Monroe County, New York Records

Monroe County, New York (Map It) was created on February 23, 1821 from Genesee County and Ontario County. The county was named in honor of James Monroe (1758–1831), the early American statesman and fifth President of the United States.

Monroe County is bordered by Lake Ontario and Canada (north), Wayne County (east), Ontario County (southeast), Livingston County (south), Orleans County (west), Genesee County (west).

Monroe County Cities and Towns include Brighton (town), Brockport (village), Chili (town), Churchville (village), Clarkson (town), East Rochester (village and town), Fairport (village), Gates (town), Greece (town), Hamlin (town), Henrietta (town), Hilton (village), Honeoye Falls (village), Irondequoit (town), Mendon (town), Ogden (town), Parma (town), Penfield (town), Perinton (town), Pittsford (village), Pittsford (town), Riga (town), Rochester (city), Rush (town), Scottsville (village), Spencerport (village), Sweden (town), Webster (town), Webster (village), Wheatland (town).

MapGeeks.org has is a collection of old New York maps.

Monroe County, New York Courthouse Records

The Monroe County Courthouse is located in Rochester, New York. Also contact local Town Clerks. They are responsible for vast amounts of local information from deeds, property transfers, and genealogical materials. Research on place and road names, the history of property transfers and much more are available through your Town Clerk. They are a tremendous resources. Learn More About State of New York 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 Monroe 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.

• Monroe County Clerk has Land Records from 1821, Court Records from 1821 and Naturalization Records. State court naturalization records remain in custody of the county clerks. Older court naturalization records have been transferred to the National Archives--Northeast Region. The County Clerk is the keeper of most civil and criminal trial court records for Supreme Court and County Court, naturalizations, marriages (1908–35), censuses (Some county clerks' offices hold duplicate copies of some of the State censuses taken periodically between 1825 and 1925 and copies of the federal census), as well as deeds and mortgages.
• Monroe County Surrogate Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1824. The County Surrogate Court Clerk maintain records of wills, letters testamentary, letters of administration, orders and decrees, and appointments of guardians; and filed papers, including original wills, petitions for probate (gives date of death and lists next of kin), performance bonds, property inventories (seldom found after ca. 1900), administrator's or executor's accountings, etc. Surrogate's Courts create comprehensive indexes to records and files.
• Monroe County Treasurer is responsible for the collection of taxes.
• Monroe County Historian maintains archival holdings for virtually every facet of the county’s history. The county, town, city or village Historians may provide access to obituaries, vital records, church records, maps, and family files or journals. Some historians provide search services for their office records and others may refer you to local genealogists who research in the area.
  In New York State Law: "§ 57.07. Local historian; appointment; maintenance of historical edifices.
  A local historian shall be appointed, as provided in this section, for each city, town or village, except that in a city of over one million inhabitants a local historian shall be appointed for each borough therein instead of for the city at large; and a county historian may be appointed for each county."
  
  Counties therefore are not REQUIRED to have an appointed county historian, but are ALLOWED to appoint such an historian. Cities, Towns and Villages "SHALL" appoint a historian, although there doesn't appear to be any dire consequence if one should fail to do so: the Village of Philmont in Columbia County, for example, has neglected to refill the office since the death of their last historian. 
• Monroe County Department of Health, 111 Westfall Road, Rochester, NY 14692; (585) 274-6140;

Monroe County, New York Census Records

• Learn More: State of New York Census Records
• U.S. Federal Population Schedules: 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragmented), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
• U.S. Census Reconstructed Records: 1660-1820
• State Population Schedules: 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, 1925
• Other State Census Schedules: Census of Inmates in Almshouses and Poorhouses, 1830-1920, Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880, Non-Population Schedules 1850-1880
• 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

Monroe County, New York Vital Records

• Learn More: State of New York Vital Records
• Birth and Death Records: from 1880 to present
• Marriage Records: from 1880 to present
• Divorce Records: from January 1963 to present. Earlier Records are in the County Clerk's Office.
• Locations: New York State Dept of Health, Vital Records Section
• Vital Records Online: USAVital or Social Security Death Index
• Vital Records by Mail:  Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate, Genealogy  Applications.
• In Person: New York State Dept of Health, Vital Records Section, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12237; (518) 474-3077, (518) 474-3038 Information

Monroe County, New York Resources

• State of New York Archives and Societies
• RAOGK Volunteers for New York
• Pioneer Society of Rochester and Western N.Y.
• Rochester Historical Society
• Rochester Genealogical Society
• Central New York Genealogical Society
• Western Monroe Historical Society
• Monroe County Library System
• Cox Local History Room
• High Falls Heritage Area
• Monroe County Public Libraries
• Rochester Records Management Office
• The Rochester Historical Society handbook
• Records and Archives room
• New York Genealogy Research Community
• Monroe County, New York Message Boards
• Monroe County, New York Genealogy Boards

Monroe County, New York External Links

• New York Historical Newspapers - Newspapers.com
• Historical Newspapers from New York (1719 - 1992)
• Monroe County, New York Books - Amazon
• Monroe County, New York, abstracts of wills
• Monroe Co., New York - FindaGrave
• Annotated bibliography of periodical references on Rochester, New York
• History of Rochester and Monroe County, New York: from the earliest historic times to the beginning of 1907
• Monroe County, New York Links - Cyndi's List
• Monroe Co. NYGenweb
• Rochester, New York Directory, 1888-91
• Rochester Monthly Meeting, Monroe County, New York: Quaker Records
• Records of Bethel Free Church, Washington Street Church, Central Presbyterian Church and Central Presbyterian Church.
• Dau's blue book of selected names of Rochester and suburban towns : containing the names and addresses of prominent residents,
• Rochester, N.Y., the city of varied industries : directory of manufacturers.
• Gazetteer and business directory of Monroe County, N.Y. for 1869-70
• Monroe County, New York Ancestry Database Collections
• Rochester in the Civil War
• Monroe County, New York Military Records