Rockland County, New York Genealogy

United States Genealogy

New York

Rockland County

Guide to Rockland County, New York ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records,and military records.

This page describes sources of genealogical data about Rockland County, New York Genealogy families, including links to smaller localities at the bottom of this page. New York, United States Genealogy-related pages show useful statewide sources. United States Genealogy pages explain the terminology and contents of genealogical records.

New York Online Genealogy Records

Rockland County, New York
Map
Location in the state of New York, United States Genealogy
Location of New York in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	February 23, 1798
County Seat	New City
Courthouse
Address	1 South Main Street New City, New York Rockland County Website

Rockland County New York Historical Facts

Description

The County was named for the "rocky land". The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

Rockland County, New York Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1880	1908	1880	1798	1798	1798	1663
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1880. General compliance for births by 1915 and deaths by 1890.

Parent County

• Created 23 February 1798 from Orange County.

Boundary Changes

For animated maps illustrating New York County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation New York County Boundary Maps" (1683-1915) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss

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

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:

Towns
Clarkstown Haverstraw	Orangetown Ramapo	Stony Point
Villages
Airmont Chestnut Ridge Grand View-on-Hudson Haverstraw Hillburn (aka Woodburn) Kaser Montebello	New Hempstead New Square Nyack Piermont Pomona Sloatsburg South Nyack	Spring Valley Suffern Upper Nyack Wesley Hills West Haverstraw
Hamlets
Central Nyack Doodletown Garnerville Grassy Point (aka North Haverstraw) Johnsontown	Jones Point Ladentown Middletown Nauraushaun Palisades (aka Sneden's Landing) Rockland Lake	St. John's in the Wilderness Sickletown Sterlington Tallman Tomkins Cove
Census-designated places
Bardonia Blauvelt Congers Hillcrest Monsey Mount Ivy	Nanuet New City (county seat) Orangeburg Pearl River Sparkill Stony Point	Tappan Thiells Valley Cottage Viola West Nyack
Ghost towns
Sandyfield

Rockland County New York Genealogy Resources

Bible Records

• 1581–1917 New York, Family Bible Records at Ancestry– ($); Index. Database is a collection of genealogically important records taken from the Bibles of colony and state residents. Reveals the Bible's original owner, brief record of descendants,and a particular event such as birth or marriage as recorded in Bible.
  

Cemeteries

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

Online Grave Transcripts	Published Grave Transcripts	County Cemetery Directories
Findagrave.com*	Family History Library*	Findagrave.com*
Interment.net*	WorldCat*	Tombstone Transcription Project*
Cemetery Site*		NYGenWeb Cemeteries*
New York Gravestones*		FamilySearch Places
NYGenWeb Cemeteries*		Billion Graves*
Billion Graves*		Names in Stone*
Names in Stone*
Linkpendium*
Ancestry*
*See the New York Cemeteries page for details about each site.

• 1800-1965 - New York, Cemetery Abstracts, 1800-1965 at FamilySearch — index

The best starting point for cemetery records in Rockland County is the list of cemeteries, many of which are indexed and searchable by name, at the Genealogical Society of Rockland County.

• Voorhees, Lesley E. "Inscriptions from the Cato-Meridian Cemetery in Cayuga County, N.Y.," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 80, No. 1 (Jan. 1949):10-14; Vol. 80, No. 2 (Apr. 1949):75-82. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 80.

Census

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1800	6,353	—
1810	7,758	22.1%
1820	8,837	13.9%
1830	9,388	6.2%
1840	11,975	27.6%
1850	16,962	41.6%
1860	22,492	32.6%
1870	25,213	12.1%
1880	27,690	9.8%
1890	35,162	27.0%
1900	38,298	8.9%
1910	46,873	22.4%
1920	45,548	−2.8%
1930	59,599	30.8%
1940	74,261	24.6%
1950	89,276	20.2%
1960	136,803	53.2%
1970	229,903	68.1%
1980	259,530	12.9%
1990	265,475	2.3%
2000	286,753	8.0%
2010	311,687	8.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

For information and tips on using and accessing online census records, see New York Census.

Federal

U.S. Census Mortality Schedules for New York, 1850-1880:

• Available online at Ancestry ($).
• Deaths are included for the 12 months prior to the census, 1849-50, 1859-60, 1869-70, and 1879-80 beginning 1 June and ending 31 May of the census year.
• Basic contents of the records include: Name, sex, age, color, marital status, place of birth, month of death, occupation, and cause of death. 1870 also has parents' birthplace. 1880 lists how long a resident of the county.
• Also on FHL Films 1415128–42.

State

Source	1825	1835	1845	1855	1865	1875	1892	1905	1915	1925
Ancestry.com	-	-	-	Yes	-	Yes	Yes & Yes	-	Yes	Yes
Family History Library Films	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
FamilySearch Images	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
New York State Library Films	-	-	-	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

New York State 1865 and 1875 Census Marriage, Mortality; and 1865 Soldier Mortality records:

• Images available online at New York State Census, 1865 and New York State Census, 1875. Click on the link to go to the page, then click on the ‘Browse through images’ link and select your county, then select an ancestor's town and browse to the end of the population schedule until you find the Marriage, Mortality, and 1865 soldier mortality schedules.
• Includes marriages and deaths for the 12 months prior to the census, ending 1 June of the census year.
• Marriage entry content: Husband's name, wife's name, ages and previous marital status, month and day and place of marriage, and church or civil ceremony.
• Death entry content: Name, age, sex, color, marital status, month and day of death, native state or country, occupation and cause of death.
• 1865 deaths of officers and enlisted men entry content: Name, age, marital status, citizenship status, enlistment date, original regiment, original rank, regiment at death, rank at death, promotions, death date and place, manner of death, surviving associates, and burial place.
• Also on microfilm. See the Family History Library line in the above State Census Chart.

Church Records

Church records are good substitutes for birth, marriage, and death information and are most often found on a local city/town or county level.  Published and manuscript church records can be found at public, university, and private libraries.

For a brief general history of denominations and a guide to finding various New York denomination's records, see New York Church Records Wiki page.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places

Directory of churches at the Genealogical Society of Rockland County.

Dutch Reformed Church records of Tappan begin in the late 1600s.

New Hope Christian Church (the Monsey Church) was established in 1824 and continues today. The church was originally a member of Classis Hackensack of the True Reformed Dutch Church, then affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church, and is now a member of the Presbyterian Church in America. A history of the church can be found on Wikipedia that includes names of pastors; charter members; burials in the church's cemetery (the Historic Monsey Cemetery on Maple Avenue at Saddle River Road); and more. For more recent information, including members, baptisms, weddings, and so on from the 1920 to the present, contact New Hope Christian Church directly through the website or by calling (845) 356-2031.

Records of the Irregular Dutch Reformed Churches of Tappan and Kakiat are described in:

• 1760s-1770s - Durie, Howard I. and George Olin Zabriskie. "The Irregular Dutch Reformed Churches of Tappan and Kakiat, Rockland County, New York," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 101, No. 1 (Jan. 1970):65-73; Vol. 101, No. 3 (Jul. 1970):164-173; Marriages 1760s-1770s: Vol. 101, No. 4 (Oct. 1970):235-244; Baptisms 1767-1778: Vol. 102, No. 1 (Jan. 1971):15-22. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 101.

Additional Church Records

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

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

Court Records

Ancestors may have also been involved in municipal, state, or federal court cases. See also New York Court Records and United States Court Records.

Emigration and Immigration

• 1906-1942 - New York Book Indexes to Passenger Lists, 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Genealogy

• Rootsweb message board for Rockland County, New York Genealogy has many information threads about families that resided in that county. There is a search engine that allows you to search by surname and topic.
  

History

A long Wikipedia article summarizes the settlement and industrial development of Rockland County.

Land and Property

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See New York Land and Property for more details, especially about the papers generated in New York State by large speculative land companies.

Original land records in Rockland County, New York Genealogy began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online

• Pre-1930 Land Records

Microforms

• 
  

Books

• 
  

Additional land records can sometimes be found using these catalogs:

• WorldCat using the search phase: Rockland County, New York Genealogy deeds. (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog.)
• FamilySearch Catalog using the search phrase: 1, New York - Land and Property. (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search.)

Additional resources

Additional resources for Rockland County, New York Genealogy land records may be found in the Rockland County, New York Genealogy – Land Records topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche may be available for viewing at various Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.

Maps

• Maps of New York (1683-1915)

Military

Revolutionary War

Transcribed militia rolls can be found at AmericanWars.org in the Orange County section (since Rockland Co. had not yet split off from Orange Co. at the time of the American Revolution).

Civil War

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

Town registers. The New York town clerks kept a bound register of all soldiers from their town serving in the Civil War 1861-1865. Registers are arranged by county, and town. Some town registers are missing. The registers include an index at the start of each town.

Content. Many register entries include full name, residence, date and place of birth, parents names, marital status, date of enlistment and muster and rank, discharges, death, or promotion.

Access. The original registers are at the New York State Archives in Albany, New York. Microfilm copies are found at the Family History Library (FHL Film 1993401-37). They are also indexed and available at Ancestry.com ($).

Available towns. Registers are available for: Clarkstown · Haverstraw · Ramapo · Stony Point.

Regiments. Service men in Rockland County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.

- 6th Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery, Companies K and M.

- 17th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company G.

- 65th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company B.

- 95th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company F.

- 135th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies K and M.

- 141st Regiment, New York Infantry, Company A.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Indexes

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

• 1792-1989 - Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989 at Ancestry ($). This database is based on NARA's Soundex Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts located in New York City, 1792-1989. All 5 boroughs are included.

• 1824-1941 - New York, Southern District Index to Petitions for Naturalization, 1828-1941 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

• 1824-1946 - New York, Southern District, U.S District Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1946 at FamilySearch — index and images

• 1836-1896 - Rockland County Archivist Naturalizations Database at NYGenWeb - free.
  

• 1917-1950 - New York, Southern District Naturalization Index, 1917-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

The Family History Library has also acquired this comprehensive index for the years 1792 through 1906 on microfilm: FHL Film 1419807 (1st of 294 films). The courts this index covers are:

• City Court of Brooklyn, 1836-1894
• Kings County Court, 1806-1906
• New York City Marine Court, 1806-1849
• New York County Common Pleas Court, 1792-1895
• New York County Superior Court, 1828-1895
• New York City and County Supreme Court, 1868-1906
• Queens County Court, 1799-1906
• Queens County Surrogate Court, 1888-1898
• Richmond County Court, 1869-1906
• U.S. Circuit Court Southern District, 1846-1876
• U.S. District Court Eastern District, (Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties), 1865-1906
• U.S. District Court Southern Court Southern District, (New York, Bronx and also Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties), 1824-1906

Newspapers

Old Fulton NY Post Cards has the largest online collection of 400 New York 1795-2007 newspapers. The instructions for this quirky site are needed to get the most out of it.

• Search engine for all 400 newspapers.
• List of 400 newspapers 1795-2007 at this site.

• Wiki instructions for finding ancestors in Old Fulton NY Post Cards newspapers.
• Site's FAQ instructions about how to do searches.

Old Fulton NY Post Cards has the following Rockland County, New York Genealogy newspaper images:

• Pearl River NY Orangetown Telegram 1940-1963

• NYS Historic Newspapers

Probate Records

Probate records including original estates and wills for New York are held in the office of the county Surrogate Court beginning in 1787, or when the county was formed. Prior to 1787, most are housed at the New York State Archives. See New York Probate Records for more information about using probate records.
Content:  Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types:  Wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distribution.

Probate Petitions

In 1830, state law required the Surrogate Court clerk to issue a probate petition for a deceased individual with property. This petition, unique to New York, usually lists the deceased's death date. It also lists the heirs, their relationship to the deceased, and their residence. Alice Eichholz, Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 479. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004. Henry B. Hoff, "Navigating New York Probate," American Ancestors 12 (Fall 2011): 54.

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

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

• 1802–1900 Listed as "Probate Records" FHL Film 819733 (96 films).
  

Online Probate Indexes and Abstracts

• 1629 - 1971 New York Probate Records 1629-1971 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
• 1659 - 1999 New York Wills and Probate Records 1659-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
• 1786-1845 - Cowen, Minnie. Abstracts of Wills of Rockland County, New York, 1786-1845. New York: unknown, 1937-1939. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  
• 1798-1901 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
• 1845-1870 - Barber, Gertrude A. Abstracts of Wills of Rockland County, New York: Copied from the Original Records at the Surrogate's Office, New City, Rockland County, N.Y. unknown, 1950-1953. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  
• 1866 - 1923 New York Kings County Estate Files 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images

Probate Records on Microfilm

• 1785–1797 Orange County Wills, transcribed FHL Film 825109 Item 1Rockland County was created from Orange County.
• 1798–1901 Wills, orders. Includes general index. FHL Film 823453 (22 films)
• 1798–1900 Letters of Administration. FHL Film 819827 (4 films)
• 1802–1910 Miscellaneous Probate Records: Includes guardian bonds 1890–1910. FHL Film 823429 (4 films)
• 1802–1900 Probate Records: Petitions, described above. FHL Film 819733 (96 films)
• 1800–1900 Administration. FHL Film 825191 (40 films)
• 1798–1901 Minutes. FHL Film 819821 (15 films)
• 1830–1900 Decrees. FHL Film 819833 (4 films)

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

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

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

Repositories

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Rockland County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1990). At various libraries; FHL Book 974.728 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums

Rockland Room New City Library 220 North Main Street New City, NY 10956 845-634-4997 ext. 139 spellegr@rcls.org Blauvelt House Historical Society of Rockland County 20 Zukor Road New City, NY 10956 Phone:845-634-9629

Genealogical resources: Large book collection, family files, subscription genealogy sites.

County Archivist

Rockland County Archivist
Peter J. Scheibner
Building S, Sanatorium Rd.
Pomona, NY 10970
Office Hours: 9:00 am — 5:00 pm
Phone: 845–364-3670
Email: scheibnp@co.rockland.ny.us
Collection: The archivist has the Rockland County Archives collection. Among the Archive collection are the following:

• Census Records (1855-1925)
  
• Naturalization Papers (1812-1991)
  
• Marriage Records (1908-1935)
  
• Orange County Deeds and Mortgages (1703-1800)
  
• Rockland County Deeds (Microfilm) (1798-1921) Original books are located at the County Clerk’s Office in New City
  
• Rockland County Mortgages 1798 - 1931
  
• Tax and Assessment Rolls (Clarkstown 1857-1964,Ramapo 1855-1964,Haverstraw 1857-1964,Orangetown 1855-1964,Stony Point 1865-1964)
  
• Atlas of Hudson Valley (1891)
  
• Atlas of Rockland County 1876
  
• Index to Maps (1798-1940)
  
• Subdivision Maps
  
• Right-of-Way Maps
  
• Court Records (1798-2001)
  
• Court of Common Pleas
  
• General Sessions
  
• Oyer and Terminer
  
• Wills (1798-1965) (Genealogical purposes only)
  
• Judgments (1847-1913)
  
• Index to Court Papers (1847-1982)

County Historian

Craig H. Long, Historian 120 Wayne Ave Suffern, NY 10901 Phone: 845–357–6383 Email: History.detective@verizon.net Town and Village Historians with notes and contact information

Genealogical Resources: The County Historian may provide access to obituaries, vital records, church records, maps, and family files or journals. Some historians provide search services for their office records and others may refer you to local genealogists who research in the area.

Courthouses

The Rockland County Clerk's office has marriage, divorce, court and land records. The Surrogate Court has probate records. For further information about where the records for Rockland County are held, see the Rockland County Courthouses page.

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources for family history research.

The main FHC for Rockland County, New York Genealogy is the Yorktown New York Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.

Societies

Genealogical Society of Rockland County
P. O. Box 444
New City, New York 10956

Historical Society of Rockland County
20 Zukor Road
New City, NY 10956
Phone:845-634-9629
Facebook

Social Groups Online

• New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Town Records

Town records in New York may include early births, marriages, deaths, divorces, local histories, selected military records, and town meeting minutes. Vital records from 1880/1882 are kept by town and village clerks, although some (Kent’s and Putnam Valley’s) are available in the County Historian’s Office. For further details, try the links to individual town Wiki pages found in Places. See also:

• Gordon L. Remington, New York Towns, Villages, and Cities: A Guide to Genealogical Sources (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002). NEHGS online edition; At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 974.7 D27r. Alphabetical list including date founded, if a town history exists, church and cemetery sources, and if a Civil War register (TCR) exists.
• Journal of the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Putnam County for the Year 1904 (New York: Martin B. Brown, 1905)
  
• Journal of the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Putnam County for the Year 1922 (Poughkeepsie: Lansing Broas, 1923)
• List of Town Clerks, Record Managers and Historical Societies
  

The County Archives has the following records:

• 031 Petitions, Licenses, and recognizance to sell liquor (Tavern licenses) 1813-1878
• 139 Monthly Reports of Hunting and fishing licenses, 1908-1938
• 165 Certificates of Qualifications as Examiner in Lunacy, 1883-1947
  

Vital Records

Vital records of birth, marriage or death were first recorded at the local level in the village clerk, town clerk, or city clerk’s ledger book. If you know where a birth, marriage or death took place, a copy of the certificate or record may be obtained by writing to the town, village or city clerk. See also How to order New York Vital Records or order electronically online.

See the heading Places on this wiki page for links to local community wiki pages and their available records. See New York Vital Records for a discussion about beginning dates and availability of vital records in New York.

Use substitute records for birth, marriage, and death information. These substitute records include Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records.

Birth

Early births were recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) The New York State Department of Health (state level) began recording births in 1881. Births were not recorded on the county level.

• 1881-1942 Reclaim the Records: New York State Birth Index at Archive.org - images of index

Birth Substitutes

• 1640–1962 New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

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

Marriage

Early marriages were sometimes recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. In 1880, town clerks were to record the marriage and a copy was sent to the New York State Department of Health (state level). Town clerks continue to record marriages. The marriages in this county were recorded by the county clerk from 1908 until 1935.

• 1639-1962 - New York, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $

• 1664–1784 New York. Secretary of State, Names of Persons for Whom Marriage Licenses Were Issued By the Secretary of the Province of New York, Previous to 1784 (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1860). At Cornell University digital library-free; Internet Archive - free; Ancestry edition($); At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Film 514675 Item 1 or 930131 Item 2. Marriage bonds issued in the State of New York prior to 1784, and the earliest record dating 1664.
  

• 1847–1848 and 1908–1936 New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936 at FamilySearch — index and images
  

• 1881-1964 Reclaim the Records: New York State Marriage Index at Archive.org - images of index

• 1908–1918 New York, County Marriages 1908–1935 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; FHL film 1031323 Item 2.
  

Marriage Substitutes

• 1686-1980 New York Marriages, 1686–1890 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.
  

• 1800–1855 New York Marriage Notices at Ancestry– ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage notices published in newspapers around the state. Contains name of bride and groom, marriage date, marriage location, residence, and newspaper found in.
  

• 1801–1880 Barber Collection- Newspaper Marriages at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
  

• 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browsable.
  

• 1864-5, 1874-5 See Marriage Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for marriage information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.
  

Divorce

Pre–1787	All divorces were granted by the governor or legislature and were very rare.
1787–1847	All divorces were granted by the court of chancery. These records are found in the New York State Archives or for the New York City area at the New York County Clerk's office.These divorces were granted only on the grounds of adultery.
1847–present	All divorces are handled by the county Supreme Court where the divorce was granted. Divorce files in New York are sealed for 100 years. Contact the County Clerk for information about divorce records.

Divorce judgment papers often include date and place of the marriage and the names and birthdates of any children. Local newspapers may publish notices of divorce actions.

Death

Early deaths were recorded on the town level and the years vary by town. (List of towns) The New York State Department of Health (state level) began recording deaths in 1881. Deaths were not recorded on the county level.

Death Indexes

• 1824-1962 - New York, Church and Civil Deaths, 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — index
• 1880-1956 - New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1880-1956 - New York, Death Index, 1880-1956 at Ancestry — ($), index only
  
• 1957-1963 - New York State Health Department, Genealogical Research Death Index, 1957-1963 at FamilySearch — Index only
  

Death Substitutes

• 1795–1952 New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. The entries are primarily from the IGI along with some entries derived from compiled and original records such as Family Records, Church Records, and Civil Registration. There may be entries that cite a specific source.
  

• 1801–1890 Barber Collection- Newspaper Deaths at Ancestry– ($); Index. Information extracted from the "Brooklyn Eagle" and the "New York Evening Post."
  

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

• 1856–1863 Index to Marriages and Deaths in the New York Herald at Ancestry– ($); Index. These newspaper notices refer to people up and down the East Coast as well as midwesterners and persons from as far west as the State of California. Also browsable.
  

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

• 1864-5, 1874-5 See Mortality Schedule information in the State Census section of Census for death information for 1864-5, and 1874-5.
  

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Rockland County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the New York, Rockland– Vital Records topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.

Rockland County New York Genealogy Websites

• Rockland County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
• New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
• The Rockland County NYGenWeb Project, a member of The NYGenWeb Project
• Rockland Historical Resources and Links lists libraries, societies, museums, historic sites, etc.
• Rockland County NY Genealogy

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

Family History Library

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free