New York Church History

Church Development
The first churches established in New York during the seventeenth century were the Dutch Reformed, French Protestant (Huguenot), and Lutheran churches. As New Englanders continued to migrate to New York, the Congregational Church (Puritans) and Society of Friends (Quakers) grew. Many New Yorkers joined both the Baptists and Presbyterians. By 1775 the Presbyterian Church was the largest denomination in New York.

In the mid-1800s, the Methodist Church was the largest, followed by the Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Dutch Reformed, Congregational, Roman Catholic, Society of Friends (Quakers), Universalist, Lutheran, Union, Christian, Unitarian, and Jewish.

Since then, the Roman Catholic Church has been the largest denomination (particularly in the larger cities) due to the large number of immigrants from Ireland and eastern and southern Europe.

Online Records

 * 1660-1954 - at FamilySearch, index and some images, incomplete'
 * Index only. Incomplete.
 * Index only. Incomplete.
 * , index. Incomplete.
 * Index.Incomplete.
 * , index. Incomplete.


 * New York Baptisms, 1660-1862, ($), index, incomplete.

The Drouin Collection

 * 1695-1954 - Early U.S. French Catholic Church Records, 1695-1954 ($) (Ancestry). This database contains the French Catholic parish records for Maine.

Dutch Reformed

 * 1639-1989 - U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1701-1995 - U.S., Selected States Dutch Reformed Church Membership Records, 1701-1995, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1856-1970 - U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Vital Records, 1856-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1856-1970 - U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Membership Records, 1856-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)

Episcopal

 * 1767-1970 - New York, Episcopal Diocese of New York Church Records, 1767-1970 at Ancestry ($), index and images. Incomplete.
 * 1800-1970 - New York, Episcopal Diocese of Rochester Church Records, 1800-1970 at Ancestry ($), index and images. Incomplete.
 * 1900-1970 - New York, Episcopal Diocese of Rochester Church Records, 1800-1970 at Ancestry ($), index and images. Incomplete.

Lutheran

 * 1800-1947 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * Lutheran Church in New York and New Jersey, 1722-1760 : Lutheran records in the ministerial archives of the Staatsarchiv, Hamburg, Germany, e-book.
 * Some early records of the Lutheran Church, New York, Holland Society of New York, 1903, p. 1-118

Methodist

 * New York and Vicinity, United Methodist Church Records, 1775-1949 at Ancestry ($), index and images. Incomplete.

Presbyterian

 * 1701-1970 - U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)


 * U.S., Evangelical Covenant Church, Swedish American Church Records, 1868-1970, index, at Ancestry ($). Incomplete.

Quaker (Society of Friends)

 * U.S., Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, index, at Ancestry ($). Incomplete.
 * U.S., Hinshaw Index to Selected Quaker Records, 1680-1940, index, at Ancestry ($). Incomplete.
 * 1681-1935 - U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, index and images, ($). Incomplete.
 * U.S., Surname Index to Quaker Records, index, at Ancestry ($). Incomplete.

Other Collections

 * Dunham-Wilcox-Trott-Kirk indexes church, cemetery, probate and other early New England, New York and New Jersey records with links to abstracts of the records.

The Family History Library has several important collections of church records which are described below under the denominational headings. The names of individuals in many of these records are indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Many church records have been copied and filed with the Daughters of the American Revolution Cemetery, Church, and Town Records, described in New York Genealogy.

The following guides describe the towns, denominations, record types, and years available:


 * Historical Records Survey. Guide to Vital Statistics Records of Churches in New York State (Exclusive of New York City). 2 volumes - ;.
 * Historical Records Survey. (New York City.) Guide to Vital Statistics in the City of New York, Borough of [Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Richmond] Churches. 5 vols. New York, N.Y.: Historical Records Survey, Work Projects Administration, 1942. ;
 * Bronx
 * Brooklyn, digital book at FamilySearch
 * Manhattan
 * Queens
 * Richmond, digital book at FamilySearch;


 * Historical Records Survey. Inventory of the Church Archives of New York City [various denominations]. New York, N.Y.: Historical Records Survey, 1939–1941.


 * Buffalo and Erie County Public Library holdings. Church Records in Microfilm and Print By Denomination. Inventory listing

Denominations include:

''Some denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located:''
 * Eastern Orthodox and Armenian ;
 * Lutheran: online at NYCnuts.net; ;
 * Methodist: online at NYCnuts.net; ; ;
 * Presbyterian: online at NYCnuts.net; ;
 * Protestant Episcopal [Manhattan, Bronx, Richmond]: online at NYCnuts.net; ;
 * Protestant Episcopal [Brooklyn and Queens] ;
 * Protestant Episcopal [New York State] ;
 * Protestant Episcopal [Rochester] Book online at FamilySearch.org; ;
 * Protestant Episcopal [Western New York] ;
 * Reformed: online at NYCnuts.net; ;
 * Roman Catholic: online at NYCnuts.net; ;

Baptist
American Baptist Historical Society 3001 Mercer University Dr. Atlanta, Georgia 30341 Phone: (678) 547-6680

Researchers must make an appointment. For information about the availability of records, see:


 * Eltscher, Susan M. The Records of American Baptists in New York and Related Organizations. The book is available in the . For a copy nearest you, use WorldCat.

American-Canadian Genealogical Society Library
American-Canadian Genealogical Society Library 1 Sundial Avenue, Suite 317N Manchester, New Hampshire 03103 Tel: (603) 622-1554
 * Research Services
 * Library Holdings Parish Repertoires and Vital Records

Dutch Reformed
The Archives of the Reformed Church in America New Brunswick Theological Seminary Gardner A. Sage Library 21 Seminary Place New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-1159 Phone: (732) 246-1779

The Family History Library has microfilm copies for many of the Dutch Reformed Church records at the above named archive. The collection is described in Melody Takken Meeter, compiler and Russell L. Gasero, editor, and is available in the. To check for a book copy nearest you, use WorldCat.

The Year Book of the Holland Society of New York, available in the, contains historical material as well as church record abstracts and passenger lists. To use the year books, first consult the Index to Publications listed under the periodical De Halve Maen described in the "Periodicals" section. It indexes publications by name, subject, and locality. Most of the church records in these year books have been extracted for the International Genealogical Index (IGI).

The Family History Library has the Holland Society's 128 volume Holland Society of New York Church Record Collection. The records are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog in the Place-names Search under the individual cities or towns. This includes some German Reformed, French Reformed, Lutheran, and Episcopal records. For an inventory of this collection, see:


 * Pierre, Marie J., comp. Index to LDS Microfilms of the Church Record Collection of the Holland Society of New York. New York, N.Y.: The Holland Society of New York, 1990.

An index to original baptismal records, transcripts, microfilm, and published works of 17 congregations from 24 volumes of the aforementioned Dutch Reformed Church Record Collection is Wilson Ledley, compiler, Index to Baptismal Surnames in the Reformed Churches of Claverack, Cortlandt, Fishkill, Gallatin/Ancram, Gravesend, Hillsdale/Krum, Kaatsbaan/Saugerties, Kinderhook. (New York, N.Y.: The Holland Society of New York, 1990; available in the.

The Family History Library also has many volumes of Hudson and Mohawk Valley Reformed and Lutheran records transcribed by Arthur C. M. Kelly, Gertrude Barber, and others. Many New York Dutch Reformed church records have also been published in periodicals such as the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record.

The has 99 of the 101 volumes of the ''Royden Woodward Vosburgh, New York Church Records: Vosburgh Collection. ''Included in the collection are Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, and some Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, Congregational, and German Reformed records for Hudson Valley and Mohawk Valley churches (transcribed between 1913 and 1921). Two helpful lists of the churches, first by county and then by town, are at the beginning of the film 017441.

Listings and Indexes of baptisms, marriages, deaths, and memberships of the Flatlands Protestant Dutch Reformed Church of Flatlands, New York, 1825 - 1914. For microfilm of original typescript, see

Episcopal
Episcopal Diocese of New York 1047 Amsterdam Avenue New York, New York 10025 Phone: (212) 316-7400 Fax: (212) 932-7345 There are also dioceses of Albany, Central New York, Long Island, Rochester, and Western New York. The Family History Library has acquired many Episcopal records for Western New York. The names in many of these records are indexed in the International Genealogical Index.

In 1816 Eleazor WIlliams, an Episcopalian missionary began serving the Oneida Indians. In 1823 the first group of Oneida were removed from New York to Wisconsin. The removal continued for twenty years.

Lutheran
Library of the Council National Lutheran 50 Madison Avenue New York City, NY 10010

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ELCA Archives 321 Bonnie Lane Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007 Phone: (847) 690-9410

Atlantic District Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Website 171 White Plains Road Bronxville, New York 10708 Phone: (914) 337-5700 Fax: (914) 337-7471

For family history research visit the Concordia Historical Institue 804 Seminary Place St. Louis, Missouri 63105

1862-1955 - Family Search Historical Records has digital images of baptism, marriage, and burial records for.

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

New York, New York City, Saint Peter's Lutheran Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Methodist
United Methodist Archives Center General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church Drew University Library P.O. Box 127 Madison, New Jersey 07940 Phone: (973) 408-3189 Fax: (973) 408-3909

Moravian
The Moravian Archives 41 West Locust Street Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018 United States of America Phone: (610) 866-3255 Fax: (610) 866-9210

For information concerning missions to the American Indians visit Moravian Missions Among American Indians. For a map and list of missions visit Early Moravian Missions in Eastern Pennsylvania and Surrounding Areas 1740-1773.


 * Moravian Church. Records of the Moravian Mission Among the Indians of North America. New Haven Connecticut : Research Publications, 1969. These records are indexed in:
 * Fliegel, Carl John, Compiler. Index to the Records of the Moravian Mission among the Indians of North America. New Haven, Connecticut : Research Publication, 1970.


 * 1755-1756 - Scott, Kenneth. "Quakers and Moravians in New York in 1755 and 1756," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 58 (1970):253-257..

Presbyterian
Presbyterian Historical Society and Department of History United Presbyterian Church in the USA 425 Lombard Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147-1516 Telephone: 215-627-1852 Fax: 215-627-0509


 * Hotchkin, James H. A History of the Purchase and Settlement of Western New York: and of the Rise, Progress and Present State of the Presbyterian Church in that Section. New York: M.W. Dodd, 1848. Digital version at [http://www.archive.org/details/historyofpurchas00hotc Internet Archive;

Roman Catholic
Most Catholic records have not been gathered to central repositories. You must determine the town where your ancestors lived and the parish they most likely attended and then write to that parish.

If a parish has closed, the records may have been sent to the diocesan archives or a nearby parish. If the diocese does not have an archives, the diocese chancellor usually knows where the records are.

Ann Mensch's Local Catholic Church and Family History &amp; Genealogical Research Guide is a free online resource that identifies the parishes of many New York counties, years when parishes were created, contact information, as well as links to online records and research tips. New York City has exceptional coverage.

New York is divided into eight dioceses:

Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany: Archives 40 North Main Ave. Albany, New York 12203 Phone: (518) 453-6633

The Albany Diocese includes the counties of: Albany, Columbia, Delaware, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton(part), Herkimer (part), Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn 310 Prospect Park West Brooklyn, New York 11215 Phone: (718) 965-7300

The Brooklyn Diocese includes the counties of: Brooklyn and Queens.

Diocese of Buffalo 795 Main Street Buffalo, New York 14203 Phone: (716) 847-8700

The Buffalo Diocese includes the counties of: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming.

Archdiocese of New York 1011 First Avenue New York City, New York 10022 Phone: (212) 371-1000

Each individual parish keeps records of baptisms, first communions, confirmations, marriages and funerals. Contact the parish to obtain these records.

The New York Diocese includes the counties of: Bronx, Dutchess, Manhattan, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Staten Island, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

Diocese of Ogdensburg PO Box 369 622 Washington Street Ogdensburg, NY 13669 Phone: (315) 393-2920

The Ogdensburg Diocese includes the counties of: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton (part), Herkimer(part), Jefferson, Lewis (part) and St. Lawrence.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester 1150 Buffalo Rd. Rochester, New York 14624 Phone: (585) 328-3210

The Rochester Diocese includes the counties of: Cayuga, Chemung, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre PO Box 9023 Rockville Centre, New York 11571-9023 Phone: (516) 678-5800 Email: [mailto:archive@drvc.org archives@drvc.org]

The Diocese includes the counties of: Nassau and Suffolk on Long Island.

Genealogy records (sacramental registers) are held by individual parishes. No genealogical records are stored at the Diocesan Archives.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse 240 East Onondaga St. Syracuse, New York 13201 Phone: (315) 422-7203

Genealogy records (sacramental registers) are held by individual parishes.

The Syracuse Diocese includes the counties of: Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Lewis (part), Madison, Oneida, Onondaga and Oswego.

The Family History Library has many Roman Catholic records for Western (filmed at Canisius College, Buffalo) and Northern New York. It has very few Roman Catholic records for the City of New York.

The Drouin Collection Early U.S. French Catholic Church Records, 1695-1954 ($) (Ancestry). This database only contains the French Catholic parish records from the United States in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Pennsylvania. It is the U.S. part of the U.S. and French-Canadian Drouin Collection. For more details see "The Drouin Collection: Six Databases"

The types of records include baptisms, marriages, and burials as well as confirmations, dispensations, censuses, statements of readmission to the church, and so on. They are written mainly in French, as well as English, Latin, and Italian.

Society of Friends (Quakers)
Records for Quakers (Society of Friends) who lived in New York can be located at Swarthmore College Friends Historical Library

Many of the records are also on microfilm at the Family History Library. The New York City and Long Island Quaker Records, 1657–1940, transcribed by John Cox, are published in:


 * Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. 6 Vols. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards Brothers, 1936-1950. Volume III covers New York Monthly Meetings. 973 D2he 1969; digital version at Ancestry ($). To locate copies nearest you, use WorldCat.

A useful guide to New York Quaker records and research is:


 * Cox, John, Jr. New York City Church Archives, Religious Society of Friends Catalogue. New York, N.Y.: Historical Records Survey, 1938 and is available in the . To locate a copy nearest you, use WorldCat.

Cox's 1914 guide is available online:


 * Cox, John, Jr. "Quaker Records in New York," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 45, No. 3 (Jul. 1914):262-269; Vol. 45, No. 4 (Oct. 1914):366-373. Digital versions at Internet Archive (free): Vol. 45:262, Vol. 45:366; New York Family History ($); . Includes brief histories of each monthly meeting; details of surviving records.

Bradley identified New York Quaker records that had been published before 1973:


 * Bradley, A. Day. "New York State Quaker Records in Print," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 61 (1973):249-253..

A helpful 1828 census was taken:


 * Fay, Loren V., editor. Quaker Census of 1828: Members of the New York Yearly Meeting, the Religious Society of Friends of New York, Ontario, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Quebec, at the Time of the Separation of 1828. Rhinebeck, N.Y.: Knshp, 1989 and is available in the . Use this to determine the monthly meeting a person attended. It includes name, age, and family group. To locate a copy nearest you, use WorldCat.

For a history of New York Quakers, see:


 * Bowden, James. The History of the Society of Friends in America. 2 vols. London: W. &amp; F.G. Cash, 1850-1854. Digital version of Vol. 1 at Google Books; 973 F2bj v. 1 [Volume 1 includes New York.]

Marriages of some early New York Quakers are found in Philadelphia registers:


 * 1600s-1700s - Potts, William John. "New York Marriages, From the Friends' Records of Philadelphia," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan. 1872):51-52. Digital version at New York Family History ($);.


 * 1755-1756 - Scott, Kenneth. "Quakers and Moravians in New York in 1755 and 1756," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 58 (1970):253-257..