New York, which was also known as New Netherlands at one point, included what is now New Jersey in colonial times. In 1664, the Dutch surrendered to England. A year later, Governor Philip Carteret took leadership of the newly-organized British colony of New Jersey.
A group of English Quakers gained some New Jersey land from Lord Berkeley in 1676, which left the colony split into the Quaker land and the land governed by Governor Carteret. In 1702, the area transitioned into a united crown colony under the Royal Governor of New York. Then, in 1738, New York and New Jersey finally became separate colonies. Governorship of New Jersey was given to Lewis Morris.
New York Counties – The Province of New Jersey, was established in 1664 and disestablished in 1776. The State of New Jersey was created as the 3rd state on December 18, 1787. It has 62 Counties. States the border New Jersey are New York, New Jesrsey and Delaware. The New Jersey State Capital is in Trenton and the state government website is http://www.nj.gov/.
Select a New Jersey county to view information & records pertaining to each County.
When the American Revolutionary War took place, New Jersey became a focal point in the war, because it was centrally located between Philadelphia, New Jesrsey and New York City.
New Jersey Genealogy Record Guides
Getting Started with New Jersey Genealogy and Family Trees
How to Search for New Jersey Genealogy Information – Known as the “Garden State”, New Jersey is also a place that is associated with early America, the Revolutionary War, Native American tribes, tons of early immigration, and so much more. It is a place that has a naturally high demand for genealogical materials, and this article is going to introduce you to the best ways to search for New Jersey genealogy data.
Resources for New Jersey Genealogy Materials – Let’s just start this brief discussion with one simple fact – you may have to plan a visit to New Jersey to do some of your research. This is not bad news because the state is full of fascinating, fun, and unique places to explore. When you are beginning a search for New Jersey genealogy materials, however, it can be frustrating to be unable to find things online.
Though many relevant organizations are digitizing collections, archives, and records, at a fast pace, not all have started the process. This is the reason that people looking for New Jersey genealogy information may be able to find the things they need right through a computer, or they may have to plan a visit. What this means is that anyone doing research for New Jersey genealogy will want to discover which resources will lead them to the information they need.
The Modern System for New Jersey Genealogy – Most research begins with public records, since these are the most readily available online resources for New Jersey genealogy. They are normally divided between the following types of categories:
- Local Records – state genealogy research will usually begin with a county clerk’s office or website, and will go on to the local genealogical societies, small local libraries, historical societies, and school or college libraries for New Jersey genealogy materials. These are items that are usually offline and viewable by appointment or special arrangement.
- Vital Records – these are records for births, marriages, divorces and deaths from county, state, and national archives. They also include military records, immigration and naturalization details, cemetery or obituary information, census records, newspaper items, and passenger lists and records as well. These tend to be available as online or offline resources for New Jersey genealogy.
- State Records – from probate information to private manuscripts, surname lists, newspapers, state census information, marriage details, military or veterans information, land records, maps, estate information, genealogical folders, death records, deeds, birth certificates, cemetery information and more; these are available as online and offline resources for New Jersey genealogy.
Effective Sources for New Jersey Genealogy – Rather than steering researchers towards really general sources for New Jersey genealogy, we have provided some of the most effective sources for New Jersey genealogy below:
- State of New Jersey, Department of Health and Vital Statistics – online only at: http://www.state.nj.us/health/vital/ .
This is where you can order birth, death, marriage and divorce records via a written request or even online.
Additional state and local records can be found at the:
- NJDARM, New Jersey Division of Archives and Records Management, 225 West State Street, P.O. Box 307, Trenton, NJ 08625-0307;
Website: http://www.njarchives.org/links/webcat/genealogy.html . The genealogical page at this website is really a treasure trove for New Jersey genealogy research. From many place name tools, vital records, estate records, military details to naturalization documents, land records and more – this page is going to give a researcher a lot of details.
New Jersey Genealogy Databases and other Helpful Links
Finally, these websites provide a tremendous amount of state-specific details to those in search of facts for New Jersey genealogy projects.