Niagara County, New York
Genealogy, History & Facts

County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links

Niagara County, New York Facts

When was Niagara County, NY Created?
Niagara County was created on March 11, 1818 from Genesee County.

What is the County Seat of Niagara County, NY?
The County Seat is located in Lockport and in addition the county government website is www.niagaracounty.com/

What counties are adjacent to Niagara County, NY?
Bordering Counties are Orleans County, Genesee County, Erie County, Province of Ontario, Lake Ontario.

Niagara County, NY Vital Records

Where can find Niagara County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Niagara County vital records can be found at the New York Department of Health which has copies of birth records after 1881 and death records after 1880, copies of marriage since 1881 and a Divorce records since 1847 . There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in New York for current fees and application process.

You can search online for Niagara County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for New York Birth and Death Certificate, Marriage and Divorce Certificate Application to mail.

• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• Social Security Death Index
• USGenweb Archives New York Marriage Project
• New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962
• New York, County Marriages, 1908-1935
• New York Marriages, 1686-1980
• New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952

Niagara County, NY Census Records

What Niagara County, NY census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Niagara County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Niagara Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Niagara Co. Industry and Agriculture is available for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Niagara Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be obtained for 1890.

There are New York State censuses from 1880, 1892, 1905, 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, 1925. You can get free downloadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also New York Census Records Research Guide

• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection
• U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, New York, 1850-1880
• Niagara County, NY Census Records Links
• Niagara County, NY Census QuickFacts

Niagara County, NY Courthouse and Government Records

Niagara County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Niagara County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Niagara County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in New York courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless New York residents. The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Niagara County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also New York Corthouse Records Research Guide.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!! Please call the clerk’s department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. The Department Offices DO NOT DO RESEARCH. The files are available to interested parties, barring private issues. Many staff will guide individuals in locating the materials, however it’s up to the person to carry out the research. Records for the period 1813—21 are in Buffalo, which was the county seat of Niagara until Erie was created; earlier records were destroyed when the British burned the Buffalo courthouse in 1813.

• Niagara County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 175 Hawley Street, Lockport, New York 14094-2740
• Niagara County Clerk
  • Phone: (716) 439-7025
  • Land Records: 1821
  • Court Records: 1821
• Niagara County Surrogate Court Clerk
  • Phone: (716) 439-7130
  • Probate Records: 1821
• Niagara County Historian
  • Address: 139 Niagara Street, Lockport NY 14094-2740
  • Phone: 716-439-7324
• New York Wills, 1626-1836
• BLM Land Records

Niagara County, NY Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Niagara County, NY?
A list of Niagara County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide New York Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.

• Niagara County Genealogical Society, 215 Lockport Street, Lockport NY 14094-2605; 716-433-1033; The Niagara County Genealogical Library is located on the second floor of the Niagara County Historical Society Museum. Access to the collection is free to both members and non-members of the society. It includes many unpublished genealogies and manuscripts, 2000 books, cemetery records, census records, city directories, DAR books, maps, atlases and a vertical file.  Record holdings relate to Niagara County, other New York Counties, New England, Pennsylvania, and Ontario, Canada.  Those who can not personally travel to the research library are invited to join the society and use the look-up service.
• Niagara County Historical Society, Inc., 215 Niagara Street, Lockport, NY 14094; (716) 434-7433
• Central New York Genealogical Society, P.O.Box 104, Colvin Station, Syracuse, NY 13205
• St Catharines Ontario Canada Family History Center, 351 Glenridge Avenue, St Catharines, Ontario L2T 3K6, Canada, 1-905-685-5795
• Buffalo New York Family History Center, 1424 Maple Rd, Williamsville, New York 14221, 1-716-688-2439
• Niagara County Community College Library Special Collections, Henrietta G. Lewis Library, Fourth Floor, 3111 Saunders Settlement Rd, Sanborn NY 14132, 716-731-3271 ext. 401; Native America Collection includes reference books, biography, history, and tribes. Periodicals: Native Peoples, Journal of Cherokee Studies, Northeast Indian Quarterly, Akwekon Journal, Turtle Quarterly, Southern Indian Studies
• Nioga Library System, 6575 Wheeler Rd, Lockport NY 14094, 716-434-6167
• New York State Archives and Records Administration, 11th Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230; (518) 474-8955
• New York State Library, Cultural Education Center, 7th Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230
• The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 122 East 58th Street, New York, New York 10022-1939
• New York State Historical Association, West Lake Road, P.O. Box 800, Cooperstown, New York, 13326-0800

Where can I connect with other Niagara County, NY Researchers through message boards and forums?

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• New York Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
• New York State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Niagara County, New York Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Niagara County, New York Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Niagara County, NY?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Niagara County. Most of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a cost. This is simply a listing that has been compiled or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site over another.

Niagara Co. NY Books, Newspapers & Publications

• New York Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• New York historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from New York (1719 – 1992) (genealogybank.com)
• Niagara County, New York Books (amazon.com)
• Search New York Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Niagara Co. NY Cemeteries & Church Records

• New York Cemetery Research Guide
• Niagara Co., New York Graves (findagrave.com)
• Niagara County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Niagara Co., New York Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Niagara Co., New York Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• New York Church & Bible Research Guide
• New York, Family Bible Records, 1581-1917  (search.ancestry.com)
• Niagara County, New York Church Books (amazon.com)

Niagara Co. NY Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
• New York Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)
• Nichols and Related Families (nicholsgenealogy.com)

Niagara Co. NY General and History Websites

• See Also State History for New York
• Niagara County, New York Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Niagara County, New York  (search.ancestry.com)
• Guide Niagara : falls, river, frontier : scenic, botanic, electric, historic, geologic, hydraulic  (search.ancestry.com)
• The streets of Lockport  (search.ancestry.com)
• The first guides to Niagara Falls  (search.ancestry.com)
• History of northwestern New York : Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Genesee and Orleans Counties  (search.ancestry.com)
• Anthology and bibliography of Niagara Falls  (search.ancestry.com)
• Niagara County, New York, one hundred of the most wonderful regions in the world : a concise record of her progress and people,  (search.ancestry.com)
• Niagara power : history of the Niagara Falls power company, 1886-1918 : evolution of its central power station and alternating  (search.ancestry.com)
• Landmarks of Niagara County, New York  (search.ancestry.com)
• Niagara County, New York Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Niagara Co. NY Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Niagara County, New York (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – New York – Counties – Niagara (cyndislist.com)
• Niagara County New York (genealogytrails.com)
• Niagara Co. NYGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
• Niagara County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Niagara Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Niagara Co. NY Immigration & Naturalization

• See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for New York
• New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924  (familysearch.org)
• Early New York Naturalizations  (search.ancestry.com)

Niagara Co. NY Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of New York Links and Information
• 1895 Niagara County Map (livgenmi.com)

Niagara Co. NY Military Records

• New York Military Records Research Guide
• The Niagara campaign of 1759  (search.ancestry.com)
• New York, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865  (familysearch.org)
• New York Civil War Records (1861-65)  (search.ancestry.com)
• New York Military Records (Fold3.com) provides easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the New York both women and men who served. Perfect for Niagara County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.

Niagara Co. NY Schools & Directories

• Kirwin’s directory of the city of Lockport and county of Niagara for the year 1878.  (search.ancestry.com)
• Boyd’s Lockport city directory : with a business directory of Niagara County and an appendix, 1866-7  (search.ancestry.com)
• The Lockport city directory, for the year ending September 1st, 1868 : containing a general directory, a business directory, ci  (search.ancestry.com)