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Ontario 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
Ontario County, New York Facts
When was Ontario County, NY Created?
Ontario County was created on January 27, 1789 from Montgomery County.
What is the County Seat of Ontario County, NY?
The County Seat is located in Canandaigua and in addition the county government website is co.ontario.ny.us/
What counties are adjacent to Ontario County, NY?
Bordering Counties are Wayne County, Seneca County, Yates County, Steuben County, Livingston County, Monroe County.
Ontario County, NY Vital Records
Where can find Ontario County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Ontario 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 Ontario 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.
Ontario County, NY Census Records
What Ontario County, NY census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Ontario County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1790-1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Ontario Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Ontario Co. Industry and Agriculture is available for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Ontario 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
Ontario County, NY Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Ontario County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Ontario 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 Ontario 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 Courthouse Records Research Guide.
- Ontario County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 27 North Main Street, Canandaigua, New York 14424
- Ontario County Clerk Deed records–and mortgages to 1920–are at the Ontario County Department of Records, Archives, and Information Management Services, 3051 County Complex Drive, Canandaigua 14424; later deeds and all indexes are at the county clerk’s;
- Address: 20 Ontario Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424
- Phone: (585) 396-4200
- Land Records: 1789
- Court Records: 1789
- Ontario County Surrogate Court Clerk These records–and mortgages to 1920–are at the Ontario County Department of Records, Archives, and Information Management Services, 3051 County Complex Drive, Canandaigua 14424; later deeds and all indexes are at the county clerk’s;
- Phone: (585) 396-4055
- Probate Records: 1789
- Ontario County Historian
- Address: 3051 County Complex Drive, Canandaigua, NY 14424
- Phone: 716) 396-4034
- Abstracts of wills of Ontario County, New York, 1848-1849-1850 : Volume 12 (XII) (Liber D)
- New York Wills, 1626-1836
- BLM Land Records
Ontario County, NY Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Ontario County, NY?
A list of Ontario County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide New York Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Ontario County Historical Historical Society and Museum, 55 North Main Street, Canandaigua, New York 14424; Phone: 585 394-4975
- Central New York Genealogical Society, Box 104, Calvin Station , Syracuse, New York 13205
- Western New York Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 338, Hamburg, New York 14075-0338
- Pioneer Library System has names and addresses of libraries in Ontario, Livingston, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. ,
- Ontario Public Library, 1850 Ridge Road Ontario, NY 14519, phone: (315) 524-8381
- Bloomfield Public Library, 9 Church St, E Bloomfield, NY 14443, phone: 585-657-6264
- Bristol Library, 6750 County Rd 32 Canandaigua, NY 14424, phone: (585) 229-5862. Web site explains about the local history and genealogy resources with information about the Town of Bristol Historian. Requests may made to the town historian.
- Geneva Public Library, Local History and Genealogy Collection
- Ontario County Public Libraries
- 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 Ontario 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)
- Ontario County, New York Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Ontario County, New York Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Ontario County, NY?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Ontario 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.
Ontario 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)
- Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, New York) (search.ancestry.com)
- Ontario County, New York Books (amazon.com)
- Search New York Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
Ontario Co. NY Cemeteries & Church Records
- New York Cemetery Research Guide
- East Bloomfield Cemetery : located in the village of East Bloomfield, town of East Bloomfield, Ontario County, New York State : (search.ancestry.com)
- Inscriptions from Farmington cemetery (Friends Cemetery) (search.ancestry.com)
- The old Shortsville Cemetery (search.ancestry.com)
- Ontario Co., New York Graves (findagrave.com)
- Ontario County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Ontario Co., New York Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Ontario Co., New York Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- New York Church & Bible Research Guide
- New York, Family Bible Records, 1581-1917 (search.ancestry.com)
- Ontario County, New York Church Books (amazon.com)
Ontario 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)
Ontario Co. NY General and History Websites
- See Also State History for New York
- Ontario County, New York Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- A history of Ontario County, New York, and its people (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Ontario County, New York : with illustrations and family sketches of some of the prominent men and families (search.ancestry.com)
- A century and a quarter of history : Geneva from seventeen hundred and eighty-seven to nineteen hundred and twelve, a history w (search.ancestry.com)
- Canandaigua, its advantages, growth, and beauty (search.ancestry.com)
- An elegant but salubrious village : a portrait of Geneva, New York (search.ancestry.com)
- Ontario County, New York Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Ontario Co. NY Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Ontario County, New York (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – New York – Counties – Ontario (cyndislist.com)
- Ontario County New York (genealogytrails.com)
- Ontario Co. NYGenweb (nygenweb.net)
- Ontario County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Ontario Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Ontario 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)
Ontario Co. NY Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of New York Links and Information
- 1895 Ontario County Map (livgenmi.com)
Ontario Co. NY Military Records
- New York Military Records Research Guide
- 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 Ontario County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.
Ontario Co. NY Schools & Directories
- Gazetteer and business directory of Ontario County, N.Y. for 1867-8 (search.ancestry.com)