbers and "original page numbers" rather than Bronx liber and page numbers. When using indexes be sure to record liber and page numbers from the New York column. Records include "Certified copies of general and referees' deeds, leases, easements, reservations, and other instruments except mortgages, affecting the right, title and interest to real property located in sections 9-13 and recorded in the New York County register's office ... Arr. chron. by date instrument recorded in New York County register's office."
  

Books

Additional land records can sometimes be found using these catalogs:

• WorldCat using the search phase: Bronx Borough, New York Genealogy deeds. (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
• FamilySearch Catalog using the search phrase: 1, New York - Land and Property. (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search.)

Additional resources

Additional resources for Bronx Borough, New York Genealogy land records may be found in the Bronx Borough, New York Genealogy – Land Records topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche may be available for viewing at various Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Maps

• Maps of New York (1683-1915)

Migration

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

• Ellis Island, Castle Garden, etc.
• the Atlantic Ocean
• Long Island Sound
• Hudson River with connections to:

• Mohawk River
• Lake Champlain with connections to Richelieu River, Chambly Canal & St. Lawrence River
• Lake Champlain Trail pre-historic
• Champlain Canal 1823
• Erie Canal 1825

• King's Highway (or Boston Post Road, or New York-Philadelphia Post Road) 1664
• Albany Post Road (or Queen's Road, or King's Road) 1669
• Hudson River Path
• Great Shamokin Path
• Delaware and Raritan Canal 1834

Military Records

Civil War

• 1861-1865 - New York, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

Civil War service men in Bronx County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.

- 5th Regiment, New York Infantry (Duryee Zouaves), Company F.

- 6th Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery, Companies C, H and K.

- 17th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.

- 20th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company H.

- 78th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B and C. 

-135th Regiment, New York Infantry

Naturalization and Citizenship

Indexes

• 1791-1980 - New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images

• 1792-1989 - Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989 at Ancestry ($). This database is based on NARA's Soundex Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts located in New York City, 1792-1989. All 5 boroughs are included.

• 1824-1941 - New York, Southern District Index to Petitions for Naturalization, 1828-1941 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

• 1824-1946 - New York, Southern District, U.S District Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1946 at FamilySearch — index and images

• 1914-1952 - Bronx Borough Naturalization Index Project at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  

• 1917-1950 - New York, Southern District Naturalization Index, 1917-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

The Family History Library has also acquired this comprehensive index for the years 1792 through 1906 on microfilm: FHL 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
• U.S. District Court Southern Court Southern District, (New York, Bronx and also Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties), 1824-1906

Occupations

• 1890 - New York, New York City, Police Census, 1890 at FamilySearch — index

Probate Records

West Bronx (west of the Bronx River)

• Early to 1874 see Westchester County, New York
• 1874 to 1913 see New York (Manhattan) County, New York
• 1914 to present contact the Bronx County Surrogate's Court

East Bronx (east of the Bronx River)

• Early to 1895 see Westchester County, New York
• 1895 to 1913 see New York (Manhattan) County, New York
• 1914 to present contact the Bronx County Surrogate's Court

Online Probate Indexes

• 1629 - 1971 New York Probate Records 1629-1971 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
• 1659 - 1999 New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
• 1866 - 1923 New York Kings County Estate Files 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images

Repositories

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Bronx County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1988). ExLibris digital copy - free; At various libraries; FHL Book 974.7275 A3g Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries, and Museums

City Island Historical Society and Nautical Museum[10] 190 Fordham Street
P.O. Box 82
Bronx, New York 10464
Phone: 718-885-0008
Email: CIHS@cityislandmuseum.org

• Focuses on nautical, marine, sailing, boat-building history and City Island families.
  

Kingsbridge Historical Society
426 West 259th Street
Bronx, New York 10471
Phone: 718-796-1195

Lehman College Library of the City
University of New York
250 Bedford Park Blvd, West
Bronx, New York 10468-1589
Phone: 718-960-8577 and 718-960-7766
Email: libref@lehman.cuny.edu

Bronx Library Center
New York Public Library
310 East Kingsbridge Road
Bronx, New York 10458
Phone: 718-579-4244

Borough Historian

Official Bronx Historian
3309 Bainbridge Avenue
Bronx, New York 10467
Phone: 718-881-8901

City Register

Office of the City Register - Official record of real estate and personal property transfers, recording deeds and mortgages

City Clerk's Office

City Clerk's Office
Bronx Office
Supreme Court Building
851 Grand Concourse
Bronx, New York 10451
Phone: 718-590-5307

• Marriages from 1866 to 1907
  
• After 1907 if bride's residence or licenses of nonresidents was obtained in the Bronx
  

County Historian's Office

Dr. Lloyd Ultan
3309 Bainbridge Avenue
Bronx, New York 10467
Phone: 718-881-8901

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.

Courthouses

The County Clerk's office has marriage, divorce, court and naturalization records. For further information about where the records for Bronx County are held, see the Bronx County Courthouses page.

Family History Centers

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

• Family History 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 family history center.
  

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• 87th Street New York Family History Center
• Bronx New York Family History Center
• Harlem New York Family History Center
• Inwood New York Family History Center
• New York City New York Family History Center
• Union Square New York Family History Center

Societies

The Bronx County Historical Society

Administration Office
3309 Bainbridge Avenue
The Bronx, NY 10467
Phone: (718) 881-8900
Fax: (718) 881-4827
Email: administration@bronxhistoricalsociety.org
Hours: Monday - Friday 9 am - 5 pm
Facebook

Research Library
3309 Bainbridge Avenue
The Bronx, NY 10467
Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 9 am - 5 pm by appointment only
To book an appointment or for general questions, contact the librarian at (718) 881-8900
Email: librarian@bronxhistoricalsociety.org

The Bronx County Archives
Hours: Monday - Friday 9 am - 5 pm by appointment only
To book an appointment, contact the archivist via email at archivist@bronxhistoricalsociety.org

Social Groups Online

• New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch)

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. For further details, try the links to individual town Wiki pages found in Places. See also:

• Gordon L. Remington, New York Towns, Villages, and Cities: A Guide to Genealogical Sources (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002). NEHGS online edition; At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974.7 D27r. Alphabetical list including date founded, if a town history exists, church and cemetery sources, and if a Civil War register (TCR) exists.
• Journal of the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Putnam County for the Year 1904 (New York: Martin B. Brown, 1905)
  
• Journal of the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Putnam County for the Year 1922 (Poughkeepsie: Lansing Broas, 1923)
• List of Town Clerks, Record Managers and Historical Societies
  

The County Archives has the following records:

• 031 Petitions, Licenses, and recognizance to sell liquor (Tavern licenses) 1813-1878
• 139 Monthly Reports of Hunting and fishing licenses, 1908-1938
• 165 Certificates of Qualifications as Examiner in Lunacy, 1883-1947
  

Vital Records

Birth

Birth records from 1898 to 1909 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City birth records is available. Birth records from 1909 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).

• 1881-1942 Reclaim the Records: New York State Birth Index at Archive.org - images of index

• 1881-1965 Births Reported in the City of New York, 1881-1965; FHL Film 1322457 (1st of 30 films).
  

• 1891-1902 Births Reported in the City of New York, 1891-1902 at Ancestry ($).
  

• 1898-1909 Borough of the Bronx Certificate and Record of Birth, 1898-1909; FHL Film 2022836 (1st of 30 films).
  

• 1898-1964 Birth Index at Vital Search ($).
  

• 1901-1909 New York City Births at Italian Genealogical Group - free.

• 1901-1909 New York City Birth index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  

Birth Substitutes

• 1640–1962 New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

• See Town Clerks' Registers of Men who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for birth information.
  

• 1851-2003 Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 at Ancestry ($) - includes New York Times.
  

Marriage

Marriage records from 1898 to 1937 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City marriages is available at FamilySearch Digital Library. Marriage records from 1929 to the present can be obtained from the City Clerk of New York City ($).

• 1639-1962 - New York, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $

• 1664–1784 New York. Secretary of State, Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784 (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860). At Cornell University digital library-free; Internet Archive - free; Ancestry edition($); At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Film 514675 Item 1 or 930131 Item 2. Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.
  

• 1829-1940 New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940 at FamilySearch — index

• 1847–1848 and 1908–1936 New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936 at FamilySearch — index and images

• 1881-1964 Reclaim the Records: New York State Marriage Index at Archive.org - images of index

• 1888-1937 New York City Index to Marriages in All Boroughs, 1888-1937; FHL Film 1653852 Items 1 - 2 (1st of 12 films).
  

• 1898-1937 New York City Grooms Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  

• 1898-1937 New York City Grooms Record index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  

• 1899-1937 New York City Brides Record Index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  

• 1899-1937 New York City Brides Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  

• 1898-1937 Bronx Marriage Certificates, 1897-1938; Groom Index, 1898-1937; FHL Film 1976292 Item 3 (1st of 117 films).
  

• 1898-1937 Bronx, New York Marriage Index to Brides, 1898-1937; Index to Delayed Marriages, 1902-1907; FHL Film 1983782 (1st of 4 films).
  

• 1898-1913 Marriage Index at Vital Search ($).
  

• 1950-1995 New York, New York City Marriage Licenses Index, 1950-1995 at FamilySearch — index

Marriage Substitutes

• 1686-1980 New York Marriages, 1686–1890 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.
  

• 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."
  

• 1851-2003 Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 at Ancestry ($) - includes New York Times.
  

• 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.
  

Divorce

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.

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.

Death

Death records from 1898 to 1948 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City death records is available. Death records from 1948 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).

• 1824-1962 - New York, Church and Civil Deaths, 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — index

• 1880-1956 - New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956 at FamilySearch — index and images

• 1888-1965 Index to Deaths, New York City, 1888-1965; FHL Film 1324912 Item 1 (1st of 20 films).
  

• 1892-1902 Deaths Reported in the City of New York. New York: Department of Health. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  

• 1880-1956 Reclaim the Records: New York State Death Index at Archive.org - images of index

• 1898-1948 New York City Death Index at German Genealogy Group - free.

• 1898-1948 New York City Death Records Search 1891-1948 at Italian Genealogical Group - free.

• 1898-1948 Bronx Death Certificates, 1898-1948; FHL Film 1322701 (1st of 91 films).
  

• 1898-1965 Department of Health. Index to Deaths, New York City, 1888-1965; FHL Film 1324912 Item 1 (1st of 20 films).
  

• 1898-1937 Death Index at Vital Search ($).
  

Death Substitutes

• 1795–1952 New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.
  

• 1801–1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
  

• 1851-2003 Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 at Ancestry ($) - includes New York Times.
  

• 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.
  

• See Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War in the Civil War section of Military for death information.
  

• 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, 1879-80 See Mortality Schedule information in the Federal Census section of Census for death information.
  

• 1909-1911 The Forgotten of Ellis Island - Deaths in Quarantine, 1909-1911 - free.
  

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Bronx County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the New York, Bronx– Vital Records topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Bronx Borough, New York Genealogy Websites

• Bronx County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
• New York Genealogy Network Community on Google+
• New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
• The Bronx County NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Bronx County.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Bronx County. (Mirror site)
• Bronx County Genealogy - New York Genealogy

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

Family History Library

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free