Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

United States

Pennsylvania

Schuylkill County

Guide to Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Pennsylvania Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Pottsville Organized: March 1, 1811 Parent County(s): Berks, Northampton Neighboring Counties Luzerne  • Berks  • Carbon  • Dauphin  • Lebanon  • Columbia  • Northumberland  • Lehigh See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption Adopt-a-wiki page This page adopted by: PA Roots and its members who welcome you to contribute. Adopt a page today

County Information

Description

The county was named for the Schuylkill River. It is located in the mideastern central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Schuylkill County Courthouse
401 North Second Street
Pottsville, PA 17901
Phone: 570-622-5570 Fax: 570-628-1210
Schuylkill County Register Of Wills/Orphans' Court Phone: 570-628-1382
Schuylkill County Prothonotary Phone:570-628-1270
Clerk of Courts Phone: 570-628-1140 or 570-628-1133
Recorder of Deeds Phone: 570-628-1480
Schuylkill County Websites

Clerk Comm has birth and death records 1893-1905, marriage records from 1885, divorce records from 1878, probate, court, and land records from 1811

Copies of documents including birth, marriages, deaths, divorces, land, and probate records can be obtained by using: Pennsylvania Public Record.

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania 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 Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1893	1885	1893	1811	1811	1811	1790
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1906. General compliance by 1915.

Record Loss

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

Boundary Changes

Formed from Berks and Northampton Counties 1 March 1811. County seat: Pottsville For animated maps illustrating Pennsylvania county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Pennsylvania County Boundary Maps" (1673-1878) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

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
Pottsville
Boroughs
Ashland Auburn Coaldale Cressona Deer Lake Frackville Gilberton Girardville Gordon Landingville	Mahanoy City McAdoo Mechanicsville Middleport Minersville Mount Carbon New Philadelphia New Ringgold Orwigsburg Palo Alto	Pine Grove Port Carbon Port Clinton Ringtown Schuylkill Haven Shenandoah St. Clair Tamaqua Tower City Tremont
Unincorporated communities
Adamsdale Andreas Barnesville Blackwood Boston Run Brockton Brommerstown Brookside Clamtown Connerton De Turksville Drehersville Frisbie Fountain Ginthers Glen Carbon Good Spring Haddock	Hauto Hecla Irving Joliett Kepners Leibeyville Llewellyn Locust Valley Lorberry Mahoning Valley Mantzville Marstown Mary D Molino Newkirk Orwin Outwood Owl Creek	Pitman Quakake Rauschs Reedsville Revesdale Rene Mont Roedersville Rough and Ready Sacramento Seek Sheridan Snyders South Tamaqua Stanhope Still Creek Suedberg Weishample Zenners
Census-designated places
Altamont Beurys Lake Branchdale Brandonville Buck Run Cumbola Delano Donaldson Englewood Forestville Fountain Springs Friedensburg Grier City	Heckscherville Hegins Hometown Kelayres Klingerstown Lake Wynonah Lavelle Locustdale Marlin McKeansburg Muir Newtown Nuremberg	Oneida Orwin Park Crest Ravine Reinerton Renningers Seltzer Shenandoah Heights Sheppton Summit Station Tuscarora Valley View
Townships
Barry Blythe Branch Butler Cass Delano East Brunswick East Norwegian East Union Eldred Foster Frailey	Hegins Hubley Kline Mahanoy New Castle North Manheim North Union Norwegian Pine Grove Porter Reilly Rush	Ryan Schuylkill South Manheim Tremont Union Upper Mahantongo Walker Washington Wayne West Brunswick West Mahanoy West Penn

Resources

Biographies

• Everyname Index to Munsell's, 1881:History of Schuylkill Co. courtesy USGenWeb

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Findagrave.com HomeTownLocator PAGenWeb Archives Tombstone Photos PAGenWeb Pennsylvania Genealogy BillionGraves (name)
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	Family History Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com BillionGraves Linkpendium PAGravestones Access Genealogy Interment FamilySearch Places
See Pennsylvania Cemeteries for more information

 

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

Additional Cemetery Resources

• ca.1700-ca.1950 - Pennsylvania Cemetery Records, ca. 1700-ca. 1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
• PA-Roots
• Names in Stone
• Ancestry($)

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	11,339	—
1830	20,744	82.9%
1840	29,053	40.1%
1850	60,713	109.0%
1860	89,510	47.4%
1870	116,428	30.1%
1880	129,974	11.6%
1890	154,163	18.6%
1900	172,927	12.2%
1910	207,894	20.2%
1920	217,754	4.7%
1930	235,505	8.2%
1940	228,331	−3.0%
1950	200,577	−12.2%
1960	173,027	−13.7%
1970	160,089	−7.5%
1980	160,630	0.3%
1990	152,585	−5.0%
2000	150,336	−1.5%
2010	148,289	−1.4%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. For members, they may contain: age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage date and maiden name; death/burial date. For general information about Pennsylvania denominations, see Pennsylvania Church Records.

Schuylkill County Pennsylvania Churches

The Schuylkill County Genealogical Society has various records for churches throughout the Schuylkill County area. However, the society has not put the records on-line and to view the records one must go to the society. The society will do research for a fee. For more details see their website.

• 1708-1985 Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, free to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry.com – $; 7,542,774 entries. This database is incomplete for all counties.

Contains the church records of:

• Ashland: Christ's United Lutheran Church; North Parish Episcopal Church; St. John's Episcopal Church
• Delano: Delano Episcopal Mission
• New Philadelphia: United Methodist Church
• Orwigsburg: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
• Pine Grove: Jacobs Evangelical Lutheran Church; Pine Grove Methodist Episcopal Church; Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church; St. Peter's Lutheran Church; Suedberg Church of God; United Church of Christ - St. Peter's Parish
• Port Carbon: First United Methodist Church; Grace United Methodist Church
• Pottsville: First Baptist Church; First United Church of Christ; Trinity Episcopal Church; Trinity Lutheran Church
• Reinerton: St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church
• Schuylkill: First United Church of Christ; Grace Evangelical Congregational Church; St. James Episcopal Church; St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church
• Schuylkill Haven: Christ Lutheran Church; St. John's United Church of Christ
• Shenandoah: All Saints Episcopal Church
• Summit Station: St. Paul's United Church of Christ
• Tamaqua: Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church; Calvary Episcopal Church; First Presbyterian Church of Summit Hill; First United Presbyterian Church; Salem and Coaldale United Methodist Church; St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church; Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
• Tower: St. Paul's Lutheran Church
• Valley View: United Methodist Church
• Washington: Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church

• Marriages and Marriage Evidence in Pennsylvania German Churches at PAGenWeb – Free, covers Lutheran and Reformed churches

• 1755-1825 Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Carbon County, 1795-1825; Monroe County, 1741-1825; Schuylkill County, 1755-1825. Washington, D.C.: PA Genealogy Books, 2006. FHL Book 974.8 K2hj.

Contains church records of Zion Lutheran Church aka "Old Red Church," Orwigsburg, West Brunswick Township; "Hetzel's" Lutheran Church, Pine Grove Township; St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church aka "Summer Hill" Church, Mannheim Township; St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg, Wayne Township; St. Jacob's Lutheran Church, Pine Grove Township; St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church aka "White Church," Ringtown, Union Township; St. Peter's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Pine Grove, Pine Grove Township; St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Tamaqua, Rahn Township; Frieden's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Norwegian, Branch Township; Frieden's Lutheran and Reformed Church, near New Ringgold, West Brunswick Township; and Zion Reformed Church, West Brunswick Township.

• Schuylkill County Church and Religious Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Contains church records of:

• Emmanuel Reformed Church of Nuremberg
• First Evangelical and Reformed Church
• Pennsylvania German Churches
• Jerusalem Church
• Gilberton Methodist Episcopal Church
• Lewistown Evangelical
• Llewellyn, PA Methodist Church
• Salem (Hertzel's) Union Congregation, Pine Grove
• St. George Lithuanian R.C. Church, Shenandoah
• St. Canicus' Mahanoy City Church
• St. Jacob's, Pine Grove
• St. John's United Church of Christ, Orwigsburg
• St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
• St. Kyrans R.C. Church, Heckersville
• St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Klingerstown
• St. Vincent de Paul's Church, Minersville, PA
• Zion Church of Lewistown Baptism Records
• Zion Red Church and Vicinity
• Zion Lutheran and Reformed Church

Baptist
In 1840, the "First English Baptist Church of Minersville" was organized.

Catholic

• 1845-1860 Marriage, Baptism and Death Records from St. John the Baptist Catholic Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, marriages, and burials

Congregational
The First Congregational Church was established by the Welsh in the area in 1836.

Episcopal
St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal church was organized in 1845 and their building erected in 1849.

Evangelical

Salem Evangelical Congregational Church, Mahanoy City

• 1872-1875 Salem Evangelical Congregational Church, Mahanoy City, Baptism Index 1872-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. C526431.
• 1872-1885 Salem Evangelical Congregational Church, Mahanoy City, Marriage Index 1872-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. M526431.

Lutheran
The German Lutherans were the first in the county although the exact date of their organization is unknown. The German Evangelical Lutheran Zion's Congregation had their first church built in 1849. Before it was built, they had met in the schoolhouse. The first English Lutheran Church was organized in 1851.

Christ Lutheran Church, Rush Township

• Christ Lutheran Church at PAGenWeb – Free, burials, located in Rush Township
• Some Confirmations and Baptisms of Christ Lutheran Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Rush Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

St. Jacob's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pine Grove

• Saint Jacob's Evangelical Lutheran Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Pine Grove

St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg

• 1796-1864 St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg, Baptism Index 1796-1864 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. C504381.

St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Klingerstown

• 1894-1994 St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, marriages, located in Klingerstown
• 1894-1994 St. Michael's Lutheran & Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, burials and funerals, located in Klingerstown
• St. Michael's Lutheran & Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Klingerstown

St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church or Old White Church, Ringtown

• 1810-1875 St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church or Old White Church, Ringtown, Baptism Index 1810-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. C504531.

St. Paul or Artzs Lutheran and Reformed Church, Sacramento

• 1839-1875 St. Paul or Artzs Lutheran and Reformed Church, Sacramento, Baptism Index 1839-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch C504541.

Salem or Hetzel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pine Grove Township

• 1783-1816 Salem or Hetzel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pine Grove Township, Baptism Index 1783-1816 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. C507161.

Summer Hill St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Wayne Township

• 1806-1867 Summer Hill St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Wayne Township, Baptism Index 1806-1867 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. C506761.

Zion Red Church, Brunswick Township

• 1755-1800 Zion Red Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, Brunswick Township, then Berks, now Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Methodist
The Methodist Episcopal church began meeting in Minersville starting in 1834.

Reformed
In 1840, Emmanuel's Church was organized and met in the union church with the Lutherans.

• Some Church Records of Emmanuel Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Nuremberg, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg

• 1796-1864 St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Friedensburg, Baptism Index 1796-1864 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. C504381.

St. John's Reformed Church, Orwigsburg

• 1833-1868 St. John's Reformed Church, Orwigsburg, Baptism Index 1833-1868 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. C504491.
• 1835-1880 St. John's Reformed Church, Orwigsburg, Marriage Index 1835-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. M504491.

St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church, Klingerstown

• 1894-1994 St. Michael's Lutheran and Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, marriages, located in Klingerstown
• 1894-1994 St. Michael's Lutheran & Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, burials and funerals, located in Klingerstown
• St. Michael's Lutheran & Reformed Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Klingerstown

St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church or Old White Church, Ringtown

• 1810-1875 St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church or Old White Church, Ringtown, Baptism Index 1810-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. C504531.

St. Paul or Artzs Lutheran and Reformed Church, Sacramento

• 1839-1875 St. Paul or Artzs Lutheran and Reformed Church, Sacramento, Baptism Index 1839-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C504541

Zion Red Church, Brunswick Township

• 1755-1800 Zion Red Church at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, Brunswick Township, then Berks, now Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

United Church of Christ

• 1831-1920 Index to St. John's United Church of Christ at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Orwigsburg, index
• 1831-1920 St. John's United Church of Christ at PAGenWeb – Free, baptisms, located in Orwigsburg
• St. John's United Church of Christ at PAGenWeb – Free, burials, located in Orwigsburg

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Court Records

For information about records kept in the Orphan's court, Prothonotary Court, Court of Common Pleas, and other courts in counties of Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Court Records Wiki page.

Emigration and Immigration

For online resources, passenger lists, and specific groups coming to Pennsylvania, see Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

For groups that came, see People section of the Pennsylvania Emigration page.

Guardianship

The Orphan's Court ensures the best interests of those not capable of handling their own affairs: minors, incapacitated persons, decedents' estates, and more.

Land and Property Records

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a specific location and reveal family relationships. Records include: deeds, abstracts, indexes, mortgages, leases, grants, sheriff sales, land patents, maps and more. For more information, see Pennsylvania Land and Property.

Land records in Schuylkill County began in 1811. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

Land Indexes and Records

• 1811-1915 Deed Books 1811-1902; Indexes to Deeds 1811-1915. FHL film 1420715 (first of 149 films)
• Warrants and Patents:Bucks and Schuylkill Counties courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Local Histories

• History of the County of Schuylkill. 1911. Pottsville, Pennsylvania : Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
• History of Northampton, Lehigh, Monroe, Carbon, and Schuylkill Counties. 1885. By I. Daniel Rupp. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania : Hickok and Cantine. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
• History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Including a Genealogical and Biographical Record of many Families and Persons. 2 volumes. 1907. Edited by Adolf W. Schalck and D.C. Henning. [S.l.] : State Historical Association. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Vol. 1 - Internet Archive, Vol. 2 - Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Maps

• Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
• Ancestor Tracks has posted free downloadable images from the County Atlas of Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, from Recent and Actual Surveys and Records by F.W. Beers and A.B. Cochran (New York, 1875). This atlas located in the Library of Congress shows major landowners and geographic sites at the date of publishing. While the physical maps are in the public domain, the images we have taken of the maps belong to us and are not to be used commercially. We hereby give permission to use them strictly for personal use; please attribute to Ancestor Tracks.
• FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records

• 1861-1865 - Pennsylvania, Register of Military Volunteers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

Naturalization records can contain information about immigration and nativity. Prior to 1906, it is rare to find the town of origin in naturalization records. For more information, see Pennsylvania Naturalization

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

• 1811-1907 Naturalization Petition Records FHL film 2166589 (first of 80 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images; index included: 1811-1906
• 1820s-1940s Select Schuylkill County Naturalization Records at PAGenWeb
• 1871-1878 Petitions of Naturalizations from Clerk of Courts FHL film 2155052 Items 2-3 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images; index included: 1871-1878
• 1872-1876 Declarations of Intention from Clerk of Courts FHL film 2155052 Item 4 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1896-1927 Miscellaneous Naturalization Records FHL film 2155648 Items 2-5 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1901-1930 Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1906-1930; and 1901-1906 on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1622, Middle District court was created in 1901, for earlier dates try the Eastern and Western District court records
• 1901-1930 Middle District, US Circuit and District Courts: Naturalization petitions, 1906-1930 located in U.S. Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1795-1972 (World Archives Project) database on Ancestry $
• 1906-1944 Declarations of Intention FHL film 2166189 Item 2 (first of 10 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1906-1946 Naturalization Petition and Record FHL film 2166589 (first of 40 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images; index included: 1906-1990

Newspapers

Newspapers may contain obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings. Newspapers are often found in local or university libraries, historical or genealogical societies, or state archives in the area where the newspaper was published. See Pennsylvania Newspapers for more information.

Newspapers of Schuylkill County

• Pennsylvania Newspapers
• Chronicling America US Newspaper Directory

Online Newspapers

To learn if there are newspapers online for a specific town or city in Pennsylvania, see news.google.com/newspapers and search for the town or the name of a newspaper.

• The Evening Herald (Shenandoah, PA) at Chronicling America. 1891-1966

Online Newspaper Abstracts

• PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
• Schuylkill County Newspapers courtesy USGenWeb Archives including:

Christian Advocate

Die Stimme des Volks, 1832-1839

The Evening Courier, Tamaqua

Miner's Journal

Pottsville Republican, January 1st for 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920-1923, 1926, 1927, 1939-1945 and more.

Shenandoah Evening Herald, various dates in 1944, 1945, 1948

The Splinters, Saint Clair, April 24, 1897

Tri-Weekly Record, Mahanoy City

• 1947-2010 Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Collection, 1947-2010 at FamilySearch
  

Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts

• Compiled by Cheryl Fidler Schneck, Abstracts of Miscellaneous Notices Published in "The Press Herald" Newspaper of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, beginning January 3, 1879 [to 1885] FHL fiche 6100965; book 974.817/P3 B3s

Obituaries

Obituaries are generally found in local newspapers where the person died or where family members lived. Local libraries or societies may have indexes or other sources.

Online Obituary Abstracts

• 1914-2007 - Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County, Schuylkill Haven, Funeral Home Obituary Cards, 1914-2007 at FamilySearch
• OA-Roots Obituaries for Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
• Schuylkill County Obituaries courtesy USGenWeb Archives

Obituary Extracts and Abstracts

• A scrapbook by Schuyler C. Brossman, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, war veterans' graves a list of veterans of the western part of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania (SLC, Utah, 1992) FHL film 1597995 item 9
• Brossman, Schuyler C. Veterans of Western Berks County, Pennsylvania (SLC, Utah) FHL film 363885 (first of 8) Record of newspaper clippings and more arranged by name of veteran, principally from Tulpehocken and Bethel Townships in Berks County with some records from Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties.
• Hughes, Jeremiah, Obituaries, 1880-1917 (SLC, Utah, 1981)) FHL film 1305961 item 11
• Death Notices in the Christliche Botschafter, New Berlin, 1836-1848 (SLC, Utah, 1981) FHL film 1305961
• Collected and compiled by Phillip A. Rice; Schuylkill Roots Researchers, Index to the Obituaries as Found in the Pottsville Republican and Various Other Periodicals of the Region covers Schuylkill as Well as Adjoining Counties (Apollo, Pennsylvania:Closson Press, c 1992-1993) FHL book 974.817/P2 V42r

Probate Records

Probate matters in Schuylkill County are handled by the Orphans' Court and start when the county was created.

In addition to wills and administrations, the Orphans' Court also handles: audits of accounts of executors, administrators, trustees, and guardians; distribution of estates; appointments of guardians; adoptions; appeals from the Register of Wills; inheritance tax appeals, and various petitions and motions.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1683-1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $
• 1811-1917 Shuylkill County Probate Records at FamilySearch
• 1811-1885 Estate files (index 1811 -1891)FHL film 2134781 Item 2 (first of 143 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1811-1897 Letters of Administration FHL film 2134449 (first of 7 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1811-1915 Index to guardians appointments FHL film 2134782 Items 2-3 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1811-1917 Wills (index 1811 -1994)FHL film 832052(first of 9 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1811-1928 Indexes to some estate records FHL film 2134781 Item 5 Includes Administration Bonds, Letters Testamentary, Account of Administrators and Executors, Distribution Docket. - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1812-1916 Orphans Court dockets (index 1811 -1935)FHL film 2134782 Item 4 (first of 12 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1857-1922 Orphans court minute books FHL film 2134444 Item 2 (first of 4 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1874-1915 Affidavits of administrators FHL film 2134447 Item 2 (first of 2 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1880-1936 Index to Inventory and Widows Appraisements FHL film 2134782 Item 1) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
• 1888-1951 Index to General Dockets for v. 1-24 FHL film 2134784 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images

School Records

• Schuylkill County Education and School Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives

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.

Vital Records

Vital records are handled by the County Orphans' Court. Between the years 1852-1855 Pennsylvania made a failed attempt to record birth, marriage and death events at the county level. County marriage records were kept in earnest in 1885. Births and deaths, at the county level, were begun in 1893 and kept through 1905. For the most complete set of records, contact the County Orphans' Court.

Birth

Early births 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For more information, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.

• 1726-1930 Pennsylvania, Births and Christenings, 1709-1950 index. Not complete for all years. This collection is an index for the years 1726 to 1930. It is not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
• 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
• 1893-1897 Selected Schuylkill County Births courtesy USGenWeb Archives
• 1900-1905 Schuylkill County Birth Index 1900-1905 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

Marriage

Pennsylvania marriages were created by county officials. Contact Schuylkill County Courthouse

• 1626-2016 - Pennsylvania, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
• 1677-1950 Pennsylvania Civil Marriages, 1677-1950 at FamilySearch
• 1700-1821 Pennsylvania Marriage Records Ancestry $
• 1725-1976 Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 index. Not complete for all years. This index is an electronic database of information. The entries are primarily from the International Genealogical Index (IGI) along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as: Family Records, Church Records, Civil Registration. It may also include indexes generated by the internet indexing project sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
• 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
• 1885-1950 Pennsylvania County Marriage, 1885-1950 Extracted marriage records – free. Most of the records consist of marriage licenses, certificates, applications, docket books, and affidavits. This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
• 1885-present Marriage Record Index available at Schuylkill County Courthouse website.
• Some Schuylkill Marriages courtesy USGenWeb Archives
• Marriage License Search

Death

Early deaths 1893–1905 are located at the County Orphans' Court. For indexes and records, 1906 and later, see Pennsylvania Vital Records.

• 1720-1999 Pennsylvania Deaths and Burials, 1720-1999 at FamilySearch — index, some images
• 1850-1880 Pennsylvania Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
• 1893-1901 Selected Schuylkill County Death Registrations courtesy USGenWeb Archives
• 1893-1906 Schuylkill County Death Index 1893-1906 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

Divorce

Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary.

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Schuylkill County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.

• National Archives at Philadelphia
  14700 Townsend Road
  Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096
  Phone: 215-305-2044
  Fax: 215-305-2052
  website

• Schuylkill County Archives
  Schuylkill County Courthouse
  401 N 2nd Street
  Pottsville,PA 17801-2528
  Phone: 570-628-1145
  Email: archives@co.schuylkill.pa.us
  website
  

The Schuylkill County Archives is a central depository for all county government records. These include records from the Clerk of the Courts, Prothonotary, Recorder of Deeds, and Register of Wills. Most records are open to the public. The oldest records predate the creation of the county in 1811. Early records have been microfilmed with the originals in storage at the archives. Records of interest to genealogists and family historians include:
Birth and death records; Marriage dockets 1885–May 1969; Naturalization indexes and records 1828 -1; Wills books 1811 -1; Estate files 1811 -1; County land records; Deed books; Mortgage books.

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

• Harrisburg/Hershey Pennsylvania Family History Center

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Schuylkill County. For state-wide library facilities, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.

• Pottsville Free Public Library
  215 W. Market St.
  Pottsville, PA 17901
  Phone: 570-622-8880
  Email: potpublib@pottsvillelibrary.org
  Website
  

  The Library has a genealogy collection that includes: Newspapers - Evening Herald, 1891 to 1980; County histories; City directories; Census records; Genealogy books; and family files.The Library offers a limited search service for obituaries and specific pages of specific books. No in-depth research is provided.
  

• Tamaqua Public Library
  30 South Railroad Street
  Tamaqua, PA 18252
  Phone: 570-668-4660
  Email: tamaquapubliclibrary@hotmail.com
  Website
  

  The Library is currently building their genealogical collection. Some resources include:Newspapers,Church records,Cemeteries, and Yearbooks.

Societies

Listed below are societies in Schuylkill County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Pennsylvania Societies.

• Schuykill County Historical Society
  305 North Centre St
  Pottsville, PA 17801
  Phone: 570-622-7540
  Email: sch.hist@comcast.net
  Facebook
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  Website
  

• The Society also has a library with an extensive collection available for researchers. It also has research service for a fee. The collection includes
  
• Church histories and religious records (131 Volumes)
• Pottsville City Directories (100 Volumes)
• Genealogy books (305 Volumes)
• Mine Inspector Reports, Anthracite Coal Mining, Mining Operations (276 Volumes)
• Railroads (42 Volumes)
• County History Books (96 Volumes)
• Schuylkill County Census (1790 - 1930)
• Estate Records
• Marriage Records
• Death Register
• Orphans Court Records
• Petitions of Naturalization

• Pinegrove Historical Society
  205 North Tulpehocken Street
  Pine Grove, PA 17963
  Phone: 570-345-0157
  Email: pinegrovehistoricalsociety@comcast.net
  Website
  

• This Society has a library with a genealogical collection. Visit website for library usage (free for members, small fee for non-members) or research fees.

Websites

• Schuylkill County USGenWeb Archives
• Schuylkill County PA Genealogy
• 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.

Research Guides

• Woodroofe, Helen Hutchison. "A Genealogist's Guide to Pennsylvania Records," The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 34, No. 3 (1986):241-250. For free online access, see WeRelate.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free