Queens Borough, New York Genealogy

United States Genealogy

New York

New York City

Queens Borough

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

New York Online Genealogy Records

Queens Borough, New York
Map
Location in the state of New York, United States Genealogy
Location of New York in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	1683
County Seat
Courthouse
Address	120-55 Queens Boulevard Kew Gardens, NY 11424 Queens Borough Website

Queens New York Historical Facts

Officially the Borough of Queens is one of five boroughs of greater New York City since 1898. The county is coterminous with the Borough of Queens (meaning they have identical borders.)

Description

The County was named for Catherine of Braganza as she was queen of England at the time (she was Portugal's royal princess Catarina daughter of King John IV of Portugal). The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1880	1880	1880	1820	1814	1820	1663
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1880. General compliance for births by 1915 and deaths by 1890.

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 West Riding (Staten Island, Brooklyn, and the Elmhurst part of Queens), and North Riding (Westchester, Bronx, New York (Manhattan), Nassau and the rest of Queens counties).
1683 New York extinguished Yorkshire, creating Queens County (including later Nassau County) from part of Yorkshire.
1691 Brother Islands and Rikers Island attached to Queens.
1768 Islands in Long Island Sound attached to Queens.
1881 North Brother Island was lost to New York County.
1884 Rikers Island was lost to New York County.
1898 What became the five boroughs were consolidated into New York City, and her county governments were dissolved. Queens joined New York City as the Borough of Queens.Wikipedia contributors, "Queens" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at [2] (accessed 6 January 2012).
1899 Part of Queens was used to create Nassau County.
1964 South Brother Island was lost to the Bronx.

Towns. From 1683 until 1784, Queens County consisted of five towns: Flushing, Hempstead, Jamaica, Newtown, and Oyster Bay. On April 6, 1784, a sixth town, the Town of North Hempstead, was formed through secession by the northern portions of the Town of Hempstead.

The county seat was located first in Jamaica, but the courthouse was torn down by the British during the American Revolution to use the materials to build barracks. After the war, various buildings in Jamaica temporarily served as courthouse and jail until a new building was erected about 1787 (and later completed) in an area near Mineola (now in Nassau County) known then as Clowesville.

• 1870: Long Island City split from Newtown, becoming a city consisting of Astoria and some unincorporated areas of Newtown.
• Around 1874: the seat of county government was moved to Long Island City from Mineola.
• 1885: Lloyd Neck, which was part of the Town of Oyster Bay and was earlier known as Queens Village, seceded from Queens and became part of the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County.
  

Record Loss

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

Queens 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.
  

• Family Bible Records Long Island Collection, Queens Borough Public Library

Biography

Business Records and Commerce

Cemeteries

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

Online Grave Transcripts	Published Grave Transcripts	County Cemetery Directories
Findagrave.com*	Family History Library*	Findagrave.com*
Interment.net*	WorldCat*	Tombstone Transcription Project*
Cemetery Site*		NYGenWeb Cemeteries*
New York Gravestones*		Billion Graves*
NYGenWeb Cemeteries*		Names in Stone*
Billion Graves*		FamilySearch Places
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
• Cypress Hills Cemetery Large cemetery bisected by Jackie Robinson Parkway. Individual page for this cemetery
• Evergreens Cemetery (150 year old), Brooklyn, New York.
• New Calvary Cemetery Large cemetery east of I-278/I-495 interchange, I-495 bisects this cemetery through the middle of it which may mean some headstones possibly may have been moved when the freeway was built. Across the I-278/I-495 interchange from the Calvary Cemetery. I-495, when it was constructed, may have also necessitated the moving of a few headstones as well.

• The Mount Carmel Cemetery (Jewish Cemetery) has placed an Interment Search for their cemetery on-line. The first interment took place on December 28, 1906. To date they have more than 85,000 interments in Sections 1 through 4 of the cemetery. The Index provides, the First and Last Name, date of death, The Society, and the location of the grave.

The Mount Hebron Cemetery (Jewish Cemetery) has placed an Interment Search for their cemetery on-line. The first interment took place on April 14, 1909. Since then, over 217,000 burials have taken place.  The Index provides, the First and Last Name, date of death, The Society, and the location of the grave.

• Mount Lebanon Cemetery

• Glendale

Census

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	6,159	—
1800	6,642	7.8%
1810	7,444	12.1%
1820	8,246	10.8%
1830	9,049	9.7%
1840	14,480	60.0%
1850	18,593	28.4%
1860	32,903	77.0%
1870	45,468	38.2%
1880	56,559	24.4%
1890	87,050	53.9%
1900	152,999	75.8%
1910	284,041	85.6%
1920	469,042	65.1%
1930	1,079,129	130.1%
1940	1,297,634	20.2%
1950	1,550,849	19.5%
1960	1,809,578	16.7%
1970	1,986,473	9.8%
1980	1,891,325	−4.8%
1990	1,951,598	3.2%
2000	2,229,379	14.2%
2010	2,230,722	0.1%
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.
  

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 FHL Films 1415128–42.

State

Source	1825	1835	1845	1855	1865	1875	1892	1905	1915	1925
Ancestry.com	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	Yes	Yes
Family History Library Films	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	Yes Index	Yes
FamilySearch Images	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
New York State Library Films	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	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 Queens, years when parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. Queens parishes fall under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

The Presbyterian Church at Elmhurst has records dating from 1708.

The records of Grace Episcopal Church in Jamaica begin in 1710.

The records of The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd Francis Lewis Boulevard at 100th Avenue Bellaire (Queens), NY 11429 (1925 - 1973)

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

• 1780-1810 - Baptisms Miscellaneous Churches in Jamaica, Flushing, Newtown, New York 1780-1810, courtesy: Olive Tree Genealogy - free.
  

• 1790-1802 - Baptisms in Churches of Jamaica, New Town and Flushing, New York 1790-1802, courtesy: Olive Tree Genealogy - free.
  

• 1791-1794 - Communicants in Churches of Jamaica, New Town and Flushing, New York 1791-1794, courtesy: Olive Tree Genealogy - free.
  

• 1830-1880- "Records of Zion Episcopal Church of Little Neck at Douglaston, Queens County, New York," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1830-1850 Marriages: Vol. 96, No. 4 (Oct. 1965):240-243; 1851-1879 Marriages: Vol. 97, No. 1 (Jan. 1966):35-46; 1830-1865 Funerals: Vol. 98, No. 1 (Jan. 1967):39-46; 1866-1872 Funerals: Vol. 98, No. 2 (Apr. 1967):76-79; 1873-1880 Funerals: Vol. 98, No. 3 (Jul. 1967):135-138; 1831-1880 Confirmations: Vol. 98, No. 4 (Oct. 1967):224-228 1830-1843 Baptisms:Vol. 99, No. 2 (Apr. 1968):101-103; 1843-1854 Baptisms: Vol. 100, No. 1 (Jan. 1969):15-18; 1855-1861 Baptisms: Vol. 100, No. 2 (Apr. 1969):86-90; 1862-1866 Baptisms: Vol. 100, No. 3 (Jul. 1969):181-184; 1866-1869 Baptisms: Vol. 100, No. 4 (Oct. 1969):237-239; 1870-1875 Baptisms: Vol. 101, No. 1 (Jan. 1970):55-57; 1875-1880 Baptisms: Vol. 101, No. 2 (Apr. 1970):87-90. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 98-101. Includes baptisms, confirmations, marriages, funerals.

Additional Church Records

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

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places 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.

Crime and Criminals

Directories

Emigration and Immigration Records

• 1870-1943 - New York, New York, Index to Alien Crewmen Who Were Discharged or Who Deserted, 1917-1957 at FamilySearch — index
• 1906-1942 - New York Book Indexes to Passenger Lists, 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1944-1948 - United States, New York, Index to Passengers Arriving at New York City, compiled 1944-1948 at FamilySearch — index

Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Genealogy

• Rootsweb message board for Queens 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.
  

History

Jewish Records

The Museum of Family History has compiled a list of synagogues that operated in Queens. Synagogue names and addresses 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 Queens Borough, New York Genealogy began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online

• 
  

Microforms

• 
  

Books

• 
  

Additional land records can sometimes be found using these catalogs:

• WorldCat using the search phase: Queens 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 Places Search.)

• Van Wyck, Frederick. Select Patents of New York Towns. Digital version at World Vital Records ($).

Additional resources

Additional resources for Queens Borough, New York Genealogy land records may be found in the Queens 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

Military

Revolutionary War

Queens County men served in the 2nd New York Regiment.

Civil War

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

• Civil War service men in Queens County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Queens County:

- 5th Regiment, New York Infantry (Duryee Zouaves), Companies C, H and I.

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

- 139th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A and I.

- 158th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company C.

- 163rd Regiment, New York Infantry

- 165th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies B, G, H, I and K.

- 191st Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A and B.

- 192nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies F and K.

Naturalization and Citizenship

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

• 1865-1957 New York, Eastern District Naturalization Petitions, 1865-1957 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

• 1906-1957 Queens County Naturalization Project at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  

Indexes

• 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.

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

Newspapers

The Queens Public Library holds an extensive collection of historical newspapers for the county of Queens.

Online Digital Newspapers

• Newtown NY Register 1873-1932 at Old Fulton NY Post Cards - Free.

Obituaries

Occupations

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

Periodicals

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

Probate Records

Probate records including original estates and wills 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. See New York Probate Records for more information about using probate records.
Content:  Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types:  Wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distribution.

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. Alice Eichholz, Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 479. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004. Henry B. Hoff, "Navigating New York Probate," American Ancestors 12 (Fall 2011): 54.

These petitions are often found in the estate files and can be obtained from the county Surrogate Court.

The petitions for Queens Borough, New York Genealogy are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library and its centers:

• 1830–1865 Listed as "Probate proceedings" FHL Film 930757 (33 films) Index to Probate proceedings FHL Film 933001 (3 films).
  

To use will books and probate proceedings, find decedent's name in card index to probate proceedings and administrations. "(P)" under the name at the right of the card indicates that there are probate records for that person. The date at the right of the card leads to probate proceedings. The volume and page numbers at the left of the card lead to will books.

Online Probate Indexes and Abstracts

• 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 $
• 1683-1744 - Long Island Source Records, courtesy: Ancestry ($)
• 1683-1744 - Canfield, Amos. "Abstracts of Early Wills of Queens County, New York, Recorded in Libers A and C of Deeds, Now in the Register's Office at Jamaica, New York," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1683-1695: Vol. 65, No. 2 (Apr. 1934):114-120; 1694-1710: Vol. 65, No. 3 (Jul. 1934):245-250; 1710-1744: Vol. 65, No. 4 (Oct. 1934):319-328. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 65.
• 1787-1825 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
• 1866 - 1923 New York Kings County Estate Files 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images

Online Probate Indexes and Records

Original New York, Queens County Probate Records, 1899-1921 are available free online at FamilySearch. To browse these records, click Historical Records below, then click "Browse through 761,504 images". Then select the time period and file of interest.

• Historical Records - Queens County: Mixed proceedings 1899-1921

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

New York, Queens County Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Probate Records on Microfilm
Surrogate Court Petitions as described above are found on microfilm as follows:

• 1787–1881 Wills and Probate Proceedings: Index, 1787–1899; Wills, 1787–1881; Probate Proceedings, 1830–1865. FHL Film 933001 (56 films)

Additional probate records on microfilm:

• 1662–1927 Probate Records, Wills; Index to wills, 1662–1870. FHL Film 501142 (88 films)
• 1669–1687 Early Wills of Suffolk County, abstracts of Queens County Wills and Deeds, Liber A. FHL Film 17117 Item 17
• 1792–1916Letters of Administration; Index 1791–1900. FHL Film 930543 Item 2 (15 films)
• 1800–1888 Accounts; Index to accounts, 1787–1899. FHL Film 933005 (146 films)
• 1830–1916 Letters Testamentary; Index 1830–1900. FHL Film 930543 Item 1 (10 films)

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

Additional probate indexes or abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Queens Borough, New York Genealogy probate wills in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).

• 1832–1899 Card Index to Letters of Administration. Surrogate's Court. FHL Film 1765841

Repositories

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Queens County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1988). At various libraries; FHL Book 974.724 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums

Queens Genealogy Workshop 1820 Flushing Avenue Ridgewood, NY 11385 718-456-1776
Queens Borough Public Library 89-11 Merrick Blvd. Jamaica, NY 11432 718-456-1776	Genealogical resources: Censuses, city and telephone directories, immigrant lists, newspapers, periodicals, family histories.
LaGuardia Community College/CUNY Fiorello H.LaGuardia & Wagner Archives 31-10 Thomason Avenue, Room E-238 Long Island City, New York 11101 Phone: 718-626-5078 or 718-482-5065 Fax: 718-482-5069	Genealogical resources: history of 20th Century New York City

Museums
Queens County Farm Museum
73-50 Little Neck Parkway
Floral Park, NY 11004-1129
Phone: (718) 347-3276
E-mail: info@queensfarm.org

Hours:
Daily-Year-round (outdoor visiting only): 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday (Farmhouse Tours and shops): 12-4 January - March

Borough Registrar

New York City Registrar
Borough of Queens
Queens Business Center
144-06 94th Avenue
Jamaica, NY 11435

• Official record of real estate and personal property transfers, recording deeds and mortgages

City Clerk's Office

City Clerk's Office
Dora Young, Deputy City Clerk
Queens Office
Borough Hall Building
120-55 Queens Boulevard
Kew Gardens, New York 11424
Phone: 718-286-2846

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

County Historian

Stanley Cogan 35-37 211th Street Bayside, New York 11361 Phone: 718-224-9592

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.

Courthouses

The Queens County Clerk has divorce and naturalization records as well as the state census. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Queens County are held, see the Queens County Courthouses page.

Family History Centers

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.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Flushing New York Family History Center
• Harlem New York Family History Center
• Inwood New York Family History Center
• Queens New York Family History Center

Societies

Bayside Historical Society
208 Totten Avenue
Fort Totten, New York 11359
Mailing:
PO Box 133
Bayside, New York 11361
Phone: 718-352-1548
Fax: 718-352-3904
Facebook
Email: archivist@baysidehistorical.org

• It is free to research at their facility regardless of membership. Email first to set up an appointment or to inquire about their collection. Their quarterly publication is the Society News
  

Broad Channel Historical Society
Broad Channel Branch Library
1626 Crossbay Boulevard
Broad Channel, New York 11693
Phone: 718-474-1127
Email: abtoborg@verizon.net

• Annual publication: Broad Channel Historical Calendar
  

Douglaston and Little Neck Historical Society
328 Manor Road
Douglaston, New York 11363
Phone: 718-225-4403
Fax: 718-229-6189
Facebook
Email

Greater Astoria Historical Society
Quinn Memorial Building
44-02 23rd Street, Studio 219
Long Island City, New York 11101
Phone: 718-278-0700
Fax: 718-278-9335
Facebook
Email: info@astorialic.org

Queens Historical Society (QHS)
Kingsland Homestead
Weeping Beech Park
143-35 37th Avenue
Flushing, New York 11354
Phone: 718-939-0647 ext. 17
Fax: 718-539-9885
Facebook
Email: info@queenshistoricalsociety.org or qhs@juno.com
Mary Cornell, Genealogy Research Analyst

• Their collection includes the history of Queens in photographs, manuscripts, maps and artworks. Family manuscript collections include(soon to be put online): the Mitchell Family Papers, the King Family Papers, the Clara Driscoll/Walcott Family Papers and the Diary of William King Murray. The Quarterly publication is the AHS Newsletter.
  

The Richmond Hill Historical Society
86-22 109th Street
Richmond Hill, New York 11418
Phone: 718-704-9317
Facebook
Email: richmond.hill.historical@gmail.com

Social Groups Online

• Queens Historical Society - Facebook.
  

• New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Taxation

• 1699–1734 Tax assesment rolls New York Public Library; Family History Library's Film 484033. These rolls are a great finding aid to locate someone that was a city resident and finding the ward they belonged to; includes renters and owners. There is a break in the years from 1710 to 1720. The rolls from 1721 to 1734 include Queens, Richmond, and Westchester as well as New York City.

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. Birth records from 1909 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).

• 1848-1897 Queens County, New York, Index to Births, 1848-1897; FHL Film 1378884 Item 1 (1st of 7 films).
  

• 1871-1897 Early Brooklyn & Queens Birth Database at German Genealogy Group - free; includes the towns and villages of Newton, College Point, Long Island City, Town of Jamaica, Village of Jamaica, Rockaway Beach, Village of Far Rockaway, Town of Flushing, Village of Flushing, Whitestone.
  

• 1871-1897 Early Brooklyn & Queens Birth Database at Italian Genealogical Group - free; includes the towns and villages of Newton, College Point, Long Island City, Town of Jamaica, Village of Jamaica, Rockaway Beach, Village of Far Rockaway, Town of Flushing, Village of Flushing, Whitestone.
  

• 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).
  

• 1898-1902 Births Reported in the City of New York, 1891-1902 at Ancestry ($).
  

• 1898-1965 Birth Index at Vital Search ($).
  

• 1898-1909 Bureau of Records. Birth Records, 1898-1909; FHL Film 1992977 (1st of 21 films).
  

• 1898-1965 Department of Health. Births Reported in the City of New York, 1881-1965; FHL Film 1322457 (1st of 30 films).
  

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

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

• 1858-1878 Hood, Anthony. Queens County Sentinel, Queens County, New York, Index of Birth, Marriage and Death Announcements 1858-1878. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1991. FHL Book 974.7243 V22h.
  

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.
  

• 1762-1768 Macy, Harry. "Seven Queens County Marriages Licenses 1762-1768," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 119, No. 4 (Oct. 1988):226-227. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 119.

• 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
  

• 1881-1937 Department of Health. Queens Borough, Marriage Records, 1881-1937; Indexes, 1881-1937; FHL Film 1908328 Items 1-6 (1st of 56 films).
  

• 1881-1964 Reclaim the Records: New York State Marriage Index at Archive.org - images of index
• 1898-1937 Marriage Index at Vital Search ($).
  

• 1898-1937 New York City Index to Marriages in All Boroughs, 1888-1937; 1653852 Items 1 - 2 (1st of 12 films).
  

• 1905-1937 New York City Brides Record Index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  

• 1905-1937 New York City Brides Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  

• 1905-1937 New York City Grooms Record index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  

• 1905-1937 New York City Grooms Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  

• 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."
  

• 1839-1864 Stevens, Marian F. An Index to the Long Islander, 1839-1864, Marriages-Deaths. Huntington, N.Y.: Huntington American Revolution Bicentennial Committee Huntington Historical Society, 1974. FHL Book 974.721 B32s.
  

• 1839-1864 Stevens, Marian F. An Index to the Long Islander, 1839-1864, Marriages-Deaths. Huntington, New York : Huntington American Revolution Bicentennial Committee Huntington Historical Society, 1974. FHL Book 974.721 B32s.
  

• 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.
  

• 1858-1878 Hood, Anthony. Queens County Sentinel, Queens County, New York, Index of Birth, Marriage and Death Announcements 1858-1878. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1991. FHL Book 974.7243 V22h.
  

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 1937 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. 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

• 1871-1897 Early Brooklyn & Queens Death Database at Italian Genealogical Group - free; includes Newtown, College Point, Long Island City, Town of Jamaica, Village of Jamaica, Rockaway Beach, Village of Far Rockaway, Town of Far Rockaway, Village of Flushing, Village of Whitestone, Town of Flushing, and Richmond Hill.
  

• 1871-1897 Early Brooklyn & Queens Death Database at German Genealogy Group - free; includes Newtown, College Point, Long Island City, Town of Jamaica, Village of Jamaica, Rockaway Beach, Village of Far Rockaway, Town of Far Rockaway, Village of Flushing, Village of Whitestone, Town of Flushing, and Richmond Hill.
  

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

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

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

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

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

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

• 1898-1949 Department of Health. Queens (New York) Death Certificates, 1898-1949; 1323384 (1st of many films).
  

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

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.
  

• 1839-1864 Stevens, Marian F. An Index to the Long Islander, 1839-1864, Marriages-Deaths. Huntington, N.Y.: Huntington American Revolution Bicentennial Committee Huntington Historical Society, 1974. FHL Book 974.721 B32s.
  

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

• 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.
  

• 1858-1878 Hood, Anthony. Queens County Sentinel, Queens County, New York, Index of Birth, Marriage and Death Announcements 1858-1878. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1991. FHL Book 974.7243 V22h.
  

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

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

• 1980-present New York Times and New York City Newspapers Obituaries Archive at Obits Archive.
  

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Queens County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the New York, Queens– 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.

Voting Registers

Queens New York Genealogy Websites

• Queens County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
• New York Genealogy Network Community on Google+
• New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
• The Queens County NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
• Queens County Genealogy
  

Queens New York Places

Queens New York Genealogy References

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Family History Library

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free