Tioga County Genealogy Records
Tioga County genealogy records are held at the Register and Recorder's office in Wellsboro and through the county's online Landex system. The county has maintained probate records since 1806, land records since 1807, and military records since 1868. Researchers searching for Tioga County ancestors will find a well-organized record system at the Wellsboro courthouse, along with supplementary resources through the Tri-Counties genealogy project and the PA-Roots website. Tioga County borders New York State, making cross-border research relevant for some families.
Tioga County Quick Facts
Tioga County Genealogical Records Available
Tioga County was formed on March 26, 1804 from parts of Lycoming County and was named for the Tioga River. The county seat is Wellsboro, a picturesque borough in north-central Pennsylvania. The county borders New York State, and families in the region often had ties to communities just across the border. Researchers tracing Tioga County ancestors should also check New York state records when family lines cross the state line.
The Tioga County Register and Recorder maintains a broad set of genealogical records. Birth and death records run from 1893 to 1905. Marriage records are available from 1885 to the present. Probate records begin in 1806 and land records begin in 1807, both extending to the present day. Military records start in 1868 and continue to the present. The office is located at 116 Main St, Courthouse, Wellsboro, PA 16901. Real estate inquiries can reach the office at 570-724-9260. Hours are 9 AM to 4:30 PM EST.
Note: The Landex system provides online access to Tioga County records from 1806 to the present on a fee-per-document basis, making remote research possible for those who cannot travel to Wellsboro.
Register and Recorder Office in Wellsboro
The Tioga County Register and Recorder serves as the county's central repository for vital records, probate records, land records, and military records. Probate records beginning in 1806 are among the oldest records available in Tioga County and are essential for tracing early settler families. These include wills, letters of administration, estate inventories, and guardianship records from the Orphan's Court. Land records beginning in 1807 document property transactions from the county's earliest years.
The Landex online system provides fee-based access to records from 1806 to the present. This system allows researchers to search the index by name and purchase copies of documents without visiting the courthouse. For research trips to Wellsboro, the office is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. Under 65 P.S. §§ 67.101, these records are public and accessible to all researchers. For births and deaths after 1906, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health under 35 P.S. §450.801.
The Tioga County government website provides access to the Register and Recorder office, which maintains genealogical records from the county's founding through today.
Tri-Counties Genealogy and History Resources
The Joyce Tice Tri-Counties Genealogy and History project covers Tioga, Bradford, and Chemung Counties and is one of the most detailed free genealogy resources for the northern tier of Pennsylvania. The project documents vital records and other genealogical materials available at the Tioga County Courthouse. Deeds run from 1807 to the present, wills from 1803 to the present, and birth and death records from 1893 to 1905 are at the courthouse. State vital records beginning in January 1906 are held by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Birth certificates from the state cost $4.00 and death certificates cost $3.00, ordered through the Division of Vital Records, 101 South Mercer Street, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103-1528. The Tri-Counties project also notes that Bible and church records are important supplementary sources for Tioga County research. Many families who settled in this rural county in the 19th century kept detailed family Bible records that have survived. The PA-Roots Tioga County resource provides additional access to cemetery records, census records, family histories, and research assistance.
Vital Records in Tioga County
Vital records for Tioga County follow Pennsylvania's standard registration pattern. Birth and death records from 1893 to 1905 are available at the courthouse in Wellsboro. Marriage records from 1885 to the present are maintained by the Register and Recorder's office. For events after 1906, the Pennsylvania Department of Health holds the records.
Before 1893, official birth and death records were not required in Pennsylvania. Tioga County families from earlier generations are best traced through church records, cemetery records, and family Bibles. The Tri-Counties project has emphasized the importance of Bible records for this region and may have transcribed some of these private family documents. Under Act 127 of 2016, older vital records became more accessible, and the state continues to work on improving access to historical Pennsylvania vital documents.
Note: Military discharge records at the Tioga County courthouse date from 1868 to the present and can supplement vital records research by confirming names, ages, and places of birth for veterans who served in Tioga County.
Land and Probate Records
Tioga County's probate records beginning in 1806 and land records beginning in 1807 form the backbone of genealogical research for this county. The will books and estate files contain detailed inventories of personal and real property, naming heirs and creditors. Land deeds track the movement of families across the county's townships and can help build a timeline of where ancestors lived. The Landex system makes many of these records searchable online, with images available for a fee.
The Pennsylvania State Archives holds Lycoming County records that predate Tioga County's 1804 formation. Because Tioga County was carved from Lycoming County, early land grants and tax lists for the region may be found in Lycoming County records at the state archives. Under 37 Pa.C.S. § 305.3, these historical records are preserved for ongoing public access. The PA-Roots website for Tioga County also provides transcribed records and research assistance that can guide researchers to the correct courthouse documents.
Online Research for Tioga County Ancestors
The Pennsylvania State Archives and the State Library of Pennsylvania both provide online resources and guides for Tioga County genealogy. FamilySearch.org has microfilmed many Pennsylvania probate and land records, and some Tioga County materials are available through that platform at no cost. The Landex system at the county level provides fee-based image access for records from 1806 onward.
Because Tioga County borders New York State, the FamilySearch New York collections and the New York State Archives may hold records for families who had ties on both sides of the border. The Chemung County Historical Society in Elmira, New York, is a resource noted by the Tri-Counties project for cross-border research. For Orphan's Court records and adoptions, the Pennsylvania Orphans Court system provides statewide information on accessing these proceedings.
Cities in Tioga County
Tioga County's county seat is Wellsboro, known for its Victorian-era gas-lit street lamps. The county includes several boroughs and townships across north-central Pennsylvania. All county genealogical records are maintained at the Wellsboro courthouse.
Nearby Counties
Tioga County borders three Pennsylvania counties and New York State. Families in this north-central region often had connections across county and state lines.