Find Wayne County Genealogy Records
Wayne County genealogy records are maintained at the county courthouse in Honesdale and at the Wayne County Historical Society research library. The county was formed from Northampton County on March 21, 1798, and its records span more than two centuries of family history in northeastern Pennsylvania. Researchers can access birth and death records, marriage licenses, wills, land deeds, and census materials through county offices and the historical society. Wayne County borders both New York and New Jersey, so families here often left records across state lines as well.
Wayne County Quick Facts
Wayne County Genealogy Records Overview
Wayne County was formed from Northampton County on March 21, 1798, and Pike County was later carved from Wayne County in 1814. This means some early land grants in what is now Pike County were originally recorded in Wayne County. Researchers working on northeastern Pennsylvania families should keep this boundary shift in mind when searching deed books and other early records.
The primary record types available in Wayne County include marriage licenses from 1885 forward, birth and death records from 1893 to 1905, wills and probate records from 1798 to the present, and land records also from 1798. Census records for Wayne County run from 1800 through 1940 and are available on microfilm and through major genealogy databases. The Wayne County Historical Society holds microfilmed census records from 1800 to 1930 (with the 1890 census missing nationwide due to a fire). These census copies make Wayne County research more accessible for researchers at all levels.
The Wayne County government website lists contact information for all courthouse offices. Staff can assist researchers during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Wayne County Historical Society Research Library
The Wayne County Historical Society research library holds a broad collection of genealogy materials that complement the courthouse records. The library maintains Wayne County census records on microfilm from 1800 to 1930, birth and death records from 1893 to 1905, and marriage licenses from 1885 forward. The 1885 to 1906 marriage records are microfilmed at the historical society library, while records from 1907 to the present are at the courthouse.
Research fees at the historical society are structured to serve both members and non-members. Members have free library access, while non-members pay $5 per day. Photocopies cost $0.50 per page for non-members and $0.35 for members. Microfilm copies are $1 for the first copy and $0.25 for each additional copy. Professional genealogical research services are also available: a Single Family Lookup is $8 per name for members and $10 per name for non-members. A full Genealogy Research Package runs $20 per hour. These services help researchers who cannot visit in person or who need help interpreting older handwritten records.
Note: Deeds, wills, divorces, and legal documents at the Wayne County courthouse can be cross-referenced with historical society holdings to build a more complete picture of a Wayne County family.
Wayne County Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds
The Register of Wills maintains marriage licenses from 1885 to the present, birth and death records from 1893 to 1905, and all wills and probate records from 1798 forward. Probate files in Wayne County often list the names of spouses, children, and other heirs, making them an important source for family reconstruction. Estate inventories can reveal the type of land an ancestor farmed, the tools they used, and the household goods they left behind.
The Recorder of Deeds holds land records dating back to 1798, when Wayne County was created. Deed books document property transfers over more than two centuries and can trace the movement of families through specific Wayne County townships. Grantee and grantor indexes make it possible to locate when ancestors bought or sold land. Early Wayne County land transactions sometimes name neighbors, widows, or heirs in the deed language, which can provide additional family connections beyond the primary parties. Under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101, most court and land records are presumed public, making them available to any genealogy researcher.
Vital Records in Wayne County
Vital records for Wayne County follow the same state system as all Pennsylvania counties. Before 1906, birth and death records were kept locally. Wayne County has records from 1893 to 1905 at the Register of Wills and at the Wayne County Historical Society library. For births and deaths from 1906 forward, the Pennsylvania Department of Health maintains statewide records.
Under 35 P.S. §450.801, birth records are restricted for 105 years and death records for 50 years. Marriage records in Wayne County go back to 1885. Before 1885, church registers are often the only source for marriage records. Wayne County had many active congregations in the 1800s, and some of these churches kept detailed registers of baptisms, marriages, and burials. FamilySearch has indexed many Pennsylvania church records from the northeastern part of the state, including some Wayne County congregations.
Land and Probate Records in Wayne County
Wayne County land records began in 1798. The Recorder of Deeds maintains deed books and mortgage records tracking property ownership from the county's founding. Property descriptions in these old deeds often describe natural features and landmarks that can help identify where ancestors lived within specific Wayne County townships. Some of these early descriptions are extremely precise about the land's physical characteristics and its relationship to neighboring parcels.
Probate records at the Register of Wills go back to 1798 as well. Wills frequently name all children of the deceased, sometimes identifying where they lived at the time the will was written. Many of these Wayne County wills and probate records are available through the Pennsylvania State Archives Ancestry.com partnership covering wills and probate records from 1683 to 1993. Under 37 Pa.C.S. § 305.3, records more than 75 years old held by the State Archives are generally open to the public, making a large share of Wayne County's historical records freely accessible.
Pennsylvania Archives and Online Wayne County Resources
The Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg holds microfilm copies of many Wayne County records along with state-level military and land records. The ARIAS database provides free online access to over 1.5 million military records, including Revolutionary War and Civil War materials. Wayne County residents who served in Pennsylvania units appear in these collections. The State Archives also holds Land Warrant Registers from 1733 to 1957, which document early land grants in Wayne County territory going back before the county itself existed.
The State Library of Pennsylvania genealogy collection includes census records for Pennsylvania from 1790 to 1930 on microfilm. The Pennsylvania POWER Library provides Wayne County residents with access to MyHeritage Library Edition and other genealogy databases through local libraries. Online access to Wayne County records is also growing through FamilySearch, which continues to digitize and index Pennsylvania courthouse and church records. The Act 127 of 2016 updated access rules for older vital records in Pennsylvania, affecting how researchers request certain birth and death records at the state level.
Nearby Counties
Wayne County borders several other northeastern Pennsylvania counties as well as New York and New Jersey. Families often moved across these boundaries, so research may require checking records in neighboring areas.