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Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

County Court, Probate, Land & Tax Records  •  County Census Records
County Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records and Death Records
County Cemeteries & Graveyards  •  County Church & Bible Records
Lancaster County Pennsylvania Map
VEIW FULL SIZED D.O.T. COUNTY MAP

Created on May 10, 1729 from part of Chester County and named for Lancashire, England. Lancaster, the county seat, also named for its English counterpart, was laid out in 1730. It was chartered as a borough on May 1, 1742 and as a city on March 10, 1818.

The area was rapidly settled after 1709 by a mix of peoples: Swiss Mennonites, Huguenots, Scotch-Irish, English, Welsh, and Rhineland Germans. This was the first new county since the original three of 1682. Its rich limestone soil meant farming had to prosper. Coupled with the charitable humanitarianism of its religious values there developed a tradition that the poor could find opportunity here—“the buttermilk way.” Before 1776, Lancaster was the largest inland city in Britain’s American colonies. The decade 1800–1810 was stagnant, but then new enterprises began: gristmills, limeburning, and iron. A turnpike linked Lancaster to Philadelphia in 1800, and the Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad opened in 1834. The Conestoga Slackwater Canal facilitated trade with Baltimore. In the late nineteenth century there was a manufacturing take off including: cigars, cotton and silk cloth, beer, stoves, watches and clocks, and farm tools. The county ceasedmanufacturing iron. In this century, Armstrong Cork, R.C.A., Raybestos, Sperry-Rand, and Kerr Glass Company prospered, and some of the garments industry continues. Always Pennsylvania’s most prolific agricultural county, two-thirds of Lancaster County is farmland; animal products make up over 90 percent of farm cash receipts. Only the high prices paid for Chester County’s mushrooms compete with the cash returns from Lancaster’s harvests.

The Christiana Riots against slavery in 1851. Lancaster was the home of Congressman Thaddeus Stevens who led the movement for justice for African Americans.

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Lancaster County Court, Probate and Tax Records

See Also Pennsylvania Court, Land, Tax & Probate Records and Marriage Records

Some early court records have been transferred to the Lancaster County Historical Society

Lancaster County Register of Wills/ Orphan's Court Clerk has Marriage Records from 1729 and Probate Records from 1729 and is located at Register of Wills, 50 N. Duke St., P.O. Box 83480, Lancaster, PA 17608-3480; (717) 299-8242, email: Jay Toms - tomsj@co.lancaster.pa.us.

 

Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds has Land Records from 1729 and is located at 50 N. Duke St. P. O. Box 83480; Lancaster, PA 17608-3480; Office: 717.299.8238, Fax: 717.299.8393.

Lancaster County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts has Court Records from 1729 and is located at Office of Prothonotary, 50 N. Duke St, P.O. Box 83480, Lancaster, Pa. 17608-3480; Phone (717) 299-8282, Fax (717) 293-7210, email: wengerr@co.lancaster.pa.us .

Late eighteenth-century tax records for various counties, 1765–1791, were published in Pennsylvania Archives, 3d series, vols. 11–32.

Among the few surviving 1798 U.S. Direct Tax lists are those for Pennsylvania. They were microfilmed by the National Archives and are available at the Mid-Atlantic Region in Philadelphia and at the Pennsylvania State Archives. Indexes have been published for Washington and Lancaster counties.

Tax records are typically found in the county tax assessment offices but may also be in the county commissioners' office or with the prothonotary. The state archives has microfilms for some of these records (1715–1930s). Some assessment records have found their way into manuscript collections of county historical societies and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania as well as at the Philadelphia City Archives.

Below is a list of online resources for Lancaster County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Lancaster County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Vital Records in Pennsylvania

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Birth & Death Certificates before 1906: Pennsylvania birth & death records prior to 1906 can be accessed through the Lancaster County courthouse. The Division of Vital Records does not keep this information. Please write or call to 50 North Duke Street, P.O. Box 83480, Lancaster, PA 17603; (717) 299-8319. Courthouse has Birth records from 1893 - 1907 county & 1881-1906 city, Death Records from 1894 - 1907

Vital Records, State Dept of Health, P.O. Box 1528, 101 South Mercer Street, New Castle, PA 16101; (724) 656-3100, Fax: (724) 652-8951, Please allow up to approximately 4-6 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. They have the following records:

  • Birth & Death Certificates: Birth records maintained by Pennsylvania Vital Records since Jan 1906 through the present.
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Marriage & Divorce records are not available from the Division of Vital Records. They are usually obtained from the Lancaster County Courthouse (If they were issued there).
  • Ordering Vital Records - You can also order
  • Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Certificates to mail.

Cost: Include $10.00 fee per copy, $17.00 (by fax) for Birth records and Include $9.00 fee per copy, $16.00 (by fax) for Death Records. Please do not send cash. Make check or money order payable to “Vital Records." Please do not send cash in the mail.

Order In Person:You may apply in person at one of our six public offices in Erie, Harrisburg, New Castle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Scranton

Order By Mail: Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "Vital Records " along with the necessary information to the following address:Vital Records, State Dept of Health, P.O. Box 1528, 101 South Mercer Street, New Castle, PA 16101. Birth Certificate by Mail Order Form , Death Certificate by Mail Order Form. Allow 4-6 weeks when ordering by mail.

Below is a list of online resources for Lancaster County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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Lancaster County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Census Links for Pennsylvania

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania are 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1910, 1920 and 1940. There are three indexes for the 1800 census and two for 1810. The 1850 census also has two indexes, one arranged by county. For the 1910 Miracode, Philadelphia County is indexed apart from the rest of the commonwealth. After it was filmed by the National Archives, the 1880 census was sent to the University of Pittsburgh. The state copies of the 1840–70 censuses are no longer extant, but a few county copies are known to exist. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania areIndustry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Union Veterans Schedules were conducted in 1890.

There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms & U.K. Census Extraction Forms

State Schedules: Pennsylvania took no state censuses, but an enumeration of taxpayers compiled every seven years from 1779 through 1863 is commonly called the Septennial Census. These records have only survived in small numbers and are available at the state archives.

Below is a list of online resources for Lancaster County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Census Records by clicking the link below:

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Lancaster County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Below is a list of online resources for Lancaster County Maps. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Lancaster County Military Records

See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Pennsylvania

Below is a list of online resources for Lancaster County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Lancaster County Cemeteries & Graveyards

See Also Research In Cemetery Records or Statewide Cemetery Links for Pennsylvania

There are many churches and cemeteries in Lancaster County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Lancaster County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Below is a list of online resources for Lancaster County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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County Church & Bible Records

See Also Research In Church Records or Statewide Church & Bible Links for Pennsylvania

 

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

Below is a list of online resources for Lancaster County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Lancaster County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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