PA RESOURCES
STATE QUICKLINKS
OTHER GENEALOGY RESOURCES
SPONSORS
Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Genealogy, History & Facts
County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links
Franklin County, Pennsylvania Facts
When was Franklin County, PA Created?
Franklin County was established on September 9, 1784 from Cumberland County.
What is the County Seat of Franklin County, PA?
The County Seat is located in Chambersburg and in addition the county government website is www.co.franklin.pa.us
What counties are adjacent to Franklin County, PA?
Bordering Counties are Juniata County, Perry County, Cumberland County, Adams County, Frederick County, Maryland, Washington County, Maryland, Fulton County, Huntingdon County.
Franklin County, PA Vital Records
Where can find Franklin County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Franklin County vital records can be found at the Pennsylvania Office of Vital Records has copies of birth and death records since 1906 and death records. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Pennsylvania for current fees and application process. Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events.
You can search online for Franklin County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Pennsylvania Birth Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- USGenweb Archives Pennsylvania Marriage Project
- Pennsylvania Vital Records, Vol. I, Vol. II, Vol. III
- Pennsylvania, Births and Christenings, 1709-1950
- Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940
- Pennsylvania County Marriages, 1885 – 1950
- Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915
Franklin County, PA Census Records
What Franklin County, PA census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Franklin County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1790-1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Franklin Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Franklin Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be acquired for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Franklin Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be found for 1890. You can find free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Pennsylvania Census Records Research Guide
Franklin County, PA Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Franklin County Courthouse?
The below facts shows exactly what death, marriage, birth, property, wills, and court records are typically in Franklin County. The years listed below are the first noted records with this county. See Also Pennsylvania Courthouse Records Research Guide.
- Franklin County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA 17201
- Phone: (717) 261-3861
- Franklin County Recorder of Deeds
- Phone: 717-261-3872
- Land Records: 1784
- Franklin County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts
- Phone: 717-261-3861
- Court & Divorce Records: 1784
- Franklin County Register of Wills/ Orphan’s Court Clerk
- Phone: 717-261-3872
- Marriage & Probate Records: 1784
- Birth & Death Records: before Jan 1906
- Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993
- Early Pennsylvania Land Records
- BLM Land Records
Franklin County, PA Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Franklin County, PA?
A list of Franklin County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Pennsylvania Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Pennsylvania Archives – Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (fold3.com)
- Franklin County Archives, 717.709.7218
- Franklin County Historical Society, 175 East King Street, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 17201; call (717)264-1667
- The Pennsylvania Archives Online
- Pennsylvania State Archives, 350 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120; Phone:(717) 783-3281
- Genealogical Society Of Pennsylvania, 2207 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103; (215) 545-0391
- Historical Society Of Pennsylvania. 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Phone: 215-732-6200
- State Library of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Avenue and Walnut Street, P.O. Box 1601, Harrisburg, PA 17105-1601
Where can I connect with other Franklin County, PA Researchers through message boards and forums?
- https://www.archives.gov/research/census
- Pennsylvania Genealogy Network Community (plus.google.com)
- State of Pennsylvania Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Franklin County, Pennsylvania Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Franklin County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Franklin County, PA?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Franklin County. Each of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a cost. This is basically a listing which has been compiled or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site over another.
Franklin Co. PA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Pennsylvania Links and Information
- Franklin Co. D.O.T. Map
- Map of Franklin County, PA with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).
- 1895 Franklin County Map (livgenmi.com)
Franklin Co. PA Books, Newspapers & Publications
- Pennsylvania Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- Pennsylvania historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from Pennsylvania (1719 – 1997) (genealogybank.com)
- Scrapbook of newspaper clippings on Venango and Franklin Counties, 1871-84 (search.ancestry.com)
- Franklin County, Pennsylvania Books (amazon.com)
- Search Pennsylvania Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
- Franklin County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
Franklin Co. PA Church / Bible Records & Cemeteries / Graveyards
- Pennsylvania Cemetery Records Research Guide
- Franklin Co., Pennsylvania Graves (findagrave.com)
- Franklin County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Franklin Co., Pennsylvania Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Franklin Co., Pennsylvania Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Pennsylvania Church Records Research Guide
- Mount Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, 1834-1906 (search.ancestry.com)
- Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 (search.ancestry.com)
- Franklin County, Pennsylvania Church Books (amazon.com)
Franklin Co. PA Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- Franklin Co., PA GenWeb Archives Biographies & Collections (usgwarchives.net)
- Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families from the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine (search.ancestry.com)
- Biographical annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania : containing genealogical records of representative families, including ma (search.ancestry.com)
Franklin Co. PA General and History Websites
- Franklin County, Pennsylvania Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania : containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churche (search.ancestry.com)
- A century of education at Mercersburg, 1836-1936 (search.ancestry.com)
- The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, Perry, Somerset, Cambria & Indiana counties : cont (search.ancestry.com)
- Medical men of Franklin County, 1750-1925 (search.ancestry.com)
- Franklin County, Pennsylvania Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Franklin Co. PA Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Franklin County, Pennsylvania (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Pennsylvania – Counties – Franklin (cyndislist.com)
- Franklin County Pennsylvania (genealogytrails.com)
- Franklin Co. PAGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
- Franklin County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Franklin County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives (usgwarchives.net)
- Franklin Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Franklin Co. PA Immigration & Naturalization
- Pennsylvania, Naturalizations, 1794-1908 (search.ancestry.com)
Franklin Co. PA Military Records
- Pennsylvania Military Records Research Guide
- American Revolutionary soldiers of Franklin County, Pennnsylvania [sic] (search.ancestry.com)
- Reminiscences of the war, or, Incidents which transpired in and about Chambersburg during the War of the Rebellion (search.ancestry.com)
- Pennsylvania Military Records (fold3.com) offers access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the Pennsylvania both males and females who served. Excellent for Franklin County genealogists, researchers, historians and a lot more.