
PA RESOURCES
STATE QUICKLINKS
OTHER GENEALOGY RESOURCES
SPONSORS
Adams 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
Adams County, Pennsylvania Facts
When was Adams County, PA Created?
Adams County was established on January 22, 1800 from York County.
What is the County Seat of Adams County, PA?
The County Seat is located in Gettysburg and in addition the county government website is www.adamscounty.us
What counties are adjacent to Adams County, PA?
Bordering Counties are Cumberland County, York County, Carroll County, Maryland, Frederick County, Maryland, Franklin County.
Adams County, PA Vital Records
Where can find Adams County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Adams 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 Adams 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
Adams County, PA Census Records
What Adams County, PA census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Adams County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1790-1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Adams Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Adams Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be acquired for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Adams 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
Adams County, PA Courthouse and Government Records

What genealogical records can I find in the Adams County Courthouse?
The below facts shows exactly what death, marriage, birth, property, wills, and court records are typically in Adams County. The years listed below are the first noted records with this county. See Also Pennsylvania Courthouse Records Research Guide.
- Adams County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 111-117 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325
- Phone: (717) 334-6781 Register of Wills
- Adams County Recorder of Deeds
- Land Records: 1800
- Adams County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts
- Court & Divorce Records: 1800
- Adams County Register of Wills / Orphan’s Court Clerk
- Marriage & Probate Records: 1800
- Birth & Death Records: before Jan 1906
- Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993
- Early Pennsylvania Land Records
- BLM Land Records
Adams County, PA Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Adams County, PA?
A list of Adams 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)
- Adams County Historical Society, Box 4325, Gettysburg, PA 17325; 717/334-4723
- 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 Adams 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)
- Adams County, Pennsylvania Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Adams County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Adams County, PA?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Adams 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.
Adams Co. PA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Pennsylvania Links and Information
- Adams Co. D.O.T. Map
- Map of Adams Co., Pennsylvania from surveys by G.M. Hopkins (1858) (ancestortracks.com)
- Map of Adams County, PA with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).
- 1895 Adams County Map (livgenmi.com)
Adams 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)
- The Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) (search.ancestry.com)
- New Oxford Item (New Oxford, Pennsylvania) (search.ancestry.com)
- Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) (search.ancestry.com)
- Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) (search.ancestry.com)
- The Adams Sentinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) (search.ancestry.com)
- Adams County, Pennsylvania Books (amazon.com)
- Search Pennsylvania Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
- Adams County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
Adams Co. PA Church / Bible Records & Cemeteries / Graveyards
- Pennsylvania Cemetery Records Research Guide
- Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Gettysburg National Cemetery, 1863-2009 (search.ancestry.com)
- Burial record of Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church (search.ancestry.com)
- Adams Co., Pennsylvania Graves (findagrave.com)
- Adams County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Adams Co., Pennsylvania Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Adams Co., Pennsylvania Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Pennsylvania Church Records Research Guide
- Pennsylvania Church Records – Adams, Berks, and Lancaster Counties, 1729-1881 (search.ancestry.com)
- Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1785-1874: Lutheran and Reformed Congregations (search.ancestry.com)
- The alumni record of Gettysburg College, 1832-1932 (search.ancestry.com)
- Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 (search.ancestry.com)
- Adams County, Pennsylvania Church Books (amazon.com)
Adams Co. PA Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- Adams Co., PA GenWeb Archives Biographies & Collections (usgwarchives.net)
- Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families from the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine (search.ancestry.com)
Adams Co. PA General and History Websites
- Adams County, Pennsylvania Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania : containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, (search.ancestry.com)
- The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, Perry, Somerset, Cambria & Indiana counties : cont (search.ancestry.com)
- History of the Gettysburg Theological Seminary of the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States and (search.ancestry.com)
- The history of Gettysburg College, 1832-1932 (search.ancestry.com)
- History of the boroughs of Gettysburg, Oxford, Littlestown, York Springs, Berwick, and East Berlin, Adams County, Pa. (search.ancestry.com)
- Adams County, Pennsylvania Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Adams Co. PA Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Adams County, Pennsylvania (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Pennsylvania – Counties – Adams (cyndislist.com)
- Adams County Pennsylvania (genealogytrails.com)
- Adams Co. PAGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
- Adams County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Adams County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives (usgwarchives.net)
- Adams Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Adams Co. PA Immigration & Naturalization
- Pennsylvania, Naturalizations, 1794-1908 (search.ancestry.com)
Adams Co. PA Military Records
- Pennsylvania Military Records Research Guide
- 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 Adams County genealogists, researchers, historians and a lot more.