Bensalem Genealogy Records
Bensalem Township genealogy records connect to some of the oldest documented family history in Pennsylvania. Bensalem is one of Bucks County's original townships, and the Bucks County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court holds records dating back to 1684. Researchers tracing Bensalem family history can access birth and death records, marriage certificates, wills, land deeds, and probate files through the Bucks County Archive Research Center at the courthouse in Doylestown. A Lower Bucks County Government Service Center at 7321 New Falls Road, Levittown, PA 19055, provides convenient local access to many of these records for Bensalem residents. The Bucks County Genealogical Society provides additional research support and access to church records, cemetery records, and family histories for the area.
Bensalem Genealogy Quick Facts
Bucks County Archive Records for Bensalem Township
The Bucks County Register of Wills Archive Research Center is the primary repository for Bensalem Township genealogy records. The archive holds a complete set of microfilm records and original documents on-site from 1684 to 1936. Genealogical index searches by name covering 1684 to 1950 cost $25 per name. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $25 per record, and certified birth and death records from 1893 to 1906 cost $25 per certified copy. This pricing structure applies to all Bucks County records including those for Bensalem Township families.
Bensalem Township vital records are obtained through the Bucks County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court. To request records, applicants must provide a valid photo ID, complete an application form, and pay the appropriate fee. Township offices at Bensalem can also assist residents through the Right to Know process managed by Right to Know Officer John Chaykowski, Director of Administration (phone: 215-633-3602). Township hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The Bensalem Township website provides Right to Know Request forms for both township and police department records.
Bucks County's Archive Research Center holds records for Bensalem Township from 1684, making it one of the oldest continuous record sets for any Pennsylvania township.
Bucks County Genealogical Society and Research Resources
The Bucks County Genealogical Society provides research support for Bensalem Township and all of Bucks County. The society's Archive Research Center is located on the third floor of the Bucks County Courthouse and is open to the public for genealogical research. Society resources include church records, cemetery records, and published family histories covering Bucks County from the colonial period. The society's special collections include Pennsylvania German records, which are valuable for Bensalem Township given the area's early settlement by Welsh and German Quaker families.
Society volunteers provide research assistance, and the organization's publications include surname indexes and family histories. Monthly meetings feature genealogical speakers, and workshops and seminars cover research methods. The society library contains reference books, genealogical periodicals, and database access to Ancestry.com and FamilySearch. Under 65 P.S. § 67.101, most Bucks County courthouse records are presumed public and available to researchers. FamilySearch provides free online access to many Bucks County records including Bensalem Township families.
Note: Bucks County birth and baptismal records, marriage records, and death records are all searchable at the Bucks County Genealogical Society's Archive Research Center, providing a single location for researching Bensalem Township vital events across multiple record types.
Pennsylvania State Records and Bensalem Genealogy
For births and deaths after 1906, the Pennsylvania Department of Health maintains statewide vital records. Under 35 P.S. § 450.801, birth records are publicly accessible after 105 years and death records after 50 years, meaning many early 20th-century Bensalem vital records are now available for genealogy research. The birth records from 1893 to 1906 and delayed birth records from 1941 to 1976 are available through the Bucks County Orphans' Court and FamilySearch respectively.
The Pennsylvania State Archives supplements local Bensalem records with statewide military collections, land warrant registers dating from 1684, and census records. Under 37 Pa.C.S. § 305.3, records more than 75 years old at the State Archives are open for public research. The State Library of Pennsylvania holds Bucks County census microfilm from 1790 through 1940, county histories, and family genealogies. Act 127 of 2016 expanded access to adoption records in Pennsylvania, which may be relevant to some Bensalem genealogy searches.
Bucks County Genealogy Records
Bensalem Township is located in Bucks County, and the Bucks County Archive Research Center in Doylestown holds official genealogy records for the township dating to 1684. For a full overview of county-level genealogy resources available to Bensalem researchers, visit the Bucks County genealogy records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Researchers tracing families across Bucks County and the greater Philadelphia area can explore genealogy resources in nearby cities.