Scranton Genealogy Records
Scranton genealogy records reflect the city's dramatic growth during the coal mining and iron industry era of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Thousands of immigrants from Ireland, Wales, England, Poland, Italy, Lithuania, and other countries settled in Scranton to work in the anthracite coal mines, and their descendants now search for family records across multiple archives. Birth and death records for Scranton from 1878 to 1905 are held at the Scranton Public Library on microfilm. The Lackawanna County courthouse holds marriage licenses from 1885, county birth and death records from 1893, and wills from 1878. The Lackawanna Historical Society maintains additional genealogical resources including naturalization records and newspaper archives.
Scranton Genealogy Quick Facts
Scranton Vital Records — Where to Find Them
Scranton has a distinctive vital records system that differs from most Pennsylvania cities. Birth and death records for the city of Scranton from 1878 to 1905 are held at the Scranton Public Library on microfilm, not at the county courthouse. For births and deaths in the rest of Lackawanna County from 1893 to 1905 (outside Scranton city limits), records are at the Register of Wills at Lackawanna County Courthouse at Courthouse Square, Scranton, PA 18503 (phone: 570-963-6702). For births and deaths in Lackawanna County from 1906 to the present, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records at the State Office Building, 100 Lackawanna Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503 (phone: 570-963-4595).
Marriage records for all of Lackawanna County from October 1885 to the present are at the Marriage Bureau, Lackawanna County Courthouse (phone: 570-963-6708). Divorce records from October 1885 forward are at the Clerk of Judicial Records, Lackawanna County Courthouse (phone: 570-963-6723). Wills from 1878 to the present, including intestate estates, are at the Register of Wills (570-963-6702). Deeds from 1878 forward are at the Recorder of Deeds Office (phone: 570-963-6775). Under 65 P.S. § 67.101, most courthouse records are presumed public in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania State Archives supplements local Scranton research with statewide military records, land warrant registers, and census collections covering Lackawanna County families.
Lackawanna Historical Society and PAGenWeb Genealogy Resources
The Lackawanna Historical Society holds genealogical resources for Scranton and the surrounding area. The society's collection includes naturalization records from 1854 to 1905, which are available at the Clerk of Judicial Records (phone: 570-963-6723). These naturalization files can identify immigrant ancestors who became citizens in Lackawanna County and document their countries of origin — critical information for tracing Scranton's large immigrant population back to their home countries.
The Lackawanna County PAGenWeb website provides a substantial array of free online resources for Scranton genealogy. The site offers complete scans of the 1912 City of Scranton directory, a census index with ward and enumeration district details, a marriage license records index from 1885 to 1914, and Lackawanna County naturalization records from 1851 to 1905. Cemetery records include undertaker records from Scranton for 1870, 1902, and 1909. Wills and probate records with indexes from 1878 to 1939 are also available. The site holds digitized copies of the Scranton Republican, Scranton Times, and Scranton Tribune newspapers, along with the volume "Scranton 50 Years: 1866-1916."
Note: The Lackawanna County Library System at lclshome.org/genealogy provides U.S. Population Census Data from 1790 to 1930 on microfilm and through Ancestry Library Edition at reference department computers, serving as a central starting point for Scranton family history research.
Vital Records Access and Pennsylvania State System
For births and deaths occurring after 1906, researchers contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Under 35 P.S. § 450.801, birth records become publicly accessible after 105 years and death records after 50 years. Many Scranton vital records from the early 20th century are now open for genealogy research through the State Archives. Scranton's Anthracite region heritage means many families also had members who died in mining accidents, and coroner's records and mine safety reports can supplement vital records for these individuals.
The Pennsylvania State Archives military records in the ARIAS database cover Scranton residents in Pennsylvania units from the Civil War through World War II. Scranton had significant enlistment in the coal region during both World Wars. The State Library of Pennsylvania holds census microfilm for Lackawanna County from 1880 through 1940, county histories, and family genealogies. Act 127 of 2016 expanded access to adoption records in Pennsylvania, which may apply to some Scranton genealogy searches.
Lackawanna County Genealogy Records
Scranton is the county seat of Lackawanna County, and the county courthouse holds the official genealogy records for the city and surrounding area. Wills, probate files, marriage licenses, land deeds, and naturalization records are all maintained at the courthouse. For a full overview of county-level resources available to Scranton researchers, visit the Lackawanna County genealogy records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Researchers tracing families across northeastern Pennsylvania can explore genealogy resources in nearby cities.