Where do you find birth records from the early 1800's for New York?

Question

Need help tracking down birth records from early 1800's from New York. Hitting dead ends in New York. Thanks much!

Answer 1

Have you tried Family Search (free) NY Births & Christenings 1640-1962.

Answer 2

Sandra,

Do you have names, approximate dates and locations or can you link to a profile?

The state did not start vital records until 1880, although some locations like New York City have some. With a location and approximate dates you can try church records and probate records. For those, go to the FamilySearch catalog for the county. You might need to search non indexed images. If they lived in New York later, the 18x5 census has birth county in the image.

To find wills and county boundary changes https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/951078/how-to-find-new-york-state-wills

Answer 3

Referencing New York State not City: For records between 1800 - 1847, I have found it necessary not to rely on internet databases.  Try asking the closest public library and historical society if they have any records.  Sometimes they have the Family Bible for that family. (I found one that way)  Don't forget to ask the county historian.  Each county has one.   Finally, depending on what religion / denomination they practice, there may be records of christening, baptism, or membership at churches.  If you are looking for west of the Hudson Valley close to 1800 it becomes very very difficult if not impossible to find records.  That was the frontier until about 1810s or 1820s.

Comments

Angelina,

Good advice. I have had luck and not so much luck with the county and town historians. Traveling north and west from the Hudson valley is even more challenging, because that frontier tends to predate the churches. Occasionally you can find a probate or other item of note in the newspapers by searching fultonhistory.com. Of course sometimes the will doesn't name anyone, like

"New York Probate Records, 1629-1971," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YCC-9VZC?cc=1920234&wc=Q7P8-RMS%3A213303301%2C217060901 : 28 May 2014), Oneida > Wills 1870-1874 vol 21-22 > image 268 of 536; county courthouses, New York.