Bucks County, Pennsylvania Genealogy
Guide to Bucks County, Pennsylvania ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
It is named after the English county of Buckinghamshire. It is located in the Southeast corner of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Bucks County Courthouse
55 East Court Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Clerk of Courts
Orphans Court, 215-348-6271, Email: orphanscourt@co.bucks.pa.us
Coroner
Prothonotary, 215-348-6191, Fax: 215-348-6184
Recorder of Deeds
Register of Wills, 215-348-6265, Email: registerofwills@co.bucks.pa.us
Bucks County Website
Orphans Court has birth and death records 1893-1906 and marriage records from 1885
Prothonotary Office has divorce records from 1878 and court records from 1682
Register of Wills has probate records from 1684[2]
Naturalization Papers for the years 1802 to 1906 and Term Papers from 1733 to 1920 have been microfilmed and are available for public review in the Prothonotary's office.
All papers recorded in the office of Recorder of Deeds are public information, with the exception of Military Discharge Papers. Earliest records are for 1684. Indexes are available.
Research Center is open to the public. No appointment is required to visit. Records date back to 1684.
Bucks County, Pennsylvania Record Dates[edit | edit source]
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.
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1893 | 1885 | 1893 | 1682 | 1684 | 1684 | 1790 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Pennsylvania county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Pennsylvania County Boundary Maps" (1673-1878) may be viewed at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[6]
Boroughs | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Census-designated places | ||
Townships | ||
Historic communities | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Indentured Servants
- Immigrant Servants Database hosted by Price Genealogy - Includes indentured/imported servants and transported convicts who served labor terms in Colonial York County, Pennsylvania.
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
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Additional Cemetery Resources
- ca.1700-ca.1950 - Pennsylvania Cemetery Records, ca. 1700-ca. 1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
- LDS Genealogy Buck County
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For links and tips on using Federal (or United States) census records online for Bucks County, see: Pennsylvania Census.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1820 | 11,554 | — |
1830 | 19,746 | 70.9% |
1840 | 32,769 | 66.0% |
1850 | 42,831 | 30.7% |
1860 | 48,734 | 13.8% |
1870 | 53,204 | 9.2% |
1880 | 58,541 | 10.0% |
1890 | 59,233 | 1.2% |
1900 | 59,403 | 0.3% |
1910 | 54,526 | −8.2% |
1920 | 53,166 | −2.5% |
1930 | 49,039 | −7.8% |
1940 | 50,615 | 3.2% |
1950 | 51,722 | 2.2% |
1960 | 54,925 | 6.2% |
1970 | 57,962 | 5.5% |
1980 | 62,919 | 8.6% |
1990 | 60,967 | −3.1% |
2000 | 62,761 | 2.9% |
2010 | 62,622 | −0.2% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
(Multi-denominational)
- 1708 -1985 Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry $
- Contains church records of:
- The Reverend Simon K. Gross Pastoral Records
- Bensalem: Bensalem Methodist Churchyard; Vandgrift Cemetery
- Blooming Glen: Blooming Glen Mennonite Cemetery
- Bristol: John Black Funeral Homes, Record Books
- Buckingham: Forest Grove Presbyterian Cemetery; Forestville Presbyterian Church; Trinity Episcopal Church
- Churchville: North and Southampton Reformed Church
- Doylestown: Doylestown Mennonite Church Records; St. Paul's Episcopal Church
- Durham: Durham Reformed Church; Lutheran Church
- Fallsington: All Saints Episcopal Church
- Ferndale: St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Haycock Run: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
- Hilltown: Hilltown Baptist Church; Kratz Diaries; St. Peter's Lutheran Church
- Hulmeville: Beechwood Cemetery; Grace Episcopal Church; Lewis Preston Townsend Funeral Ledger
- Langhorne: Langhorne Presbyterian Church; St. James Episcopal Church
- Milford: East Swamp Mennonite Cemetery; West Swamp Mennonite Cemetery
- Milford Square: Jacob Clymer Justice of the Peace Dockets; William Z. Gottshalk Family Records
- Morrisville: First Presbyterian Church
- Newportville: Ascension Church
- Newtown: St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church; St. Luke's Church
- Northampton: Richboro Methodist Episcopal Church
- Perkasie: Deep Run Mennonite Church Records; St. Andrew's United Church of Christ
- Philadelphia: Southampton Baptist Church; Jonathan Worrall, J.P./Misc. Marriage Licenses, 1890-1915; Methodist Episcopal Church
- Pleasant Valley: Trinity United Church of Christ
- Quakertown: Emmanuel Church; First United Church of Christ; St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church; Swamp Mennonite Charge Church Bulletin; Swamp Mennonite Church Class Records; Swamp Mennonite Meetinghouse Construction; Union Cemetery
- Richboro: Dutch Reformed Church; Union Cemetery
- Richland: Flatland Mennonite Cemetery
- Ridge Valley: The Reverend Simon K. Gross Pastoral Record
- Riegelsville: St. John's United Church of Christ; St. Peter's Lutheran Church
- Sellersville: Bucks County Historical Society
- Southampton: St. Columba Church; William Grant Funeral Home
- Springfield: Springfield Mennonite Cemetery; St. Paul Salem United Methodist; Trinity Lutheran Church
- Springtown: Christ Lutheran Church
- Torresdale: All Saints Episcopal Church
- Trevose: Scottsville United Methodist Church
- Trumbauersville: Christ Lutheran Church
- Upper Black Eddy: Upper Tinicum Lutheran Church
- West Rockhill: Ridge Valley Reformed Church
- Wrightstown: Holy Nativity Episcopal Church; Penns Park Methodist Episcopal Church
- Yardley: St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
- 1682 -1800 Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Bucks County, 1682-1800 Washington, D.C.: Humphrey Publications, 1993. FHL Book 974.821 K2h.
Contains church records of Falls Friends Monthly Meeting; Middletown Friends Monthly Meeting; Wrightstown Friends Monthly Meeting; Richland Friends Monthly Meeting; Buckingham Friends Monthly Meeting; Southampton Baptist Church; Tinicum Presbyterian, also known as Red Hill; Neshaminy Presbyterian Church, Hartsville in Warwick Township; Newtown Presbyterian Church in Newtown Township; Reformed Low Dutch Church of Southampton and Northampton Townships; Dutch Reformed Church, Bensalem; Tohickon Reformed Congregation in Bedminister Township; Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, also known as Tinicum Lutheran Church in Tinicum Township; Tohickon Lutheran Congregation in Bedminister Township; Christ Reformed Church, Trumbauersville in Milford Township; Springfield Lutheran Church in Springfield Township; St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bedminister Township, also known as Keller's Lutheran Church; Springfield Reformed Church in Springfield Township; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Nockamixon Township; St. Luke's Reformed Church, Ferndale in Nockamixon Township; Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Trumbauersville in Milford Township. Also includes the journal of John Dyer, Plumsteadville, Plumstead Township, beginning in 1769.
PAGenWeb, list of Bucks County churches.
Catholic
- 1803 -1913 St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Haycock Township, Christenings (1803-1811), Christenings (1866-1869), Christenings (1869-1870), Marriages (1803-1859), Marriages (1803-1910), Marriages (1885-1913) at PAGenWeb
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Blue Ridge District of the Eastern States Mission comprised church members living in southeastern Pennsylvania. District headquarters were in Lancaster, with branches located in Bucks, Fulton, Lancaster, and York counties.
- Record of Members, [1929]-1944, FHL film 1979
Dutch Reformed
Reformed Dutch Church, Churchville
- 1737 -1780 Reformed Dutch Church, Churchville, Baptism Index 1737-1780 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C507121[7]
- 1738 -1772 Reformed Dutch Church, Churchville, Marriage Index 1738-1772 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M507121
Southampton Dutch Reformed Church
- 1710 -1800 Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1710-1800: Southampton Dutch Reformed Church at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages.
Episcopalian
St. James's Church, Bristol
Early registers "were stolen to prevent their evidence in a lawsuit."[8]
Lutheran
Keller's Lutheran Church, Bedminster Township
- 1751 -1798 Keller's Lutheran Church (Bucks County, Pennsylvania: Keller's Church, Bedminster Township) at Ancestry ($).
Nockamixon
- 1770 -1820 Bucks County, Pennsylvania Church Records, 1770-1820: Nockamixon Township at Ancestry ($). Includes baptisms, marriages, and deaths from Nockamixon Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Nockamixon Lutheran Congregation, and Nockamixon Reformed Congregation.
Tohickon
- 1749 -1839 Tohickon Lutheran Church Baptism Index 1749-1839 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C507561[9]
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Springfield Township
- 1751 -1795 Hinke, William J. Trinity Union Church, Record of the Lutheran Congregation, Springfield Township, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania, 1751-95 at Ancestry ($).
- 1760 -1800 Hinke, William J. Trinity Union Church, Record of the Reformed Congregation, Springfield Township, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania, 1760-1800 at Ancestry ($).
- 1760 -1829 Hinke, William J. Trinity Union Church, Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania Records of the Reformed Church, 1760-1829 at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, deaths.
- 1801 -1829 Trinity Union Reformed Church, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1801-29 at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, burials.
Upper Tinicum Lutheran Church
- 1883 -1928 Upper Tinicum Lutheran Church Burials 1883-1928 at PAGenWeb
Presbyterian
Several Presbyterian churches were built in Bucks County to accommodate Scotch-Irish settlers. Neshaminy Presbyterian Church in Warwick Township was organized in 1726. A Presbyterian Church was organized at "Craig's Settlement" by 1737. Mount Bethel Presbyterian Church was organized in 1738 in "Hunter's Settlement" in Lower and Upper Mount Bethel Townships. The latter two churches fell within the bounds of Northampton after it split off in 1751.
Neshaminy Presbyterian Church
- 1788 -1885 Neshaminy Presbyterian Church of Warminster and Warwick, Hartsville, Marriage Index 1788-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M535091
- 1788 -1885 Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1788-1885: Neshaminy Presbyterian Church at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, burials.
Newtown Presbyterian Church
- 1769 -1812, 1838 - 1888 Newtown Presbyterian Church, Marriage Index 1769-1812 and 1838-1888 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches M538981 and M538982.
- 1771 -1811, 1888 Newtown Presbyterian Church, Baptism Index 1771-1811 and 1888 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches C538981 and C538982.
Presbyterian Church, Bensalem
- 1844 -1867 Presbyterian Church, Bensalem, Baptism Index 1844-1867 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C524081
- 1839 -1868 Presbyterian Church, Bensalem, Marriage Index 1839-1868 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M524081
Solebury Presbyterian Church
- 1812 -1867 Solebury Presbyterian Church, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1812-67 at Ancestry ($).
Reformed
Durham Union Church, Durham Township
- 1807 -1875 Durham Union Church, Durham Township, Baptism Index 1807-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C516661
First Reformed Church, Quakertown
- Snyder, Elam J. Historical Sketch of First Reformed Church and Auxiliary Organizations, Quakertown, Pa.: Including a List of Present Members of Congregation and Societies 1919. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
Nockamixon
- 1770 -1820 Bucks County, Pennsylvania Church Records, 1770-1820: Nockamixon Township at Ancestry ($). Includes baptisms, marriages, and deaths from Nockamixon Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Nockamixon Lutheran Congregation, and Nockamixon Reformed Congregation.
Reformed Dutch Church, Smithfield
- 1741 -1807 Reformed Dutch Church, Smithfield, Baptism Index 1741-1807 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C507881
- 1742 -1752, 1785 - 1786 Reformed Dutch Church, Smithfield, Baptism Index 1742-1752 and 1785-1786 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M507881
Reformed Nether Dutch Church, Southampton
- 1710 -1820 Reformed Nether Dutch Church, Southampton, Baptism Index 1710-1820 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C510771
- 1710 -1713, 1738 - 1772, 1788 - 1819 Reformed Nether Dutch Church, Southampton, Marriage Index 1710-1713, 1738-1772, and 1788-1819 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M510771
St. Paul's Reformed Church, Applebachsville Township
- 1868 -1875 St. Paul's Reformed Church, Applebachsville Township, Baptism Index 1868-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C516681
Tohickon Union Reformed Church
- 1744 -1801 Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1744-1801: Tohickon Union Reformed Church at Ancestry ($).
- 1745 -1869 Tohickon Union Reformed Church Baptism Index 1745-1869 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C507551[10]
- 1750 -1800 Hinke, William J. A History of the Tohickon Union Church, Bedminster Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania: With Copy of Church Records, Reformed Congregation, Lutheran Congregation Meadville, Pa.: Tribune Pub. Co., 1925. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, burials.
- 1755 -1855 Tohickon Union Reformed Church Marriage Index 1755-1855 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M507551
Trinity Union Reformed Church
- 1801 -1829 Trinity Union Reformed Church, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1801-29 at Ancestry ($). Baptisms, marriages, burials.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
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.
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
For online resources, passenger lists, and specific groups coming to Pennsylvania, see Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration.
- 1677 -1687 "A Partial List of the Families Who Resided in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Prior to 1687, With the Date of Their Arrival," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 9 (1885):223-233. For online access, see WeRelate.
Indentured Servants
- Immigrant Servants Database hosted by Price Genealogy - Includes indentured/imported servants and transported convicts who served labor terms in Colonial York County, Pennsylvania.
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
For groups that came, see People section of the Pennsylvania Emigration page.
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
The Orphan's Court ensures the best interests of those not capable of handling their own affairs: minors, incapacitated persons, decedents' estates, and more.[11]
- 1685 -1900 Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Orphans' Court Records FHL book 974.821 P28mt
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
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 Bucks County began in 1684. These records are filed with the Recorder of Deeds office in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
Online Land Index and Records
- 1684 -1919 Deeds, 1684-1866; Index, 1684-1919 FHL film 172829 (first of 119 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
- 1980 – present Bucks County offers online access to land records. Fees apply.
Land Records on Microfilm
- 1684 -1919 Mortgages, 1782-1821; Index, 1684-1919. FHL film 905877 (first of 27 films)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania : Including an Account of its Original Exploration. 1887. Edited by J. H. Battle. Philadelphia : A. Warner. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Google Books, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
- The History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania: From the Discovery of the Delaware to the Present Time. 1876. By W.W.H. Davis. Doylestown, Pa: Democrat Book and Job Office Print. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Google Books; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- United States Geographic Survey Place Names - GNIS for Bucks County (more than 2000 entries)
(may not always be present in alphabetic order on first try.)
Maps
- Maps of Pennsylvania (1673-1878)
- Ancestor Tracks has posted downloadable images of two 19th century wall maps: (1) "Maps of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, from Surveys" published in 1850 by W. E. Morris; (2) "Map of Bucks and Montgomery Counties and the Consolidated City of Philadelphia" published by Kuhn and Shrope in 1857; and (3) "Barnes' Driving Map of Philadelphia and Surroundings" published in 1868 by R. L. Barnes. These images show many landowners, towns and villages and roads as of the date of publication. These are invaluable sources to be used with the 1850 and 1860 censuses. 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
Migration[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to Bucks County for European settlers included:
- Minsi Path from Kingston, Ulster County, New York Genealogy to Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Genealogy (from the Ulster and Delaware Turnpike to the Great Valley Road).
- Lehigh and Lackawanna Paths from Unadilla, Otsego County, New York Genealogy to Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Genealogy (from the Catskill Turnpike to the Great Valley Road).
- Delaware River.
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War
Local men served in the Bucks County Associators and the Bucks County Militia. A guide at the Pennsylvania State Archives website identifies townships where specific companies recruited soldiers, see Revolutionary War Militia Battalions and Companies, Arranged by County.
Bucks County men also served in the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment[12] and the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment[12].
During the Revolutionary period, committees of safety governed local communities. Minutes of the Bucks County Committee have been published:
- "Minutes of the Committee of Safety of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1774-1776," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 15 (1891):257-290. For online access, see WeRelate.
Civil War
- 1861-1865 - Pennsylvania, Register of Military Volunteers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
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
- 1795 -1952 Pennsylvania, Eastern District Naturalization Indexes, 1795-1952 on FamilySearch.org, National Archives publication M1248, browsesable images of card index
- 1795 -1931 Pennsylvania, Eastern District Petitions for Naturalization, 1795-1931 at FamilySearch
- 1795 -1930 Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1795-1930 on Fold3.com - ($), indexed, National Archives publication M1522, incomplete for all counties
- 1795 -1930 Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania located in Selected US Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 database on Ancestry $
Original Naturalization Records on Microfilm
- 1743 Extract aus der Registratur der Supreem Court zu Philadelphia FHL Film 20361 Item 9
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
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 Bucks 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.
Online Newspaper Abstracts
- PA-Roots Newspaper Articles for Bucks County.
- 1947 -2010 Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Collection, 1947-2010 at FamilySearch
Newspaper Index
- McNealy Terry A. (compiler), Index to Bucks County references in the Pennsylvania Gazette 1728-1789 (Doylestown, Pennsylvania:Bucks County Genealogical Society) FHL book 974.821 B3m Alphabetically arranged by surnames and subjects. "Bucks County had no newspaper of its own in the 18th century.--Intro."
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
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
- PA-Roots Obituaries for Bucks County.
Obituary Excerpts and Abstracts
- A Record of deaths in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and territory immediately contiguous, 1934-1956: compiled mainly from the newspapers of the county; also burials in Richlandtown, Doylestown, Deep Run Mennonite, Kellers Church, and New Britain Beulah cemeteries (SLC, Utah, 1958) FHL film 172930 (first of 4)
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate matters in Bucks 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
- 1682 -1825 Abstracts Books A and 1 - 10 at Bucks County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives - Includes index.
- 1683 -1993 Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records 1683-1993 at Ancestry $
- 1683 -1994 Pennsylvania Probate Records 1683-1994 at FamilySearch - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
- 1684 -1850 Williams, Richard T. Index of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Wills and Administration Records, 1684 to 1850 Danboro, Pa.: R.T. and M.C. Williams, 1981. Digital version at [1] ($).
- 1684 -1958 Pennsylvania, Probate Records, 1683-1994 at FamilySearch . Includes Bucks County Will Index (1684-1831), Will Abstracts (1685-1825), Will Books 1-32 (1684-1906), Wills and Letters of Administration (1684-1693); Estate Index (1684-1939); Inventories (1684-1688); Orphans' Court Record Index (1683-1958), Orphans' Court Records Vols. 1-16 (1752-1866); Register's Dockets Vols. 4-9 (1839-1913).
- 1684 -1693 "Bucks County Wills, 1684-1693," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 (Jul. 1897):198-224. For online access, see WeRelate
- 1713 -1906 Wills FHL film 387828 (first of 26 films) Index included: 1682-1939 - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
- 1839 -1913 Register Dockets FHL film 927585 (first of 3 films) - images only; click on the camera icon to view images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
- 1693 1693 Tax List at Bucks County, Pennsylvania PAGenWeb Archives
- 1779, 1781 -1786 Proprietary and Other Tax Lists of the County of Bucks: For the Years 1779, 1781, 1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1786 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 13). Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books
- 1798 Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798 at Ancestry ($).
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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 -1855 Bucks County Birth Index 1852-1855 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C524001[13]
- 1852 -1854 Pennsylvania Births Ancestry $
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Pennsylvania marriages were created by county officials. Contact Bucks 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 $
- 1711 -1797 Bucks Co residents listed in Early NJ Marriage Bond Abstracts 1711-1797 at USGenWeb - Not all years represented.
- 1725 -1976 Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 index. Not complete for all years. This index 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.
- 1773 -1824 "Marriages Copies from the Docket of Isaac Hicks: Justice of the Peace of Bucks County from 1773 to 1824," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jun. 1908):201-225. For online access, see WeRelate; the Family History Library also has this series in its collection: FHL Book 974.8 B2p.
- Pre-1810 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
- 1836 -1904 Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940 index. Not complete for all years; some images available.
- 1852 -1854 Pennsylvania Marriages Ancestry $
- 1885 -1950 Pennsylvania County Marriage, 1885-1950 Extracted marriage records – This database is incomplete for all counties. May also contain marriage records earlier than 1885.
Death[edit | edit source]
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
- 1810-1924 Bucks County Death Index 1810-1924 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch[14]
- 1850-1880 Pennsylvania Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1852-1854 Pennsylvania Deaths Ancestry $
Death Substitutes
- 1710-1906 Bucks County (Pennsylvania). Coroner. Coroner's Views and Inquisitions, 1710-1906; Index, 1722-1946. Coroner's reports supply information on accidental or suspicious deaths.
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Divorce records are available through the office of the Prothonotary.
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Bucks County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.
- The Archive Research Center, located on the third floor of the Bucks County Courthouse
Genealogical and Archival Search Requests is available for the public. The site lists what records can be searched by staff and the cost.
- Open to the public for genealogical research. The Bucks County Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphan's Court has microfilm records dating back to 1684. Some original records are stored off-site and are available by advance request. Copy services (by fee) include the following:
- 1684 -1950 Genealogical Search Request, index search by name
- 1684 -1987 Index printout with name, death year, index number
- 1987 - present Index printout also includes date of death
- 1885 - present Marriage Application Record, Certified Application, Marriage Certificate
- 1893 -1906 Certified Birth/Death Record
- National Archives at Philadelphia
14700 Townsend Road
Philadelphia, PA 19154-1096
Phone: (215) 305-2044
Fax (215) 305-2052
Website
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Bucks County. For state-wide library facilities, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.
- Bucks County Library Network
Website
- Bucks County Free Library is a seven-branch county library system. An online catalog is available, and shows a sizable genealogy and biography collection.
- The Mennonite Heritage Center
565 Yoder Road
Harleysville, PA 19438-1020
Phone: 215-256-3020
Email: library@mhep.org
Website
- The Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania support the John L. Ruth Historical Library and Museum at the Mennonite Heritage Center. Located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania the records and resources of this treasure also cover the counties of Bucks, Chester, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, and Philadelphia. The website provides a comprehensive overview of library resources, online cemetery database, manuscript collections, photo collections, archival collections, and more.
- The Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania support the John L. Ruth Historical Library and Museum at the Mennonite Heritage Center. Located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania the records and resources of this treasure also cover the counties of Bucks, Chester, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, and Philadelphia. The website provides a comprehensive overview of library resources, online cemetery database, manuscript collections, photo collections, archival collections, and more.
Museums[edit | edit source]
- Historic Fallsington
Information Center and Office
4 Yardley Ave.
Fallsington, PA 19054-1117
Phone: 215-295-6567
Email: info@historicfallsington.org
Website
- The village of Fallsington was significant as a religious, social and market center for the surrounding area and a stop for stagecoaches. There are several historic homes and buildings as well as a manuscript collection with genealogical and historical records.
- The village of Fallsington was significant as a religious, social and market center for the surrounding area and a stop for stagecoaches. There are several historic homes and buildings as well as a manuscript collection with genealogical and historical records.
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Bucks County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Pennsylvania Societies.
- Bucks County Genealogical Society
PO Box 826
Washington Crossing, PA 18977
Website
- The BCGS was formed in February 2012 and has about 150 members. Monthly meetings feature informative speakers on topics of interest to genealogists. One of its projects is a Cemetery Assessment Project, with the goal of gathering information such as location of burial records and contact information for all the cemeteries in Bucks County.
- The BCGS was formed in February 2012 and has about 150 members. Monthly meetings feature informative speakers on topics of interest to genealogists. One of its projects is a Cemetery Assessment Project, with the goal of gathering information such as location of burial records and contact information for all the cemeteries in Bucks County.
- Bucks County Historical Society
84 South Pine Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: 215-345-0210
Website
- RolloPAC/ onine catalog is the Online Catalog of the Bucks County Historical Society.
- The Bucks County Historical Society operates the Mercer Museum and the Fonthill Castle. The research library of the museum is the major research center for local and family history related to Bucks County and the surrounding region. The Library houses over 20,000 books, periodicals and pamphlets, 2500 feet of county archives, over 800 manuscript collections, over 12,000 images, and maps and other records that document local history, and more. The online catalog searches collections of the Archives, the Museum, and the Library as well as an obituary collection from 2000 to the present.
The Library is the repository for many Bucks County government records dating from 1683. These records come from the offices of the Court of Quarter Sessions, Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans Court, Prothonotary and the County Commissioners. Special indexes to county collections include the following: naturalization records (1802-1906), criminal papers (1697-1786), quarter sessions (1684-1700), coroners papers (1700-1900), divorces (1806-1948), marriage licenses (1852-1854, 1885-1946), vendues (1784-1884), tavern licenses (1742-1923), deed books and grantor/grantee index (1684-1919), wills and administrations (1684-1900), and mechanics liens (1836-1949).
- RolloPAC/ onine catalog is the Online Catalog of the Bucks County Historical Society.
Websites[edit | edit source]
- The Bucks County PAGenWeb Project, a member of The PAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- Linkpendium - Bucks County
- Bucks 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucks_County,_Pennsylvania accessed 2/1/2017
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002) Bucks County, Pennsylvania, p.588
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pennsylvania.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Bucks County, Pennsylvania," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucks_County,_Pennsylvania, accessed 14 January 2020.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/86/Igipennsylvaniabb.pdf.
- ↑ Philip Syng Physick Conner,"Registers of the Anglican Church in Pennsylvania prior to 1800," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 12 (1888):341-349. For online access, see WeRelate.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/img_auth.php/2/23/Igipennsylvaniac.pdf.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/img_auth.php/2/23/Igipennsylvaniac.pdf.
- ↑ The Philadelphia Courts at Common Pleas accessed 10 July 2012
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 John B.B. Trussell and Charles C. Dallas, The Pennsylvania Line; Regimental Organization and Operations, 1776-1783 (Harrisburg, Pa.: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1977). Digital version at Family History Archive.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/86/Igipennsylvaniabb.pdf.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/86/Igipennsylvaniabb.pdf.