Cape May County, New Jersey Records

Cape May County, New Jersey (Map It) was created on November 12, 1692 from Burlington County. The county was named in honor of 17th-century Dutch explorer Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, who explored and surveyed the Delaware Bay to the south of the county .

Cape May County is bordered by  Atlantic County (north), Cumberland County (northwest).

Cape May County Cities and Towns include Cape May, North Wildwood, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Wildwood. Communities include Cape May Court House, Dennisville, Diamond Beach, Erma, Marmora, North Cape May, Strathmere, Tuckahoe, Rio Grande, Villas, Whitesboro-Burleigh.

Cape May County Townships include Dennis Township, Lower Township, Middle Township, Upper Township. Boroughs include Avalon, Cape May Point, Stone Harbor, West Cape May, West Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Woodbine.

A Map of Cape May County, New Jersey contains detailed information about roads and boundaries, these maps may include rural communities, churches, and cemeteries.

Cape May County, New Jersey Courthouse Records

The Cape May County Courthouse is located in Cape May Court House, New Jersey. Learn More About State of New Jersey Court, Tax, Land and Probate Records.

The Clerk's Office DOES NOT DO RESEARCH. Most staff will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the individual to do the research.

The following dates indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Cape May county. The date listed for each record is usually the earliest registration filed. The date does not indicate that there are alot records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually filed with the clerk.

Courts were established in 1685.

• Cape May County Clerk has Land Records from 1770 mortgages / 1785 deeds and Marriage Records from 1692. The County Clerk is responsible for land records, including deeds and mortgages, naturalizations, marriages (usually 1795-1840s), and various county court records. A few original county justice of the peace dockets are at the New Jersey State Archives.
• Cape May County Surrogate Court / Orphan's Court has Probate Records from 1786 orphans' court minutes / 1804 surrogates' records. The County Surrogate Court / Orphan's Court probates Wills, appoints Administrators, appoints Guardians for minors, handles applications for Adult Incapacitated Persons, Conservatorships, Adoptions, contested Probate matters, Accountings, Trusts and most other matters involving Estates.
• Cape May County Treasurer is responsible for the collection of taxes.
• New Jersey Department of Health has copies of Birth, Marriage and Death records from 1878 to the present. There is a fee for each copy requested. Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events.

Cape May County, New Jersey Census Records

• Learn More: State of New Jersey Census Records
• U.S. Federal Population Schedules: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragmented), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
• U.S. Census Reconstructed Records: 1643-1890
• State Population Schedules: 1895
• U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Agriculture Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Industry Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Union Veterans Schedules: 1890

Cape May County, New Jersey Vital Records

• Learn More: State of New Jersey Vital Records
• Birth, Marriage and Death Records: from 1901 to present
• Divorce Records: does not have divorce records. At the Superior Court of New Jersey Records Center
• Locations: New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services, New Jersey State Archives
• Vital Records Online: USAVital or Social Security Death Index
• Vital Records by Mail: Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate  Applications.
• In Person:  New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services, State Registrar Search Unit, PO Box 370, Trenton, NJ 08625-0370; (609) 292-4087

Cape May County, New Jersey Resources

• Cape May Historical & Genealogical Society
• Greater Cape May Historical Society
• Upper Township Historic Preservation Society
• Cape May County, New Jersey Message Boards
• Cape May County, New Jersey Genealogy Forum read and post messages with other genealogy researchers for Cape May County

Cape May County, New Jersey External Links

• New Jersey Historical Newspapers - Newspapers.com
• Historical Newspapers from New Jersey (1777 - 1972)
• Cape May County, New Jersey Books - Amazon
• South Jersey marriages
• Cape May County records
• Inscriptions from Cape May County
• Cape May Co., New Jersey - FindaGrave
• Inventory of the church archives of New Jersey
• Mayflower Pilgrim Descendants in Cape May County
• The history of Petersburg, New Jersey
• Cape May County, New Jersey Links - Cyndi's List
• Cape May Co. NJGenweb
• Belisle's Atlantic City directory for the year 1874
• Cape May County, New Jersey Ancestry Database Collections
• Cape May County, New Jersey Military Records