Staten Island Borough, New York Genealogy

United States Genealogy

New York

New York City

Staten Island Borough

Guide to Staten Island Borough (previously Richmond 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 Staten Island Borough, 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

Staten Island Borough, New York
Map
Location in the state of New York, United States Genealogy
Location of New York in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	November 1, 1683
County Seat
Courthouse
Address	100 Richmond Terrace Staten Island, NY 10301 Richmond County Clerk

NY Staten Island.png

Staten Island Borough, New York Historical Facts

The Borough of Staten Island is one of five boroughs of  The City of Greater New York. It became a borough of New York City in 1898. Before that time, it was an independent county in the State of New York (Richmond County). Today, it is still an independent county but is simultaneously a borough of the City.

When it first became part of New York City, it was called the Borough of Richmond. In 1975, it was officially renamed the Borough of Staten Island. Both terms are found in records.

Description

The County was named for the States General of the Netherlands (Staten Island) Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond (Richmond County). The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1880	1880	1880	1683	1683	1787	1663
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1880. General compliance for births by 1915 and deaths by 1890.

Name Changes

Staten Island has rarely had any boundary changes, but there have been political changes which altered its name and the location of records.

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.

1664 Yorkshire became the first large government unit (not actually a county) organized by New York after the English took control from the The Netherlands. It was divided into three ridings including West Riding (Staten Island, Brooklyn, and modern Elmhurst in Queens).
1683 New York extinguished Yorkshire, creating Richmond County from part of Yorkshire.
1687 Administrative divisions were started which eventually evolved into townships.
1898 Staten Island joined New York City as the Borough of Richmond. At this time, vital statistics began to be collected at the city level instead of at the county level.
1975 The Borough of Richmond was officially renamed the Borough of Staten Island. It is still an independent county. 

Record Loss

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

Staten Island Borough New York Genealogy Resources

Bible Records

• Chiefly Bible records: copied from those of the Staten Island Hist. Society at Port Richmond, Staten Island, N.Y. Photocopies of transcripts of family bible records collected in the 1930's. The digital images of this collection have also been posted at the Richmond County Genweb site. This is also available at Ancestry ($) and on FHL film 0509187

Biography

Books

• Prominent Men of Staten Island, A.V. Hubbell, New York, 1893. Available free at Internet Archive.
  
• Staten Island and Its People, Leng, Charles W. and William T. Davis, Lewis Historical Pub. Co., 1930-1933. Available online at Hathi Digital Trust.
  

The Staten Island Museum Library & Archives holds a special Biographies collection.

Business Records and Commerce

Books

• Made on Staten Island : Agriculture, Industry, and Suburban Living in the City, Charles L. Sachs and Nancy H. Waters, Staten Island Historical Society, Richmondtown, Staten Island, New York, 1988. Find it at WorldCat.
  
• Staten Island, New York City: Its Industrial Resources and Possibilities. Commerce and Industry Association of New York. Industrial Bureau. New York, N.Y. : [s.n.], 1922. Find it at WorldCat.
  

The Staten Island Museum Library & Archives holds special collections in Business & Industry and the  Chamber of Commerce.

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*		Billion Graves*
NYGenWeb Cemeteries*		Names in Stone*
Billion Graves*		FamilySearch Places
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

Census

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	3,835	—
1800	4,564	19.0%
1810	5,347	17.2%
1820	6,135	14.7%
1830	7,082	15.4%
1840	10,965	54.8%
1850	15,061	37.4%
1860	25,492	69.3%
1870	33,029	29.6%
1880	38,991	18.1%
1890	51,713	32.6%
1900	67,021	29.6%
1910	85,969	28.3%
1920	116,531	35.6%
1930	158,346	35.9%
1940	174,441	10.2%
1950	191,555	9.8%
1960	221,991	15.9%
1970	295,443	33.1%
1980	352,029	19.2%
1990	378,977	7.7%
2000	443,728	17.1%
2010	468,730	5.6%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Two early documents are:

• 1655 - Van Laer, A.J.F. "A List of Settlers on Staten Island Who Survived the Massacre of 1655," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Jul. 1903):210-211. Digital versions at Google Books; and at New York Family History ($); .
  

• 1706 - Stillwell, John E. "Census of Staten Island in the Year 1706," Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey, Vol. 1 (1903):149-155. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.

Federal

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

New York State

New York often took censuses in the years between the federal censuses. The state census records may have columns that were different or more unusual than those found on federal censuses. The responses and years of coverage may give additional information on the family.

In Richmond County, the state census was taken beginning in 1855. The various ways to access it are listed below.

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

City

• 1890 - New York, New York City, Police Census, 1890 at FamilySearch — index

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

• to 1899 - Records of Burials in the Dutch Church, New York. New York, USA: Reformed Dutch Church, 1899. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  
• 1688-1804 - Registers of the Births, Marriages, and Deaths of the "Eglise Françoise à la Nouvelle York" : from 1688 to 1804. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1968. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
• 1696-1790 - Port Richmond Reformed Dutch Church Baptisms 1696-1790, courtesy: NYGenWeb; Ancestral Things
  
• 1696-1828 - Wright, Tobias Alexander, ed. Records of the Dutch Reformed Church of Port Richmond. New York, USA: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1909. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive; World Vital Records ($); another World Vital Records ($) version. Dutch Reformed Church of Port Richmond baptisms 1696-1772; United Brethren Congregation births/baptisms 1749-1853, marriages 1764-1863, deaths/burials 1758-1828; St. Andrews Church at Richmond births/baptisms 1752-1795, marriages 1754-1808.
• 1696-1790 - "Records of the Reformed Dutch Church of Port Richmond, Staten Island, N.Y. Baptisms," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1696-1715: Vol. 36, No. 3 (Jul. 1905):177-184; 1715-1721: Vol. 36, No. 4 (Oct. 1905):267-276; 1720-1726: Vol. 37, No. 1 (Jan. 1906):27-34; 1726-1731: Vol. 37, No. 2 (Apr. 1906):122-130; 1731-1738: Vol. 37, No. 3 (Jul. 1906):189-196; 1738-1790: Vol. 37, No. 4 (Oct. 1906):284-302. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 36-37. Internet Archive has digitized Vol. 36 and Vol. 37 - free.
  
• 1696- - "Register Boek Van De K--K[?] Namen Der Kinderen Dewelck Gedoopt Bennen Op Staten Eylandt Van D ----- Beginne Van Het Jaer Anno 1696," in John E. Stillwell, Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey. Vol. 1 (New York, 1903). Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
• 1749-1863 - "Records of the United Brethren Congregation, Commonly Called Moravian Church, Staten Island, N.Y.," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Baptisms 1749-1800: Vol. 38, No. 1 (Jan. 1907):39-54; Baptisms 1798-1813: Vol. 38, No. 2 (Apr. 1907):113-128; Baptisms 1813-1827: Vol. 38, No. 3 (Jul. 1907):177-192; Baptisms 1821-1837: Vol. 38, No. 4 (Oct. 1907):257-272; Baptisms 1834-1851: Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan. 1908):17-32; Baptisms 1851-1862, Marriages 1764-1782: Vol. 39, No. 2 (Apr. 1908):93-108; Marriages 1782-1815: Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul. 1908):167-178; Marriages 1815-1835: Vol. 39, No. 4 (Oct. 1908):253-268; Marriages 1835-1863: Vol. 40, No. 1 (Jan. 1909):33-45. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 38-40. Internet Archive has digitized Vol. 38, Vol. 39, and Vol. 40 - free.
  
• 1764-1863 - Staten Island - Moravian Church, Marriages 1764-1863, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
• 1790-1811 - Staten Island Dutch Reformed Church Marriages 1790-1811, courtesy: NYGenWeb.
• 1790-1871 - Vosburgh, Royden Woodward. "Marriage Records of the Reformed Dutch Church on Staten Island," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Marriages 1790-1803: Vol. 124, No. 1 (Jan. 1993):9-12; Marriages 1803-1811: Vol. 124, No. 2 (Apr. 1993):90-91; Marriages 1811-1820: Vol. 124, No. 3 (Jul. 1993):157-160; Marriages 1820-1825: Vol. 124, No. 4 (Oct. 1993):230-232. Digital version at New York Family History ($); FHL Book 974.7 B2n v. 124.
• 1823-1871 - Vosburgh, Royden Woodward. Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in Tompkinsville, Staten Island, Richmond County, N.Y. 2 vols. 1922. Digital version at NYGenWeb (partial). Baptisms and births 1823-1854; marriages 1824-1854; members 1823-1854; church officers 1848-1858; members 1854-1871; marriages 1852-1871.
• 1813-1901 St. Andrew's church records, Staten Island, FHL film 509192 items 2-3 Contains birth and death records, 1813-1900
• Records of Zion Lutheran Church, Staten Island, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Additional Church Records

Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Staten Island Borough, 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.

Books

• The earliest volume of Staten island records, 1678-1813. Historical Records Survey of the Work Projects Administration (New York, N.Y.) 1942. Available free at Hathi Digital Trust.
• Liber A (1680-1709) is transcribed in: Historical and genealogical miscellany: Data relating to the early settlement and settlers of New York and New Jersey, Vol. I, John E. Stillwell, M.D. New York, 1903. Available free at the Internet Archive.
  

Crime and Criminals

The infamous Polly Bodine murder case occurred here in December 1843. 

Directories

Emigration and Immigration Records

• 1870-1943 - New York, New York, Index to Alien Crewmen Who Were Discharged or Who Deserted, 1917-1957 at FamilySearch — index
• 1906-1942 - New York Book Indexes to Passenger Lists, 1906-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1944-1948 - United States, New York, Index to Passengers Arriving at New York City, compiled 1944-1948 at FamilySearch — index

Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups

African-American

• See Vital Records section for Slave Birth Records in the Town of Castleton, 1799 -1824.
  
• Afro-American vital records and 20th century abstracts of Richmond County Staten Island 1915 and 1925 New York State census records, Richard Dickenson and Julie Moody Ojelade, Staten Island, New York: Sandy Ground Historical Society, c1985. 974.726 F2
• Dickenson, Richard B. Census Occupations of Afro-American Families on Staten Island, 1840-1875. - St. George, Staten Island, N.Y.: Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences, 1981. - iv, 117 p. (We too, have a heritage; 2nd Ser. v. 1, no. 4) HD8081.A65 D53 1981

See also: Sandy Ground Historical Society[25] 1538 Woodrow Road Staten Island, New York 10309 Phone: 718-317-5796. Contains "largest documentary collection of African-American culture and history of Staten Island."

Jewish

The Museum of Family History has a list of former synagogues and landsmanshaft (mutual aid) societies that operated in Richmond County..

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Staten Island names ; ye olde names and nicknames; William Thompson, Davis and Charles William Leng, Natural Science Association, The Standard Press: New Brighton, N.Y., 1896. Free at the Internet Archive.

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

Genealogy

• Rootsweb message board for Richmond County 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

Jewish Records

The Museum of Family History has compiled a list of synagogues that operated in Richmond (Staten Island). Synagogue names and addresses are included.

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 Staten Island Borough, New York Genealogy began in [?dateyear?]. These records are housed at the [?repository?] in [?town?].

Online

Microforms

Books

Additional land records can sometimes be found using these catalogs:

• WorldCat using the search phase: Staten Island Borough, 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 Staten Island Borough, New York Genealogy land records may be found in the Staten Island Borough, 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)

Migration

Early migration routes to and from Staten Island Borough, New York Genealogy for settlers included:

• the Atlantic Ocean, and Long Island Sound connected New York City with Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and South America
• Hudson River a navigable river stretching from north of Albany then flowing south to empty into the Atlantic Ocean at New York City
• Raritan River a navigable river which rises in Morris County and flows through central New Jersey past Manville to New Brunswick where it meets the tide.
• Great Shamokin Path a pre-historic Indian path from Long Island to Lake Erie mostly in Pennsylvania
• Port of New York City 1624 where ships from around the world brought immigrants, and boats could go up the Hudson River
• Albany Post Road (or Queen's Road, or King's Road) 1669
• King's Highway (or Boston Post Road) 1673 connected Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts Genealogy to Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina Genealogy and many coastal cities between including New York City and Philadelphia
• Morris Canal 1831 connected Jersey City, New Jersey (and NY City) to Philipsburg, New Jersey on the Delaware River and part of Pennsylvania
• Delaware and Raritan Canal 1834 connected New Brunswick, New Jersey on the Raritan River (and NY City) to Bordontown, New Jersey on the Delaware River and parts of Pennsylvania including Philadelphia.

Military

Revolutionary War

Richmond County men served in the 2nd New York Regiment. However, few Staten Islanders fought on the side of the Patriots.

Staten Island was occupied by the British army during most of the war. In 1775 the 3,000 residents of Staten Island were among the most loyal of British subjects in North America. They sold provisions to the Royal Navy; and instructed their delegates to the New York Provincial Congress to vote against American independence. But by the end of the war and the occupation, Staten Islanders were ready to celebrate the withdrawal of British forces. Those who still had British sympathies, or feared retribution for their Tory activities, fled to Canada or the British Isles.

In 1776, the Billop house (now called Conference House) on Staten Island was the site of a peace conference which attempted to end the Revolutionary War. Edward Rutledge, John Adams, General Howe and Benjamin Franklin were among those in attendance. The attempt failed because the Patriots continued to insist on Independence from the English Crown.

War of 1812

Staten Island was instrumental in protecting New York Harbor from British invasion during the war of 1812. Several forts will built on the island; Fort Wadsworth is still extant. Find more history here.

Staten Islanders can be found in New York Adjutant General's Office Index of Awards on Claims of the Soldiers of the War of 1812.  It is available on CD from Genealogical Publishing ($), in a database at  Ancestry ($), and in book form at the New York State Library.  There is a transcribed index (no images) to Staten Island names found in these records at RootsWeb.

1840 Military Pensioners

A census of pensioners for revolutionary or military services, with their names, ages, and places of residence, as returned by the marshals of the several judicial districts, under the act for taking the sixth census, Book III of the Sixth Census, United states Census Office, Washington, DC. 1841. Available (free) at Internet Archive.

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 only available for: Southfield.

More Resources

• Draft List. There were draft riots in 1863 in New York City. It was possible for men to procure substitutes to serve in their place by making a $300 payment. The lists of men who were drafted, therefore do not mean they actually served. A transcription of the 1863 Draft List is available at RootsWeb.
• Regiments. Those who served from Richmond County were generally in the following regiments, or in the New York State Militia. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Here are some of the regiments that Staten Island men joined:

- 4th Independent Battery, New York Light Artillery

- 9th Regiment, New York Infantry (New)

- 20th Infantry, US Colored Troops

- 26th Infantry, US Colored Troops

- 78th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A, B and C.

- 132nd Regiment, New York Infantry

- 145th Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies G and K.

- 165th Regiment, New York Infantry (Second battalion Duryee Zouaves)

- 191st Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies A and B.

See the New York Military Museum and Veterans Research Center.

• Civil War Honor Roll. Staten Islanders killed during the war, online at Rootsweb - free.
• The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. United States. War Dept., Govt. Print. Off., Washington, DC. Series 1880 - 1901 available online at Cornell University - free.
  

World War I

coming soon

World War II

coming soon

Vietnam War

• List of Staten Island Casualties transcribed online at Roostweb - free.

Other Military Resources

• Census records. Federal census records may help in identifying soldiers or their survivors. The Federal 1890 Census Veterans and Widows Census Schedules survives. There is a transcription at Richmond County GenWeb. These records may also be found in Schedules enumerating Union veterans and widows of Union veterans of the Civil War, FHL film number 0338206, which has been digitized and is available online at Family Search.

• Some original letters from Staten Island Civil War Soldiers. Correspondence from Staten Islanders who served in the Union Army have been digitized and are online  - free.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Italian Genealogical Group  offers free indexes to the following:

• Petitions: 1898-1903, 1907-1959
• Declarations: 1906-1953, 1957
• Military: 1918, 1919, 1921-1924
• Intentions: 1883 - 1898

• 1791-1980 New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1865-1957 New York, Eastern District Naturalization Petitions, 1865-1957 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index.
  

Indexes

• 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.

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

• The Richmond County Mirror (1837 - 1839) is available online at Hathi Digital Trust - free.
• The New York Times archives are available online - pre-1923 articles are free, but there is a monthly article limit for non-subscribers. There is good coverage of pre- and post-consolidation Staten Island including some births, deaths, and marriages. At libraries, you can access ProQuest Historical Newspapers which includes The New York Times (1851-2003).
  
• The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1841-1902) has some Staten Island coverage and is available online - free.
• Chronicling America at the Library of Congress has The New York Daily Tribune, The Sun and New York Press, The Evening World, New York Herald and more online - free.
• Staten Island newspaper items, 1726-1890, on FHL Film 509189.
  
• Staten Island Historical Newspapers

Local newspapers on microfilm: Richmond Argus, 1902-04 Richmond County Free Press, 1834-35 Richmond County Gazette, 1860-91 Richmond County Mirror, 1837-39 Richmond County Sentinel, 1876-79, 1886-1889 Richmond County Standard, 1882-95, 1901 Richmond Republican, 1827-34 Staten Island Advance, 1947-1994 Staten Island Gazette, 1903-04 Staten Island Independent, 1894-96, 1898-1900 The Sepoy, 1859-60 The Staaten Islander, 1856-57 The Staten Islander, 1886-1927, 1934 Times-Transcript, 1927-41. News clippings arranged by name & subject from 1910-2003. Find at Staten Island Museum Library and Archives.

Obituaries

See Newspapers section.

Occupations

• 1890 - New York, New York City, Police Census, 1890 at FamilySearch — index

Periodicals

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

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): 57.

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

Online Abstracts and Indexes

• 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 $
• 1787-1847 - SAMPUBCO Browsable index of testators of wills.
  
• 1787-1835 Abstracts of Wills, Administrations and Guardianships in NY State, 1787 - 1835
  
• 1866 - 1923 New York Kings County Estate Files 1866-1923 at FamilySearch.org — index and images

Probate Records on Microfilm

• 1787–1967 Probate Records: Index to Wills, 1787–1959; Wills, 1787–1967; Guardianship, 1882–1940; Decrees and orders, 1882–1967. Surrogate Court FHL Film 509198 (121 Films)
• 1664–1866 Probate Records: Index to Wills, 1787–1863, Guardianship, 1787–1866. Surrogate Court FHL Film 509190

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

Additional probate indexes or abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Staten Island Borough, 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).

Books

1670-1800:Staten Island wills and letters of administration, Richmond County, New York, 1670-1800: as found in the Surrogates Court, New York County, New York and abstracted by the New York Historical Society, 1892-1908 and Staten Island references found in the New Jersey colonial documents, Charlotte Megill Hix, Bowie, Md. : Heritage Books, 1993. Find it at WorldCat.

Repositories

Cornell University, Guide to Historical Resources in Richmond County, New York Repositories. ([Ithaca, New York]: New York Historical Resources Center, Olin Library, Cornell University, 1985). At various libraries; FHL Book 974.726 A3g. Includes index. Includes references to some family histories and genealogies.

Archives, Libraries and Museums

College of Staten Island (CUNY)
Archives and Special Collections
Library, 1L-216
2800 Victory Boulevard
Staten Island, New York 10314
Phone 718-982-4128
Fax: 718-982-4127
Email: archives@mail.csi.cuny.edu

Richmondtown Library
New York Public Library
200 Clarke Avenue (at Amber St.)
Staten Island, New York 10306
Phone:718-668-0413
Email
Other public libraries in Staten Island

Staten Island Museum
aka Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences
History Library and Archives
75 Stuyvesant Place
Staten Island, New York 10301
Phone: 718-727-1135 ext. 122, archivist
Dorothy D'Eletto, Archivist/Researcher
History Archives & Library Collection

Wagner College
The Horrmann Library
1 Campus Road
Staten Island, New York 10301
Phone: 718-390-3401
Email: library@wagner.edu

• Archives of the Metropolitan New York Synod
  
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in American, dating from 1786
  
• College archives
  

Borough Registrar

New York City Registrar
Borough of Staten Island
Staten Island Business Center
350 St. Marks Place
Staten Island, New York 10457

• Official record of real estate and personal property transfers, recording deeds and mortgages

City Clerk's Office

City Clerk's Office
Borough Administrator
Robin Aryakia
Staten Island Office
Borough Hall Building
10 Richmond Terrace, Third Floor, Room 311
Staten Island, New York 10301
Phone: 718-816-2290

• Marriages from 1866 to 1907
  
• After 1907 if bride's residence or licenses of nonresidents was obtained in Staten Island
  

County Historian

Staten Island Historian 10 Richmond Terrace Staten Island, New York 10301-1903 E-mail: http://www.statenislandhistorian.com/contact_us.html

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 Richmond (Staten Island) County Clerk's office land records; the Surrogate Court has probate records; and the County Health Department has marriage and death records. For further information about where the records for Richmond County are held, see the Richmond (Staten Island) 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

• 87th Street New York Family History Center
• Harlem New York Family History Center
• Inwood New York Family History Center
• New York City New York Family History Center
• Staten Island New York Family History Center
• Staten Island New York North Family History Center
• Union Square New York Family History Center

Societies

Sandy Ground Historical Society
1538 Woodrow Road
Staten Island, New York 10309
Phone: 929-314-4395
Facebook

• contains "largest documentary collection of African-American culture and history of Staten Island"
  

Staten Island Historical Society
Historic Richmond Town
411 Clarke Avenue
Staten Island, New York 10306-1198
Phone: 718-351-1611
Fax: 718-351-6057
Email: sihs-library@si.rr.com
Facebook

Quarter publication: Richmondtown Restoration: Newsletter of the Staten Island Historical Society, Staten Island Historian

Tottenville Historical Society
PO Box 70185
Staten Island, New York 10307-0185
Phone: 718 887-9125
Email: info@tottenvillehisotry.com

• They provide research services in their library and off-site at local repositories for a fee. They accept requests through mail or email. For more information.

Social Groups Online

• New York Genealogy Research Community (FamilySearch on Facebook)

Taxation

• 1699–1734 Tax assesment rolls New York Public Library; Family History Library's Film 484033. These rolls are a great finding aid to locate someone that was a city resident and finding the ward they belonged to; includes renters and owners. There is a break in the years from 1710 to 1720. The rolls from 1721 to 1734 include Queens, Richmond, and Westchester as well as New York City.

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

Birth

Early Records - (Pre-1847)

• 1799-1824 Slave Birth Records in the Town of Castleton, 1799 -1824 online at statenislandgenealogy.com - free.
  
• For birth substitutes, see church baptismal registers.
  
• Index and genealogical data cards: births, deaths, marriages, baptisms, deeds, mortgages and other records from Staten Island and at the Historical Society, from 1600 on FHL Film.
  

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

Municipal Records 1847 - 1909

New York law did not always require recording of births, so the records are incomplete. Some pre-consolidation town and village birth records for the years 1847-1849 and 1881-1897 are available. Starting in 1898 all Staten Island births were recorded at the New York City level. Records are held at the New York City Municipal Archives where you can order copies online ($).

To order a birth certificate, you will need to know the year of birth and the certificate number, if possible. Use the indexes below to find the year and certificate number. If you cannot find the exact information, you may request the Municipal Archives to search several years for an additional fee.

• 1901-1909 New York City Birth Index searchable online at German Genealogy Group - free.
  
• 1901-1909 New York City Birth Index searchable online at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  
• 1898-1902 Index to Births Reported in the City of New York, 1891-1902 at Ancestry ($). For Staten Island, only births from 1898-1902 are included.
  
• 1847-1897 Department of Health. Index to Births, Richmond County, New York, 1847-1897; FHL Films 1324935-1324937.
  
• 1898-1909 Department of Health. Division of Vital Statistics. State of New York (Richmond Borough) Certificate and Record of Birth, 1898-1909. FHL Films 1984042 (1st of 10 films).
  

Municipal Records 1910 - present

Birth records from 1909 to the present can be ordered online from the New York City Department of Health ($). An index is available in Births Reported in the City of New York, 1881-1965 on FHL Film. (For Staten Island, however, the birth records on this film do not start until 1898).

Marriage

Marriage records from 1898 to 1937 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City marriages is available at FamilySearch Digital Library. Marriage records from 1929 to the present can be obtained from the City Clerk of New York City ($).

• 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.
  

• 1665-1800 Early New Jersey Marriages Relating to Staten Islanders at NYGenWeb - free.
  

• 1829-1940 New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940 at FamilySearch — index

• 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

• 1882-1897 Richmond County Clerk. Card Index to Marriages, 1882-1897. FHL Film 1378932 Item 2 (1st of 3 films).
  

• 1897-1932 Marriage Records Richmond County, New York, 1897-1932. FHL Film 1674406 (1st of 28 films).
  

• 1898-1937 New York City Grooms Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  

• 1898-1937 New York City Brides Index at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  
• 1898-1937 New York City Grooms Record index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  
• 1898-1937 Marriage Index at Vital Search ($).
  
• 1898-1937 New York City Brides Record Index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  
• 1898-1937 New York City Index to Marriages in All Boroughs, 1888-1937; 1653852 Items 1 - 2 (1st of 12 films).
  

• 1950-1995 New York, New York City Marriage Licenses Index, 1950-1995 at FamilySearch — index

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.
  
• 1790-1947 Pantle, Alberta. Records of Marriages and Deaths from the New York Magazine, or Literary Repository, 1790-1797, 1900-1905, 1924-1947 and Bible Records. MSS., Staten Island Historical Society Museum. Microfilmed 1967: FHL Films 509186-509187.
  
• 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."
  
• 1851-2003 Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 at Ancestry ($) - includes New York Times.
  
• 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.
  
• 1875 Marriages Records on the 1875 State Census at NYGenWeb - free.

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

Death records from 1898 to 1948 are held at the New York City Municipal Archives. They are also available on microfilm at the Family History Library. A digital version of the Family History Library's guide to New York City death records is available at FamilySearch Digital Library. Death records from 1948 to the present can be obtained from the New York City Department of Health ($).

• 1824-1962 - New York, Church and Civil Deaths, 1824-1962 at FamilySearch — index
• 1847-1897 Department of Health. Index to Deaths, Richmond County, New York, 1847-1897; FHL Films 1324932-1324934.
  
• 1880-1956 - New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1892-1902 Deaths Reported in the City of New York. New York, USA: Department of Health. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  
• 1898-1948 New York City Death Records Search 1891-1948 at Italian Genealogical Group - free.
  
• 1898-1948 New York City Death Index at German Genealogy Group - free.
  
• 1898-1913 Death Index at Vital Search ($).
  
• 1898-1949 Department of Health. Richmond County, New York Death Certificates, 1898-1949; FHL Films 1322793 (1st of 79 films).
  
• 1898-1965 Department of Health. Index to Deaths, New York City, 1888-1965; FHL Film 1324913 Item 1 (1st of 18 films).
  

Death Substitutes

• 1790-1947 Pantle, Alberta. Records of Marriages and Deaths from the New York Magazine, or Literary Repository, 1790-1797, 1900-1905, 1924-1947 and Bible Records. MSS., Staten Island Historical Society Museum. Microfilmed 1967: FHL Films 509186-509187.
• 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.
  
• 1849-50 1850 Census Mortality Schedules at NYGenWeb - free.
  
• 1851-2003 Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 at Ancestry ($) - includes New York Times.
  
• 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.
  
• 1874-5 Deaths Recorded on the 1875 State Census at NYGenWeb - free.
  
• 1909-1911 The Forgotten of Ellis Island - Deaths in Quarantine, 1909-1911 - free.
  
• 1980-present New York Times and New York City Newspapers Obituaries Archive at Obits Archive.
  
• 1999-2011 Index to Some Staten Island Obituaries at NYGenWeb - free.
  

Additional resources for Richmond County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the New York, Richmond– 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.

Voting Registers

Staten Island Borough New York Genealogy Websites

• Richmond (Staten Island) County, NY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
• New York Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
• The Richmond County (Staten Island) NYGenWeb Project, an member of The NYGenWeb Project
• Staten Island Genealogy
• Staten Island (Richmond County) Genealogy

Staten Island Borough New York Places

Staten Island Borough New York Genealogy References

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

Family History Library

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free