CONTENTS OF WEBPAGE

• Vital Records History
• Marriage and Divorce Records
• Bibliography
• Available Records
• Order Records Online
• LDS Vital Records Films
• Manhattan Vital Records on line
• Passport Applications
• Upcoming Sections

Record keeping in New York City and other parts of the US started during the colonial times in our history.  Since the earlier settlers in the US were predominantly British, they followed British customs.  Beginning in 1538, shortly after the separation of the English from the church in Rome, it was required that ministers keep a record of christenings, marriages and burials in the registers of their individual parish churches.  Such recording keeping started first in Virginia in 1632 and in Massachusetts in 1639.  Acts were passed in both areas and other British settlements mandating recorded keeping but none of these laws were very effective.  The population was so unsettled that enforcement of these laws was next to impossible.

The English speaking peoples were not as quick to develop civil registration as other peoples of the world, such as the Dutch who originally settled in New York City.  By 1833 only one tenth of the world's population had vital registration systems which included New York City.

Useful death records generally developed slightly earlier than good birth records.  They were more important to facilitate the fight against disease.  Marriage records have been the slowest to develop.  While vital records are excellent sources of documentation in our research, one must always remember, the information they provide is only as good as the provider remembers or wants to report.  It is generally accepted that marriage records are the most accurate because they are the only records where the bride and groom actually give information about themselves.

Marriage and Divorce Records:  Marriage records are most often found in the county where the licenses were issued, usually in the jurisdiction of the county clerk or county recorder.  However, in New York State, they were kept in the town.  The early records consist mostly of records of licenses and bonds.  Many of these early records have been published in books and periodicals, but the quality often leaves much to be desired.

Most early marriage records do not contain detailed genealogical data; however, there are exceptions to this.  Some substitutes for original marriage records are newspaper notices and announcements, as well as the vital records lists of marriage licenses which most newspapers have carried.  While not actually vital records, another source of marriage information include widows' pension applications, family bibles and census records.

Divorce records are generally not found very early.  Most of the records are in the county where the divorce was granted.

• The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy, by Val D. Greenwood, 2000
• Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family History, by Elizabeth Shown Mills, 1997
• International Vital Records Handbook, by Thomas Jay Kemp, 2000
• Genealogy Online for Dummies, by Matthew & April Helm, 1998
• Research Outline, New York, Family History Library, SLC, Utah
• New York City, Dept of Records & Information Services website
• New York City Vital Records Research, NYG&BS article by Harry Macy, 1998
• Indexes to NYC Vital Records, The NYG&B Newsletter, 1998, 1999
• Genealogical Resources in New York, by Estelle M Guzik, 2003
• US National Archives & Records Administration (NARA), website

Prior to 1866, vital records were kept in registers, or ledgers, where each event was entered on one line, with columns for the different parts of the registration.  Each register was divided into sections for the letters of the alphabet, and events were recorded under the first letter of the last name, in chronological order.   In 1866 New York City began to issue certificates but continued the registers until 1887.

Adam to August,   Balthaser to Carolina,    Carolina to Clara, 
Clara to Emilie,    Emilie to Frederick,    Hedwig to Hermann,
Hermann to Johann,    Johanna to John,    John to Katharina,
Katharina to Louise,    M.H. to Mary L.,     Mathilda to Otto M, 
Paul to Philipp,    Philippine to Rudolf,     Salomon to Sophie,
Theodor to Wilhamina,     Wilhelm to William,     William to Yohanna & DanBauer