Genesee County, New York
Genesee County was created on March 30, 1802 from Ontario County. This particular county was named for a Seneca phrase meaning "good valley" .
The Genesee County Seat can be found in Batavia and in addition the county government website is www.co.genesee.ny.us/
Regions neighboring Genesee County include Orleans County (north), Monroe County (east), Livingston County (southeast), Wyoming County (south), Erie County (west), Niagara County (northwest).
Cities and Towns to be found in Genesee County consists of Batavia, Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, Le Roy, Oakfield, Pavilion, Pembroke, Stafford. Villages include Alexander, Attica, Bergen, Corfu, Elba, Le Roy, Oakfield . .
Genesee County vital records can be found at the New York Department of Health which has copies of birth records after 1881 and death records after 1880, copies of marriage since 1881 (A marriage license may also sometimes be found in the office of the town or city clerk who issued the license) and a Divorce records since 1847 (Is handled in the supreme court for the county in which the divorce was heard. Divorce files, however, are sealed for one hundred years). There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in New York for current fees and application process.
You can search online for Genesee County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for New York Birth and Death Certificate, Marriage and Divorce Certificate Application to mail.
Genesee County does have Federal Census Schedules to help in looking into your family tree. United states federal Population Schedules are present for 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Genesee Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Genesee Co. Industry and Agriculture is available for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Genesee Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be obtained for 1890. You can get free downloadable and also printable census forms that can help with your research.
Genesee County Societies and Family History Resources
A list of Genesee County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives.
- New York Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
- New York State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Genesee Area Genealogists, 115 State Street, Batavia 14020
- Genesee Co History Department Research Library & Records Management, 3 West Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020; (585)344-2550 ext 2613
- Genesee Area Genealogy Society, Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross Street, Batavia NY 14020; The Genesee Area Genealogists welcome those with an interest in Genesee and Wyoming counties.
- Holland Purchase Historical Society, Holland Land Office Museum, 131 West Main Street, Batavia NY 14020-2021;
716-343-4727; Not a research facility; contact Genesee County History department.
- Central New York Genealogical Society, Box 104, Calvin Station , Syracuse, New York 13205; Member queries; surname research list; online resources; six meetings/year; publication: Tree Talks quarterly with annual index.
- Western New York Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 338, Hamburg, New York 14075-0338
- Brockport New York Family History Center, 4088 Lake Rd, Brockport, New York, 1-585-637-2030
- Rochester New York Family History Center, 1400 Westfall Rd, Rochester, New York 14618, 1-585-271-5040
- Buffalo New York Family History Center, 1424 Maple Rd, Williamsville, New York 14221, 1-716-688-2439
- Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross Street, Batavia, NY 14020, 585-343-9550; Genealogical resources: FamilySearch affiliate, Ancestry.com, and Heritage Quest Online subscriptions. Newspapers, immigrant lists, vital records, cemetery records, censuses.
- Nioga Library System, 6575 Wheeler Rd, Lockport NY 14094, 716-434-6167
- Holland Land Office Museum, 131 West Main Street, Batavia NY 14020-2021, 716-343-4727
- New York Genealogy Research Community (facebook.com)
- Genesee County, New York Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Genesee County
- Genesee County, New York Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com) read and post messages with other genealogy researchers for Genesee County
- USGenWeb Archives for Genesee County (usgwarchives.net)
Genesee County Courthouse and Government Records
Researchers frequently overlook the significance of Genesee County court, probate, and land documents as a resource of family history and genealogy details. Buried away in New York courthouses and archives just about everywhere could be the aspirations and worries of the many New York men and women.
The possibilities are excellent that your particular ancestors and forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of factors of their lives in the Genesee County court records. Even if your forebears is not discussed in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her appearing in court records.
The following specifics denotes whatever birth, death, marriage, land, probate, and legal records will be in Genesee County. The years pointed out listed below tend to be the first known records in this county.
Please make sure to contact the clerk's office to verify hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics prior to visiting or inquiring information because of occasionally changing contact details. The Department Offices DO NOT DO RESEARCH. The files are readily available to interested parties, barring confidential issues. A good number of staff will help people in locating the resources, however it is up to the person to carry out the research.
- Genesee County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 15 Main Street, Batavia, NY 14021-0379
- 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.
- Genesee 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.
- Phone: 585-344-2550 ext 2243
- Land Records: 1803 (Land conveyances, deeds and mortgages are recorded in the county clerks' offices or in the New York City Register's Office. Recording of deeds became mandatory statewide in 1840. Before that many deeds were not recorded)
- Court Records: 1803
- 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.
- Genesee 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.
- Address: 1 West Main Street, PO Box 462, Batavia NY 14020-3199
- Phone: 585-344-2550 ext 2237
- Probate Records: 1805 (each county generally has records dating back to the establishment of the county or 1787, whichever was later. Record keeping was systematized by an 1830 statute)
- Genesee County Treasurer is responsible for the collection of taxes.
- Genesee County Historian maintains archival holdings for virtually every facet of the county’s history. In New York State, every municipality (town, city, village, county) must have an appointed historian. Most of the towns have their own historians as well and each can be contacted. The County Historian 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.
- Address: History Department, Research Library & Records Management, Engine House, 3 West Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020
- Phone: 585-344-2550 ext 2613
Genesee County Links
The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relevant to Genesee County. Most of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a cost. This is simply a listing that has been compiled or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site over another. Feel free to suggest your own favorite Genesee County genealogy or family history related sites.
Genesee Co. NY Books, Newspapers & Publications
Genesee Co. NY Birth, Marriage & Death Records
Genesee Co. NY Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
Genesee Co. NY Census Records
Genesee Co. NY Cemeteries & Graveyards
Genesee Co. NY Church & Bible Records
Genesee Co. NY Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
Genesee Co. NY General and History Websites
- See Also State History for New York
- Genesee County, New York Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- History of northwestern New York : Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Genesee and Orleans Counties (search.ancestry.com)
- Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890 (search.ancestry.com)
- History of the Batavia Union Free School, number two (search.ancestry.com)
- The Genesee County Pioneer Association : a history of its organization, list of officers and members, and the annual address (search.ancestry.com)
- Genesee County, New York Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Genesee Co. NY Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Genesee County, New York (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi's List - United States - New York - Counties - Genesee (cyndislist.com)
- Genesee County New York (genealogytrails.com)
- Genesee Co. NYGenweb (bettysgenealogy.org)
- Genesee County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Genesee Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Genesee Co. NY Immigration & Naturalization
Genesee Co. NY Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
Genesee Co. NY Military Records