R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

New York
Research Outline
   

Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
     Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Land And Property
Law And Legislation
Maps
Military Records
Names, Personal
Native Races
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Occupations
Orphans And Orphanages
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Taxation
Town Records
Vital Records
Voting Registers
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

This outline describes major sources of information about families from New York. As you read this outline, study the United States Research Outline (30972), which will help you understand the terminology and the content and uses of genealogical records.


RECORDS OF THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY

The Family History LibraryLook this term up in the glossary. has most of the records described in this outline. The library has over 50,000 microfilms and continues acquiring additional materials—particularly for New York City and Long Island. Although the Family History Library has microfilm copies of some twentieth century records, most are of pre-1900 records. The microfilm copies come from records at the National Archives and its Northeast regional center, the state archives, county courthouses, church archives, university libraries, and historical societies.

The Family History Library's major holdings include federal and state censuses; church records; passenger lists; and land, probate, naturalization, and some marriage records for most counties. The library also has a comprehensive collection of published and manuscript genealogies of New York families. It has few town records and relatively few county records from Long Island (Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, and Kings counties). For beginning research, the most helpful sources are:

  • Federal census indexes, 1790–1870, 1880, 1900, 1920
  • Church records
  • Birth, marriage, and death indexes and records
  • County deed, mortgage, and probate indexes
  • County histories

Most of the sources described in this outline list the Family History Library's book, microfilm, microfiche, and computer numbers. These numbers are preceded by FHL, the abbreviation for Family History Library. You can use these numbers to locate materials in the library and to order microfilm and microfiche at a Family History CenterLook this term up in the glossary..

The computer number can be used if you have access to the Family History Library Catalog on computer. The “Computer Number SearchLook this term up in the glossary.” is an easy way to find a source in the catalog.


FamilySearch™Look this term up in the glossary.

FamilySearch™ is a powerful computer system that helps simplify family history research. It can help you search for ancestors in large computer files of information. FamilySearch is available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and at Family History Centers in the United States and Canada.

FamilySearch includes the following computer files:


FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY CATALOG

The library's records are listed in the Family History Library CatalogLook this term up in the glossary., available on both microfiche and as part of FamilySearch™ (see above) at the library and at Family History Centers. To find a record in the catalog, look in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog for:

  • The place where your ancestor lived, such as:
UNITED STATES - CENSUSNEW YORK - GENEALOGYNEW YORK, KINGS - PROBATE RECORDSNEW YORK, KINGS, BROOKLYN - CHURCH RECORDS

  • The record type you want to search, such as:
UNITED STATES - CENSUSNEW YORK - GENEALOGYNEW YORK, KINGS - PROBATE RECORDSNEW YORK, KINGS, BROOKLYN - CHURCH RECORDS

The section headings in this outline match the names of subject headings used in the catalog.

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[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 8/9/2005]