Pennsylvania Genealogy

This page of our website provides links to Pennsylvania genealogy databases and historical narratives about Pennsylvania. These genealogical records may include, vital records (birth, marriage and divorce, death), ethnic records (Black, Native American), court records (land, probate and wills, criminal and civil), church records (Bibles, baptisms, marriages, burials and histories), cemeteries, census records, military records directories and yearbooks.

Pennsylvania Black Genealogy

Pennsylvania African American Genealogy

William Still Underground Railroad Data
Researched, compiled, and generously made available for free by Nick Sacco, Historian and Curator at the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, this resource highlights the work of William Still, a Philadelphia abolitionist who bravely assisted enslaved people seeking freedom via the Underground Railroad. Unlike most conductors, Still took detailed notes, meticulously recording the names, origins, and experiences of the freedom seekers who passed through his care during the 1850s. Despite facing potential capture, these notes remained secure. In 1872, Still published them in a book titled The Underground Railroad. After studying Still’s work and William Kashatus’s 2021 biography of him, Nick Sacco created a free, downloadable dataset containing information on nearly one thousand individuals who sought refuge with Still. We extend our sincere gratitude for Sacco’s research and his willingness to share this invaluable resource.

Pennsylvania Cemeteries

Pennsylvania Cemetery Records
- Armstrong County
  - Maysville Cemetery, Armstrong County, PA
- Blair County
  - German Reformed Cemetery, Williamsburg, Blair County, Pennsylvania
  - Lutheran Cemetery, Williamsburg, Blair County, Pennsylvania
  - Presbyterian Cemetery, Williamsburg, Blair County, Pennsylvania
- Erie County
  - St Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery, Erie, Pennsylvania
- Washington County
  - Presbyterian Church, Prosperity, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Census Records

Pennsylvania Census Records
- Pennsylvania 1910 Census Map

Pennsylvania Church Records

The William Wade Hinshaw index to Pennsylvania Quaker meeting records
These monthly meeting records were abstracted from the original Pennsylvania Quaker Monthly Meeting records in the 1930’s by William Wade Hinshaw of Washington, D. C. They are a transcription of the microfilmed records containing birth, death, burial, and marriage records, as well as meeting minutes, removals and certificates.

Landmark History of the United Brethren Church
treating of the early history of the church in Cumberland, Lancaster, York and Lebanon counties, Pennsylvania, and giving the history of the denomination in the original territory. Pt. 1. Lectures on the origin and early history of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ in the eastern part of Cumberland County, Pa. / Daniel Eberly — Pt. 2. Origin of the church ; Lancaster County churches ; York County churches — Pt. 3. United Brethren in Lebanon County ; Some Maryland marks ; Churches in Frederick County ; Some pioneer church schools ; St. Paul’s Church, Hagerstown, Md. ; Some miscellaneous history.

E. Paul Weaver’s Church of the Brethren Records

Philadelphia Congregations Early Records
When completed, the Philadelphia Congregations Early Records project will offer over 41,000 pages of records from Philadelphia’s oldest congregations, connecting the archives of Christ Church, St. George’s Methodist Church, Gloria Dei, Mikveh Israel, African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, Episcopal Dioceses Archives, Presbyterian Historical Society, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and American Baptist Historical Society. Digitized materials include minutes, account books, birth, marriage, death, and burial registers.

Burial Records of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, 1758-1902

Burial Records of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, 1900-1921

Burial Records of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, 1921-1948

Burial Records of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, 1949-1976

Allegheny County

Session Book Kept by the Rev. Abraham Boyd, Allegheny and Butler Counties, Pennsylvania
The session book kept by the Rev. Abraham Boyd, Pastor of the Presbyterian Churches in Bull Creek, Allegheny County, PA, and Middlesex, Butler County, PA, beginning in 1803.

Butler County

Pennsylvania County Genealogy

Organization of Counties in Pennsylvania
Organization of counties in Pennsylvania and those from which formed. Includes genealogical map of the counties of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Digital Archives
These 45 genealogy databases comprise part of the Pennsylvania Digital Archives from the state government. We’ve only included those databases and documents which are most relevant to genealogists. All of them are free for you to use.

Chester County

Chester County, Pennsylvania Scrapbook, 1887-1920

Greene County

Mt. Morris School, c1900

Lancaster County

Lancaster County Archives Historical Indexes
This page offers quick access to a range of historical indexes available at the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania archives, which are valuable for genealogical research. These resources include indexes for wills, deeds, probate records, Orphans’ Court records, estate files, and more. Researchers can efficiently navigate through these records to trace family histories and gather details on ancestors from Lancaster County. Each index is organized to help locate relevant documents that provide critical information such as dates, property ownership, family connections, and other vital data crucial for genealogical research.

Death Records, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Record of Deaths 1821-1904 and Nissly Family Record and Record of Church Admissions 1855-1890

Washington County

California State Normal School, Students, c1899

Springhill School, Souvenir Roster, 1914

Pennsylvania History

Index to Warrants Written but Not Issued, Warrants Signed but Not Pursued, Deputy Counterparts, and Related Records

Names of foreigners who took the oath of allegiance to the province and state of Pennsylvania, 1727-1775
A list of foreigners who took the oath of allegiance to the crown of Great Britain and the Province of Pennsylvania, from the year 1727 to 1775, with those to the State from the close of the Revolution. All males over sixteen years of age were obliged to take this oath and declaration, as soon after their arrival as possible.

Southwestern Pennsylvania School Teachers

Ephraim Douglass ledger books, 1769-1790
The Ephraim Douglass Ledgers present a record of business and military activities undertaken by Ephraim Douglass in Western Pennsylvania. The information contained within dates primarily from the 1770s and illuminates aspects of life in Western Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War era. The ledgers reveal the foods, household items, and services in demand by colonists on what was, at the time, the western frontier. Douglass and his associates have meticulously recorded details of the transactions.

Pennsylvania Land Records

Warrantees of land in the several counties of the state of Pennsylvania
The lists of warrantees of land in the several counties of the Commonwealth are copied from the original record books in the Land Office of the Department of Internal Affairs. Only the names of the warrantees with number of acres and dates of warrant are given. They will serve however as a valuable guide to all desiring information from that Department.

Pennsylvania Military Records

Military Records

Pennsylvania Indian Forts
Examine and report to the next session of the Legislature upon the advisability of marking by suitable tablets the various forts erected against the Indians by the early settlers of this Commonwealth prior to the year 1783.

Pennsylvania Forts
List of colonial forts, trading posts, named camps, redoubts, reservations, general hospitals, national cemeteries, etc., established or erected in the United States from its earliest settlement to 1902.

Revolutionary War

1840 Pensioners Census

Revolutionary War Pension Records

Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File
Arranged alphabetically by surname of soldier. The abstract card file contains transcriptions of data extracted from original records in the custody of the State Archives concerning Revolutionary War service in the Pennsylvania Militia, Pennsylvania Line, and the Navy. Note that duty after November 1783 is not considered Revolutionary War service. Information provided is name and rank of soldier, whether active or inactive duty, county of residence, battalion in which served, and record from which information was extracted. Also noted are whether soldier was delinquent and fined or whether militia fines were abated.

Civil War Records

Pennsylvania Civil War Battlefield Map

Civil War Pensions Index Cards
Each card gives the soldier’s name, unit, the application number, the certificate number and the state from which the soldier served. In some cases, the soldier’s rank, terms of service, date of death and place of death are given. The index cards refer to pension applications of veterans who served in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917. The majority of the records pertain to Civil War veterans, but they also include veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, Indian wars, and World War I.

Spanish American War

Mexican Border War

World War I Records

World War 1 Draft Registration Records

World War II Records

World War 2 Casualties – Army, Air Force

Pennsylvania Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard World War II Casualty List

Korean War Casualty List

Vietnam War Casualty List

Pennsylvania Native American Records

Pennsylvania Newspapers

Pennsylvania Marriages from The Evangelical Messenger

Lebanon County

Lebanon Weekly News Genealogy Columns

1969-1970
1970-1971
1971-1972
1972
1972-1973
1973

Pennsylvania Orphan Records

Lutheran Orphans’ Home and Asylum, Germantown PA 1892-1914
Philadelphia has been justly noted for its many charitable and benevolent institutions. Among these the “Orphans’ Home and Asylum for the Aged and Infirm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Germantown” holds a conspicuous place. When so many children were made orphans during the late war, this institution was among the first to open its doors for these soldiers’ orphans, and 98 were admitted up to the time when the State provided homes for them. Including with these reports are names and ages of the orphans who were present during the year.

Pennsylvania Vital Records

Pennsylvania Vital Records
Death Records
- Death Records, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
  Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Record of Deaths 1821-1904 and Nissly Family Record and Record of Church Admissions 1855-1890
- Funeral Records of Heintzelman Family of Funeral Directors, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Divorces Granted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from December, 1785, until 1801
These records are an extraction from Pennsylvania Supreme Court records of the divorces granted under its’ authority from 1785-1801.
Marriage Records
- Pennsylvania Marriages from The Evangelical Messenger
  Marriage announcements first appeared in The Evangelical Messenger in 1868. Initially placed immediately after the obituaries, they were later moved to the classified advertisement section. These announcements were typically submitted by the officiating ministers. Marriages from various states where the Evangelical Association was active were published, but this database only includes those from Pennsylvania. Notably, no Pennsylvania marriages were reported in the 1905 and 1906 issues. This project was designed to conclude at the end of 1906, though marriage announcements continued to be published beyond that date.

Pennsylvania Yearbooks and School Records

Chatham University Publications
This collection contains publications from the Chatham University Archives, including the long-running alumni magazine, campus literary magazines, select issues of the student newspaper, yearbooks 1915-2010, course catalogs, and a history of the institution’s first ninety years. All of these books, can be read, and/or downloaded from this page for free!

University of Pennsylvania, Record of the Class of 1908

Crawford County

Moore School #1, Fairfield Township, 1928 Souvenir

Cumberland County

Lemoyne High School

Class of 1945, Update, May 1995
Class of 1945, 50th Class Reunion, 1995
Class of 1945, 55th Class Reunion, 2000

Jefferson County

Pardus School, Washington Township

Souvenir, 1926
Souvenir, 1927
Souvenir, 1928
Annabelle Kroh, 1930

Mercer County

Plank Road School, 1925, Jefferson Township

Souvenir, 1925

Northampton County

Schortz School, 1911, Hanover Township

Souvenir, 1911

Tioga County

Pumpkin Hill School, 1909, Rutland Township

Souvenir, 1909