Lancaster County Genealogy Documents
Lancaster County genealogy research draws on records that stretch back to 1729, when the county was one of the three original Pennsylvania counties established by the colonial legislature. Researchers tracing Lancaster County family lines will find deeds, wills, marriage licenses, and vital records that cover nearly three centuries of Pennsylvania history. The Lancaster County Archives at 150 North Queen Street in Lancaster is the primary repository for county genealogical materials. The Archives holds birth registers, death records, marriage applications, and land records going back to the county's founding. Lancaster County's deep history and well-preserved archives make it one of the best-documented counties in the commonwealth.
Lancaster County Quick Facts
Lancaster County Archives Records
The Lancaster County Archives was founded in 1975 as the official repository for permanent records generated by the county courts. Its collections trace back to Lancaster County's establishment in 1729 and include wills, deeds, commissioner minutes, court records, and indexes that document nearly 300 years of local history. The Archives is located at 150 North Queen Street, Lancaster, PA 17603. The phone number is 717-299-8319 and the email address is archives@lancastercountypa.gov.
Birth records at the Archives include birth registers from 1852 to 1855 and birth registrations from 1893 to 1907 for the county. Lancaster City birth registrations reported to the Board of Health cover 1881 to 1906. Delayed birth certificates from roughly 1870 to 1906 list over 8,000 names and were authorized by legislation passed in 1941 to allow individuals to prove their birth before the state registration era. Marriage license registers and applications run from 1852 to 1855 and again from 1885 to 1998. Death records include affidavits from 1874 to 1978, death registrations from 1852 to 1855 and 1894 to 1907, and a veteran burials index from the Revolutionary War through 1988.
Deed records at the Archives start from 1729 and continue to the present through the website at www.lancasterdeeds.com. Naturalization records begin around 1800. Civil records begin in 1873. Trust books start from 1841. Searchable online indexes to thousands of individual records are available on the Lancaster County Archives website at lancastercoarchives.pastperfectonline.com. The database describes hundreds of record series held by county offices and serves as a finding aid for further research.
Note: Lancaster County retains 29 historic covered bridges, the most in Pennsylvania, and bridge dockets documenting their construction and repair history are part of the Archives collection.
LancasterHistory Research Library
The LancasterHistory organization, formerly known as the Lancaster County Historical Society, maintains a major research library and archives at 230 N President Ave, Lancaster, PA 17603. The organization can be reached by email at info@lancasterhistory.org. Their research library holds an extensive collection of Lancaster County genealogical materials that complements the county archives. Holdings include family genealogies, church records, local histories, newspapers, maps, and photograph collections.
LancasterHistory provides research services for both members and non-members. The library houses materials on Lancaster County's Pennsylvania German communities, which make up a large portion of the county's historical population. Church records for Lutheran, Reformed, Mennonite, and Amish congregations are especially well represented. Researchers tracing Pennsylvania German ancestry in Lancaster County will find LancasterHistory's collections invaluable. The museum exhibits on county history also provide context that can help researchers understand how their ancestors lived and worked in Lancaster County.
Mennonite and Religious Records
Lancaster County has a large Mennonite and Amish population with deep roots going back to the earliest European settlement of the region. The Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society at lmhs.org specializes in Mennonite and Amish genealogy. Located at 2215 Millstream Rd, Lancaster, PA 17602, the society holds church records, family histories, and a research library. This is the best single source for tracing plain community ancestors in Lancaster County. Many Mennonite and Amish families kept meticulous family records in German, and the society's staff can assist with translation and research.
Religious records from Lancaster County's many historic congregations can fill gaps that courthouse records leave. Baptismal records, marriage registers, and burial records from German Reformed, Lutheran, and other churches often predate Pennsylvania's official vital records system by many decades. The Pennsylvania State Archives holds microfilm copies of many church records from Lancaster County, and FamilySearch has digitized a significant portion of them as well.
Vital Records in Lancaster County
Lancaster County has some of the most complete early vital records in Pennsylvania. Birth registers from 1852 to 1855 represent a short window when county-level registration was required by Pennsylvania law before being repealed in 1855. Birth records resumed at the county level from 1881 to 1906 for Lancaster City and from 1893 to 1907 for the broader county. After January 1, 1906, births and deaths are recorded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records has a walk-in office in Scranton and a main office in New Castle. Certified copies of birth and death records from 1906 to the present cost $20 each. Under 35 P.S. §450.801, researchers requesting records for genealogical purposes must indicate that use on their application and provide proof that the subject is deceased. Marriage licenses in Lancaster County start from 1885 and run through 1998 at the Archives. Current marriage licenses are issued by the county clerk.
Access Genealogy provides a useful guide to Lancaster County Archives historical indexes at accessgenealogy.com. This guide explains the account index, birth registration series, and other record types held at the Archives. The account index covers estate proceedings from 1729 to 1934 and details remaining debts and assets from estate settlements.
Requesting Lancaster County Records
The Lancaster County Archives accepts record requests by email at archives@lancastercountypa.gov and by U.S. mail. Staff cannot perform research for requesters, but they can pull specific records once you have identified them through the online indexes. All record requests should be submitted at the same time to avoid additional payment processing. Records can be emailed in PDF format after payment is received.
Electronic images or copies cost $5.00 for up to 20 images or pages, plus postage, with each additional image costing $0.50. Credit card payment is available on the county webpage after receiving an invoice. Thumb drives and USB devices are not permitted on Archives public computers. Archives staff will redact any information that violates privacy laws before releasing copies. Allow 48 business hours for staff to respond to requests. For more detail on the request process, see the information at co.lancaster.pa.us.
The Landex system at www.lancasterdeeds.com allows online searching of deed records. Under 37 Pa.C.S. § 305.3, older public records are accessible to the public. The Library of Congress guide to Pennsylvania vital records is helpful for understanding the full range of records available statewide. Act 127 of 2016 governs access to adoption records in Pennsylvania, which are held by the Orphans' Court and are generally sealed except for qualifying requests.
Searching Lancaster Records Online
Many Lancaster County genealogy records are now accessible online. The Lancaster County Archives website hosts searchable indexes to birth registrations, marriage applications, death records, and deed records. The PastPerfect Online database at lancastercoarchives.pastperfectonline.com provides descriptions of the hundreds of collections held by the Archives and serves as a finding aid. FamilySearch.org holds digitized copies of many Lancaster County records including early vital registrations and marriage license dockets.
The State Library of Pennsylvania subscribes to Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest, and Fold3, which can be searched on-site. Pennsylvania's partnership with Ancestry.com has resulted in thousands of digitized records from Lancaster County being available online. The State Archives ARIAS database provides access to military records, and land warrant registers organized by county allow researchers to trace colonial-era land patents in Lancaster County going back to 1729.
Cities in Lancaster County
Lancaster is the county seat and the historic center of Lancaster County. The city has its own set of city-level birth registrations from 1881 to 1906 that are distinct from the county records. All major county record offices are located in or near the city of Lancaster.
Nearby Counties
Lancaster County is surrounded by several other well-documented Pennsylvania counties. Family lines frequently crossed these boundaries, especially in colonial times when county boundaries were less fixed. Checking nearby county archives may reveal additional records for Lancaster County ancestors.