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Lancaster 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
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Facts
When was Lancaster County, PA Created?
Lancaster County was established on May 10, 1729 from Chester County.
What is the County Seat of Lancaster County, PA?
The County Seat is located in Lancaster and in addition the county government website is www.co.lancaster.pa.us
What counties are adjacent to Lancaster County, PA?
Bordering Counties are Lebanon County, Berks County, Chester County, Cecil County, Maryland, Harford County, Maryland, York County, Dauphin County.
Lancaster County, PA Vital Records
Where can find Lancaster County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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
Lancaster County, PA Census Records
What Lancaster County, PA census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Lancaster County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1790-1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Lancaster Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Lancaster Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be acquired for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Lancaster 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
Lancaster County, PA Courthouse and Government Records
Lancaster County CourthouseWhat genealogical records can I find in the Lancaster County Courthouse?
The below facts shows exactly what death, marriage, birth, property, wills, and court records are typically in Lancaster County. The years listed below are the first noted records with this county. See Also Pennsylvania Courthouse Records Research Guide.
- Lancaster County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 50 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17602
- Phone: (717) 299-8242
- Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds
- Phone: (717) 299-8275
- Land Records: 1729
- Lancaster County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts
- Phone: (717) 299-8275
- Court & Divorce Records: 1729
- Lancaster County Register of Wills/ Orphan’s Court Clerk
- Phone: (717) 299-8243
- Marriage & Probate Records: 1729
- Birth & Death Records: before Jan 1906
- Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania Probate Index, 1729-1850
- An index to the will books and intestate records of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1729-1850
- Early Pennsylvania Land Records
- BLM Land Records
Lancaster County, PA Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Lancaster County, PA?
A list of Lancaster 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)
- Office of Records and Archives Services, 50 N. Duke St, P.O. Box 83480; Lancaster, Pa. 17608-3480; (717)299-8319
- Lancaster Co Historical Society , 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603; Phone: (717) 392-4633
- Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, 2215 Millstream Road, Lancaster 17602-1499
- 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 Lancaster 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)
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Lancaster County, PA?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Lancaster 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.
Lancaster Co. PA Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Pennsylvania Links and Information
- Lancaster Co. D.O.T. Map
- Map of Lancaster County, PA with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).
- 1895 Lancaster County Map (livgenmi.com)
Lancaster 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) Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Books (amazon.com)
- Search Pennsylvania Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
- Lancaster County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
Lancaster Co. PA Church / Bible Records & Cemeteries / Graveyards
- Pennsylvania Cemetery Records Research Guide
- Parochial registers for Lutheran congregations in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1729-1960 : a guide to genealogical resources (search.ancestry.com)
- Register of marriages and baptisms kept by the Rev. Traugott Frederick Illing (search.ancestry.com)
- Burials in Penryn Cemetery, Penryn, Pa. (search.ancestry.com)
- Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Graves (findagrave.com)
- Lancaster County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Pennsylvania Church Records Research Guide
- The history of St. James’ Church (Protestant Episcopal) 1744-1944 (search.ancestry.com)
- Pennsylvania Church Records – Adams, Berks, and Lancaster Counties, 1729-1881 (search.ancestry.com)
- Swamp Reformed (Little Cocalico) Church, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1788-1822 (search.ancestry.com)
- Reformed Church of Maytown, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1765-1819 (search.ancestry.com)
- Chronicon ephratense : a history of the community of Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata, Lancaster County, Penn’a. (search.ancestry.com)
- The history of the St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Maytown, Lancaster Co., Pa., 1765-1904 (search.ancestry.com)
- History of the First Reformed Church, Lancaster, Pa., 1736-1904 … : authorized by the consistory (search.ancestry.com)
- An authentic history of Donegal Presbyterian Church, located in East Donegal Township, Lancaster Co., Pa. (search.ancestry.com)
- History of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of the city of Lancaster, Pa., from 1807 to 1893 : with some account of earlier (search.ancestry.com)
- The Free Church : a parochial history of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, Pa., with the charter and by-laws (search.ancestry.com)
- Memorial volume of the Evang. Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, Lancaster, Pa. : discourses delivered on the occasion of the (search.ancestry.com)
- A history of the New Holland Charge of the Reformed Church, in Lancaster County, Pa. (search.ancestry.com)
- The Lancaster Mennonite Conference : history and background (search.ancestry.com)
- Presbyterianism in the Pequea Valley : memorial address at the dedication of the founders’ windows, Bellevue Presbyterian Chur (search.ancestry.com)
- Bicentennial addresses delivered at the two hundredth anniversary of Leacock Presbyterian Church, Paradise, Penna. (search.ancestry.com)
- St. Stephen United Church of Christ (Evangelical and Reformed) New Holland, Pennsylvania, 1732, 1799, 1949, 1974 (search.ancestry.com)
- Sketch of the history of St. James’ Parish, Lancaster (search.ancestry.com)
- Rev. John Waldschmidt memorial, 1724-1786 : monument erected under the auspices of the Swamp Reformed Church, unveiled and dedi (search.ancestry.com)
- The 200th anniversary brochure of the Swamp Reformed Church and its organizations, Blainsport, Pennsylvania : pictures, histori (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Ephrata Congregation, 1872-1922 : golden anniversary and pipe organ dedication, week beginning June 11, 1922, 155th (search.ancestry.com)
- History of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Penna., Septmber 22d, 1867 (search.ancestry.com)
- A brief history of the United Brethren’s Congregation at Lititz, Pa., from 1742 to 1857 (search.ancestry.com)
- A history of Bethany Charge of the Reformed Church, in Lancaster County, Pa. (search.ancestry.com)
- 200th anniversary corner-stone laying 1761-1961, the Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, Lancaster, Pennsylvania (search.ancestry.com)
- A history of the Zeltenreich Church and a list of the descendants of Andreas Seltenreich (search.ancestry.com)
- The Catholic Church at Lancaster, Penn’a (search.ancestry.com)
- Historical sketch of Zion’s Reformed Church (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Pequea Presbyterian Church : delivered September 8th, 1876 (search.ancestry.com)
- An historical sketch of Salem Reformed Church of Rohrestown, Pa. (search.ancestry.com)
- History of the Cedar Grove Presbyterian Church and congregation, of East Earl Township, Lancaster County. (search.ancestry.com)
- The Donegal Presbyterian Church, church services held as early as 1714, East Donegal Township, Lancaster, PA. (search.ancestry.com)
- Zion German-English Evangelical Lutheran Church Marietta, Pennsylvania (search.ancestry.com)
- Reminiscences of the Moravian Church at Lititz, Penn’a. : the centennial exercises, of August 13-14, 1887, and an appendix, co (search.ancestry.com)
- Pennsylvania Quaker Records (search.ancestry.com)
- Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 (search.ancestry.com)
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Church Books (amazon.com)
Lancaster Co. PA Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- Lancaster Co., PA GenWeb Archives Biographies & Collections (usgwarchives.net)
- Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families from the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine (search.ancestry.com)
- Lancaster and its people (search.ancestry.com)
Lancaster Co. PA General and History Websites
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania History (search.ancestry.com)
- Biographical annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical and genealogical sketches of prominent and repr (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men (search.ancestry.com)
- An authentic history of Lancaster County, in the state of Pennsylvania (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Lancaster and York Counties : from the earliest settlements made within them, in the former, from 1709, in the latte (search.ancestry.com)
- A biographical history of Lancaster County : being a history of early settlers and eminent men of the county, as also much othe (search.ancestry.com)
- Portrait and biographical record of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical sketches of prominent and represen (search.ancestry.com)
- One hundred and fifty years of school history in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (search.ancestry.com)
- Lancaster County Indians : annals of the Susquehannocks and other Indian tribes of the Susquehanna territory from about the yea (search.ancestry.com)
- Cherished memories of old Lancaster-town and shire (search.ancestry.com)
- A brief history of Lancaster County (search.ancestry.com)
- The story of Lancaster, old and new : being a narrative history of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from 1730 to the centennial year, 1 (search.ancestry.com)
- Old Lancaster, tales and traditions (search.ancestry.com)
- Historical and pictorial Lititz (search.ancestry.com)
- A history of the Farmers Bank of Lancaster, the Farmers National Bank, and the Farmers Trust Company of Lancaster, 1810-1910 (search.ancestry.com)
- A history of the Octoraro Farmers Club, 1856-1946 : prepared as a tribute to those men and women of yesterday, the charter memb (search.ancestry.com)
- Bicentennial, Reamstown, Pa. 1760[-]1960 (search.ancestry.com)
- Resources and industries of the city of Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pa. : with some account of its historical importance … (search.ancestry.com)
- Now and then in Providence Township, 1700-1976 (search.ancestry.com)
- A history of New Holland, Pennsylvania : covering its growth and activities during two hundred years of existence, 1728-1928 (search.ancestry.com)
- Centennial souvenir, historical and pictorial, Mount Joy and history of Florin : containing a complete directory and numerous i (search.ancestry.com)
- The Three Earls : an historical sketch, and proceedings of the centennial jubilee, held at New Holland, Pa., July 4, 1876. (search.ancestry.com)
- Industries of Pennsylvania, cities of Lancaster, Columbia and Mount Joy : historical and descriptive review, industries, instit (search.ancestry.com)
- Souvenir book of the Ephrata Cloister : complete history from its settlement in 1728 to the present time : included is the orga (search.ancestry.com)
- Journal of a tour to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1828 (a trip across Pennsylvania) (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Ephrata, Penna. : giving a brief sketch of the settlement of the state and county, the Battle of Brandywine, the clo (search.ancestry.com)
- One hundred years at the State Teachers College, Millersville, Pennsylvania : with a history in words and pictures: 1855-1955 (search.ancestry.com)
- The story of Wheatland (search.ancestry.com)
- A brief history of the city of Lancaster (search.ancestry.com)
- Marietta’s centennial, 1812-1912 : historical addresses and programmes of the centennial, September, 1912 (search.ancestry.com)
- A brief historical sketch of the first Pennsylvania State Normal School, Millersville, Pa. (search.ancestry.com)
- A brief history of Lititz, Pennsylvania (search.ancestry.com)Otterbein and the Reformed Church (search.ancestry.com)
- Commemoration of Lancaster County in the Revolution at Indian Rock, Williamson Park, near Rockford (search.ancestry.com)
- Old memories, fifty years at the Lancaster Bar : recollections of the late Hon. A.L. Hayes–incidents of his early and long con (search.ancestry.com)
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Lancaster Co. PA Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Pennsylvania – Counties – Lancaster (cyndislist.com)
- Lancaster County Pennsylvania (genealogytrails.com)
- Lancaster Co. PAGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
- Lancaster County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives (usgwarchives.net)
- Lancaster Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Lancaster Co. PA Immigration & Naturalization
- Pennsylvania, Naturalizations, 1794-1908 (search.ancestry.com)
Lancaster 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 Lancaster County genealogists, researchers, historians and a lot more.
Lancaster Co. PA Schools & Directories
- The farmers’ directory of Lancaster County (except Lancaster City) Pennsylvania : with a complete road map of the county. (search.ancestry.com)
- Directory of Lancaster County : embracing a full list of all the adult males and heads of families, with their occupation, resi (search.ancestry.com)
- Boyd’s Lancaster County business directory : the names of the citizens of Lancaster, state, county, and city record, and an ap (search.ancestry.com)
- The Lancaster City directory : containing the names of the citizens, a business directory, state and city record, and an append (search.ancestry.com)
- Directory of the city of Lancaster : also a business directory, with an appendix, 1868-69. (search.ancestry.com)
- J.H. Bryson’s Lancaster directory for 1843 : containing the names of the inhabitants, their occupations, places of business, a (search.ancestry.com)
- Directory of the borough of Columbia (search.ancestry.com)
- A.C. Leonard’s directory of business and professional men of Lancaster, Pa. 1883 (search.ancestry.com)
- Complete catalogue of the names of all the students who have attended the Lititz Academy for Boys, from A.D. 1815 to A.D. 1865. (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and directory of the principal business houses of Columbia (search.ancestry.com)