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Tompkins 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
Tompkins County, New York Facts
When was Tompkins County, NY Created?
Tompkins County was created on April 7 1817 from Cayuga County and Seneca County.
What is the County Seat of Tompkins County, NY?
The County Seat is located in Ithaca and in addition the county government website is www.tompkins-co.org/
What counties are adjacent to Tompkins County, NY?
Bordering Counties are Cayuga County, Cortland County, Tioga County, Chemung County, Schuyler County, Seneca County .
Tompkins County, NY Vital Records
Where can find Tompkins County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Tompkins 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 Tompkins 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.
You can also get vital records from the Tompkins County Health Department.
- Unpublished records of births, baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths
- 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
Tompkins County, NY Census Records
What Tompkins County, NY census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Tompkins 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.
Tompkins Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Tompkins Co. Industry and Agriculture is available for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Tompkins 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
Tompkins County, NY Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Tompkins County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Tompkins 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 Tompkins 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.
- Tompkins County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 320 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Tompkins County Clerk
- Phone: 607-274-5431
- Land Records: 1817
- Court Records: 1817
- Tompkins County Surrogate Court Clerk
- Phone: 607-277-0622
- Probate Records: 1817
- Tompkins County Historian
- Address: 125 East Court Street, Ithaca, New York 14850
- Phone: 607-273-5298
- New York Wills, 1626-1836
- BLM Land Records
Tompkins County, NY Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Tompkins County, NY?
A list of Tompkins County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide New York Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Finger Lakes Genealogical Society, PO Box 581, Seneca Falls, New York 13148
- Central New York Genealogical Society, Box 104, Calvin Station , Syracuse, New York 13205 ; Member queries; surname research list; online resources; six meetings/year; publishes Tree Talks quarterly with annual index.
- Crooked Lake Review, 6877 Van Amburg Road, Hammondsport, NY 14840; “The Crooked Lake Review is a local history magazine for the Conhocton, Canisteo, Tioga, Chemung and Genesee river valleys, and for the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario regions of New York State.”. This website deals with stories, histories and information dealing with people, events, and places in relationship to the area.
- Tompkins County Public Library, Attention: Nancy Stoehr , 101 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York 14850, Phone: 607-272-4556; Local history, newspapers, books. Thompkins County Research Guidelines, Research Request Form
- John M. Olin Library, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853; Website offers a guide to Genealogical Research at Cornell.Resources include compiled genealogies, local histories, biographical dictionaries, maps, censuses, newspapers, city directories, church records, periodicals, heraldry, manuscripts, land records, and alumni records. Rare and Manuscript Collections
- The History Center, 401 E. State/MLK Jr. St., Ithaca, NY 14850 , Phone: (607) 273-8284; County Timeline, Books, Maps, vital records, family name files, pictures, and much more. Archivist; Research Librarian, Research and Reference Services
- Tompkins County Museum, 401 East State Street, Ithaca, NY 14850, Phone: (607) 273-8284, FAX: (607) 273-6107
- 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 Tompkins 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)
- Tompkins County, New York Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Tompkins County, New York Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Tompkins County, NY?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Tompkins 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.
Tompkins 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)
- Tompkins County, New York Books (amazon.com)
- Search New York Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
Tompkins Co. NY Cemeteries & Church Records
- New York Cemetery Research Guide
- The old cemetery at Dryden, Tompkins County, New York : records of inscriptions and genealogical notes (search.ancestry.com)
- Tompkins Co., New York Graves (findagrave.com)
- Tompkins County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Tompkins Co., New York Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Tompkins Co., New York Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- New York Church & Bible Research Guide
- New York, Family Bible Records, 1581-1917 (search.ancestry.com)
- Tompkins County, New York Church Books (amazon.com)
Tompkins 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)
Tompkins Co. NY General and History Websites
- See Also State History for New York
- Tompkins County, New York Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- The Scenery of Ithaca and the head waters of the Cayuga Lake (search.ancestry.com)
- Illustrated guide book of the Ithaca gorge and its surroundings (search.ancestry.com)
- Old Indian trails in Tompkins County (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins, and Schuyler Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of (search.ancestry.com)
- Ithaca (search.ancestry.com)
- Initial Ithacans : comprising sketches and portraits of the forty-four presidents of the village of Ithaca (1821 to 1888) and t (search.ancestry.com)
- History of the First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca, New York during one hundred years : the anniversary exercises January twent (search.ancestry.com)
- Views around Ithaca : being a description of the waterfalls and ravines of this remarkable locality (search.ancestry.com)
- Tompkins County, New York Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Tompkins Co. NY Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Tompkins County, New York (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – New York – Counties – Tompkins (cyndislist.com)
- Tompkins County New York (genealogytrails.com)
- Tompkins Co. NYGenweb (nytompki.org)
- Tompkins County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Tompkins Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Tompkins 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)
Tompkins Co. NY Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of New York Links and Information
- 1895 Tompkins County Map (livgenmi.com)
Tompkins 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 Tompkins County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.
Tompkins Co. NY Schools & Directories
- New York Farm Directory, 1914: Yates, Schuyler, Tompkins & Seneca Counties (search.ancestry.com)
- Ithaca, New York Directories, 1888-91 (search.ancestry.com)
- Cornell and Princeton University Directories, 1922 (search.ancestry.com)
- Gazetteer and business directory of Tompkins County, N.Y. for 1868 (search.ancestry.com)