Pennsylvania Map

Your Guide to Researching
Pennsylvania Ancestors

Peruse these sites for some background information
- Pennsylvania chronology
- FHL: Pennsylvania Historical Background.
- Wikipedia: Pennsylvania
- Wikipedia: List of Counties in Pennsylvania --click on a county name in the chart to get information about that county. Note also in the chart the dates of a county's formation and from which county(or counties) it was formed.

* General Guides * Maps * Statewide Genealogy Websites * Societies, Libraries and Archives *
* Finding and Using Records * Queries & Help * More Links *

General Guides to Pennsylvania Research

First, bookmark or print out the Family History Library Pennsylvania Research Outline.
Also bookmark the Family History Library Pennsylvania Research Wiki
Ancestry Red book, 3rd ed. Pennsylvania section online at the Ancestry.com wiki (note you will click the links to the right to see further topics)

Books you might purchase or use in a library include

NGS. Research in Pennsylvania -- note that while this shows an impressive table of contents, covering many subjects, it is only 46 pages, so it can not be very comprehensive. Still, we should be able to rely on the National Genealogy Society for a high quality product, so it might be worth the risk. If you join the NGS, you can get these state guides more cheaply.
Clint. Pennsylvania Area Key (1976) (There are also several county area keys, which can be quite useful, despite being dated. These are out of print and you will have to do some searching to find them. )
Schweitzer. Pennsylvania Genealogical Research
Woodroofe. A Genealogists Guide to Pennsylvania Records (1995, but originally published in the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine; still helpful, but some specifics may be out of date)
Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine -- with membership in the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania
-- back run on CD
Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography
Audio tapes from lectures given at genealogy conferences and seminars with the word Pennsylvania in the title

Each of the three reference books listed below has a small section covering each state that includes maps, historical information, vital records coverage and a bibliography of resources for that state. (note: some libraries may have earlier editions; those are usable)

Handybook for Genealogists ( 11th edition) (find in a library)
Ancestry's Red book, 3rd ed, revised. (find in a library) (see above for online copy)
The Family Tree Resource Book for Genealogical Research (find in a library)

Atlases, Maps & Gazetteers

For more information on finding and using maps, see Your Guide to Atlases, Maps and Gazetteers.

Bookmark or print out this map of Pennsylvania counties.
Historical maps of
Pennsylvania GenWeb Pennsylvania Digital Map Library
1895 Atlas of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania counties. (click on the little dot to see the associated map)
Perry Castenada Map Collection: Pennsylvania Maps
I found this Pennsylvania Atlas difficult to use and was disappointed with the size of the map and ability to see everything I wanted -- but it does allow you to see the zoom in on a county to see local placenames.Here is a tutorial on how to use it.
Online Pennsylvania Gazetteer (current place names)
FamilySearch Wiki: Pennsylvania Gazetteers
1832 Gazetteer of the State of Pennsylvania ; 1833 Gazetteer of the State of Pennsylvania
Print out a Pennsylvania county outline map (.pdf) -- shows present day counties.
Genealogical map of the counties of Pennsylvania: shows which counties existed over time. Here is a blog that discusses this very helpful map.
Each of the county pages in Wikipedia will have a link to a township map -- First, click on the county name in the chart on this Pennsylvania page then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click the small image once to bring it up on a separate screen, then click it again to make it a full page map.

Statewide Pennsylvania Gene alogy Web sites

Next, see what is available for your counties of interest at at one of these statewide sites. For each, use the county selection list to find out what is available for the various counties. Content will vary, but in usually you will find the GenWeb site to be the most robust. All are volunteer driven sites; all data free, but as time goes by, the upkeep of many of these sites seems to be falling by the wayside.

See what's available at the Pennsylvania Gen Web
And the ALHN/AHGP Pennsylvania page
Read Tim's Terrific Tips on Pennsylvania Research.

Societies, Libraries and Archives

For more information on using libraries and archives, see my genealogy guides to Libraries and Archives

The State Library of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg has a large Local History and Genealogy Section.
Be sure to check out the index to their Genealogy Files -- but the files themselves are not available online, nor are they available through the Family History Library. The files appear to be available only on microfilm. So how to view them if you can't go to Harrisburg? I would email a Reference Librarian there and ask for advice on how to ascertain information about the file -- how big is it, how much would it cost to have it copied, can it be loaned on ILL?
The Pennsylvania State Archives is also in Harrisburg and will be able to absorb you for days at a time if you have Pennsylvania ancestors!
- Genealogy research at the Pennsylvania State Archives
- If you can't travel there, you can send a brief query -- they will not do research for you, but may be able to answer questions that help you understand some records or go further in your research. Use this form.
Pennsylvania is served by the National Archives - Mid Atlantic Region.
The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania also has a helpful web page. See especially their research and resources ..
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania web site provides several research guides.
- Start with their Family History & Genealogy guide, then explore others (use links to the left)
- They also offer a for-a-fee research service by mail.
- HSP publishes the Pennsylvania Magazine of Biography and History.
  - All but the most recent few years are available online, where you can locate and read any article either by browsing or searching the full text.
  - Contents and the beginning of articles of newer issues are available online. (you must subscribe to see the full article.)
From the Pennsylvania State Library: A two part list of Genealogical and Historical Societies
To find local genealogy societies, see the Pennsylvania Genealogy Society
Genealogy and Local History Sources in Pennsylvania State Libraries -- links to local libraries with collections that may be useful

Finding and Using Records:

Here is a nice overview of Pennsylvania Records on the web site of the Pittsburgh Carnegie Library.

FIRST -- Use the catalog at the Family History Library to find out what has been filmed for Pennsylvania.

At the familysearch.org catalog make sure the pull down is for place name.

Type in Pennsylvania to search for state-wide information. As you type it in, notice that the drop down will display each county. If you search Pennsylvania, you will get results that include Pennsylvania as sub topics as well as main topics.

To search a county, go back to the search page. You can search it by using the alphabetical drop down described above. When you get to the county page, the results will be county specific. Check those to see what is available at the county level.

And before you quit... click in the box to the left. You will see the townships, villages and city in that county. See what is filmed for those too.

Here is some specific information and links by record type or special groups:

African American, bible, cemetery, census, church, city directories, county histories, court & legal, military, land and property, nationalities. naturalizations, newspapers, probate, vital.

African American:

Start with the web site Black History in Pennsylvania.
Guide to African American Resources at the Pennsylvania State Archives gives you an idea of what state and local government documents are available to the researcher (accessioned through 2009) . This online guide is arranged by record group or manuscript collection, so you must look at each listing, which can be tedious. You might want to either print the pages out or simply buy to book edition, although the book lacks those sources acquired in 2009.
Slavery and the Underground Resources at the Pennsylvania State Archives describes the record groups specific to that topic AND offers links to online digital copies of some of the documents!

Bible Records: For general information, see Your Guide to Finding and Using Family Bible Records

The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania Manuscript Archives Surname Index includes every name in the family Bibles held by the GSP.
These two Pennsylvania publications include some Bible records; both are indexed at the article level in PERSI (PERSI does not index names within articles)
- Pennsylvania Magazine of Biography and History
- Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania

Cemetery: For general information, see guide to cemetery records, this web site

FamilySearch Wiki Pennsylvania Cemeteries
Findagrave -- you can limit your search of a surname to a state or county.
Cemetery Junction: to find a listing of cemeteries in Pennsylvania with links to some that have been transcribed online
U.S. Gen Web Tombstone Transcription Project for Pennsylvania
Guide to Online Cemetery Records & Indexes: Pennsylvania
Stones of Faith: Pennsylvania Germans and Their Gravestones; there is a surname index to this interesting site.

Census: For general information, see guide to census records, this web site

AccessGenealogy Census (scroll down to find state listing
Census links: US
CensusFinder.com
CensusOnline
U.S. GenWeb Census Project. U.S. GenWeb Census Project Census Researchers FAQ gives information for using this site.
Rootsweb.com census records (goes into U.S.Genweb)

Church: For general information, see guide to church records, this web site

FamilySearch Wiki: Pennsylvania Church Records
I Dream of Genealogy has some Pennsylvania church records that have been transcribed and put online.
Pennsylvania Church Records Project (U.S. GeneWeb Archives)

City and County Directories: For general information, see guide to City and County directories, this web site

FamilySearch Wiki: Pennsylvania Directories
U.S. City Directories: Pennsylvania ; this serves as an unofficial union list of City Directories and a place where you can order lookups in the city directory by clicking the "order copy" icon on the right. The price of the lookups (plus shipping and handling) seem to me to be on the high end of a reasonable charge, but if all other efforts fail, it is good to know this service is available.
Distant Cousin: Pennsylvania City Directories (links to online city directories)
Pennsylvania Online City Directories
Philadelphia City Directories at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (a listing of what is available there)
Historical Pennsylvania Directories at the State Library of Pennsylvania (a listing; this will probably give you a fairly comprehensive listing of what historical directories are available for Pennsylvania cities, counties and regions)

County and Local Histories: For general information, see Guide to County Histories, this web site

For early Pennsylvania research (pre 1790) you will want to work with the published set titled "Pennsylvania Archives." Not a county or local history, but a set of documents relating to that period. It can be a complicated set to use. Here is a nice overview of the Pennsylvania Archives. and its indexes. (find in a library)
- The Pennsylvania Archives is a free, searchable database on Fold3.
Pennsylvania County Histories on the Web. -- links to digital versions of several county histories for the various counties in Pennsylvania.

Court & Legal; For general information, see guide to law libraries, this web site

FamilySearch Wiki: Pennsylvania Court Records
Prison Records at the Pennsylvania State Archives
Pennsylvania Blacksheep Ancestors may have been in trouble with the legal system!

Land & Property: For general information, see Guide to Land records, this web site

FamilySearch Research Wiki: Pennsylvania Land and Property
A quick overview of Pennsylvania land records
Original purchases of land
- An excellent book: Munger. Pennsylvania Land Records: A Guide for Research 1993 (find in a library) (you can buy an e-version through Google)
- Pennsylvania State Archives: RG 17: Records of the Land Office
- Land Records at the Pennsylvania State Archives (scanned images available online)
- Warranty Township Maps (Digital images available online)

Military; For general information, see Guide to Military records, this web site

FamilySearch Wiki: Pennsylvania Military Records
Military Records at the Pennsylvania State Archives
- Card file indexes of Pennsylvania men who served in various wars -- a digital collection from the Archives of Pennsylvania.
- Civil War Records at the Pennsylvania State Archives
- Revolutionary War Records at the Pennsylvania State Archives
- All military records available online at the Pennsylvania State Archives

Nationalities and Ethnic Groups in Pennsylvania:

Pennsylvania German Society
FamilySearch Wiki: Pennsylvania Emigration and Immigration
Family Search Wiki: Pennsylvania Ethnic, Political or Religious Groups.

Naturalizations; For general information, see Guide to Naturalizations, this web site

FamilySearch Wiki: Pennsylvania Naturalization & Citizenship
Online Pennsylvania Naturalization Records and Indexes
Naturalization Records at NARA (Mid Atlantic Region)
Pennsylvania Eastern District Naturalization Indexes 1795-1952 are available online at FamilySearch.Org. The collection is browsable, but not searchable. That's OK. It is a name index, in alphabetical order, for three time periods: 1795-1906, 1906-1926 and 1926-1952.
Naturalization and Immigration Records at the Pennsylvania State Archives
NARA has put this Pennsylvania digital Collection Online: Landing Reports of Aliens 1798-1828. Follow instructions given here to locate and use this collection. N.B. These are not naturalization records, but they do give information regarding country of origin.

Newspapers: For general information, see Guide to Newspapers, this web site

FamilySearch Wiki: Pennsylvania Newspapers
At the web site Chronicling America
- Use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to learn what newspapers were published in the Pennsylvania cities that might be relevant to your research.
- Use the Advanced Search to search Pennsylvania Newspapers digitized by the Library of Congress. by selecting the state, or a specific newspaper by selecting the title.
Pennsylvania Online Historical Newspapers
Pennsylvania Necrology Scrapbook -- a digital collection from the State Library of Pennsylvania
Digital Newspapers available from Pennsylvania State University

Probate: For general information, see Guide to Probate Records, this web site

Family Search Wiki: Pennsylvania Probate Records
Ancestry Red book overview: Pennsylvania Probate Records

Tax Records: For general information see Guide to Tax Lists, this web site

Family Search Wiki: Pennsylvania Tax Records
Ancestry Red book overview: Pennsylvania Tax Records
Many early township tax records were published in the multi-volume Pennsylvania Archives, which is available online ( free and searchable) at Footnote.com.

Vital: For general information, see Guide to Vital Records, this web site

Family Search Wiki: Pennsylvania Vital Records
See what Pennsylvania vital records are available on Family Search.org.
Ancestry Red Book Wiki: Pennsylvania Vital Records
Vital Statistics at the Pennsylvania State Archive: a good overview of what records exist and how you might obtain them.
Pennsylvania Department of Health: Genealogy Requests
VitalRec: Pennsylvania -- scroll down for information. The search box at the top is just an ad.
- and remember to visit the county pages to see what is available from the counties.
Birth and Death Records in Pennsylvania -- a quick overview
Marriage and Divorce Records in Pennsylvania -- ditto
Where to write for vital record: Pennsylvania
Online Pennsylvania Death Records, Indexes and Obituaries. helps you find records online.

Queries & Help

Some Pennsylvania Genweb county pages list look up volunteers.
You can place search or a query in the Genealogy.com Pennsylvania Message Board
You can search or place a query in the Ancestry/Rootsweb message boards for any of the counties in Pennsylvania.

Your Guide to Researching Pennsylvania Ancestors