Schenectady 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

Schenectady County, New York Facts

When was Schenectady County, NY Created?
Schenectady County was created on 1809 from Albany County.

What is the County Seat of Schenectady County, NY?
The County Seat is located in Schenectady and in addition the county government website is schenectadycounty.com/

What counties are adjacent to Schenectady County, NY?
Bordering Counties are Saratoga County, Albany County, Schoharie County, Montgomery County.

Schenectady County, NY Vital Records

Where can find Schenectady County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Schenectady 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 Schenectady 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

Schenectady County, NY Census Records

What Schenectady County, NY census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Schenectady County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Schenectady Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Schenectady Co. Industry and Agriculture is available for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Schenectady 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
• Schenectady County, NY Census Records Links
• Schenectady County, NY Census QuickFacts

Schenectady County, NY Courthouse and Government Records

Schenectady County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Schenectady County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Schenectady 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 Schenectady 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.

• Schenectady County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 105 Jay Street, Schenectady, NY 12305
• Schenectady County Clerk
  • Address: 620 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12305
  • Phone: 518.388.4220
  • Land Records: 1809
  • Court Records: 1809
• Schenectady County Surrogate Court Clerk
  • Address: 612 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12305
  • Phone: 518.285.8455
  • Probate Records: 1809
• Schenectady County Historian
  • Address: c/o County Manager’s Office, 620 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12305
  • Phone: (518) 388-4577
• Abstracts of wills of Schenectady County, N.Y.
• New York Wills, 1626-1836
• BLM Land Records

Schenectady County, NY Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Schenectady County Historical Society, 32 Washington Avenue , Schenectady, NY 12305, Phone: 518.374.0263; The Historical Society also houses and maintains the Grems- Doolittle Library and Archives, the Maybee Farm Historic Site, the Schenectady County Historical Society Museum and more.
• Capital District Genealogical Society, Empire State Plaza Station, PO Box 2175, Albany, NY 12220-0175
• Central New York Genealogical Society, Box 104, Calvin Station , Syracuse, New York 13205
• Schenectada Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
• Grems-Doolittle Library and Archives, 32 Washington Ave., Schenectady, NY 12305; Housed at the Schenectady County Historical Society. Collection includes Almshouse records, Bibles, City Directories, County Histories, Deeds, Newspapers, Wills, and more.
• Schenectady County Public Library System, Central Library , 99 Clinton St., Schenectady, NY 12305, Phone: 588.318.4500; Includes ten branch libraries throughout Schenectady County. Also hosts Schenectady Digital History Archive and holds subscriptions to major genealogical websites.The Schenectady County Public Library is part of the Mohawk Valley Library System, a “a public library system serving 14 member libraries” in Fulton, Montgomery, Schenectady, and Schoharie Counties. Highlights from the historical and genealogical collections can also be found on The Documentarian
• Schaffer Libary, Union College, 807 Union St., Schenectady, NY, Phone: 518.388.6620; The Special Collections and The College Archives are housed on the third floor of the library. Resources include local history and manuscript collections.
• Schenectady Museum, 15 Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308, Phone: 518.382.7890; In addition to housing records related to GE, the Museum’s Archives and Researchsection holds a “growing collection of materials related to Schenectady” including a large photograph collection, documents of early Schenectady businesses, and High School newspapers.
• 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 Schenectady 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)
• Schenectady County, New York Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Schenectady County, New York Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Schenectady County, NY?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Schenectady 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.

Schenectady 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)
• Schenectady County, New York Books (amazon.com)
• Search New York Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Schenectady Co. NY Cemeteries & Church Records

• New York Cemetery Research Guide
• Schenectady Co., New York Graves (findagrave.com)
• Schenectady County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Schenectady Co., New York Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Schenectady Co., New York Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• New York Church & Bible Research Guide
• Index of mothers mentioned in baptisms of First Protestant Dutch Reformed Church of Schenectady, N.Y.  (search.ancestry.com)
• New York, Family Bible Records, 1581-1917  (search.ancestry.com)
• Topographic Church List and Map for Schenectady County, New York
• Schenectady County, New York Church Books (amazon.com)

• Schenectady Co. NY Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
  • New York Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)
  • Nichols and Related Families (nicholsgenealogy.com)

Schenectady Co. NY General and History Websites

• See Also State History for New York
• Schenectady County, New York Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Schenectady County, New York : its history to the close of the nineteenth century  (search.ancestry.com)
• Compendium of Early Mohawk Valley Families  (search.ancestry.com)
• Centennial address relating to the early history of Schenectady and its first settlers  (search.ancestry.com)
• Schenectady, ancient and modern : a complete and connected history of Schenectady from the granting of the first patent in 1661  (search.ancestry.com)
• Old Schenectady  (search.ancestry.com)
• Schenectady County, New York Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Schenectady Co. NY Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Schenectady County, New York (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – New York – Counties – Schenectady (cyndislist.com)
• Schenectady County New York (genealogytrails.com)
• Schenectady Co. NYGenweb (schenectadyhistory.org)
• Schenectady County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Schenectady Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Schenectady 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)

Schenectady Co. NY Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Schenectady Co. NY Military Records

• New York Military Records Research Guide
• A history of Schenectady during the Revolution : to which is appended a contribution to the individual records of the inhabitan  (search.ancestry.com)
• The battle of the Beukendaal  (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 Schenectady County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.

Schenectady Co. NY Schools & Directories

• Onondaga & Schenectady County New York, 1908-09 Yearbooks & Support Reports  (search.ancestry.com)