FamilySearch has digitized millions of original pages from counties across the state of New York.
The majority of these records include deeds and mortgages from various county offices covering a wide range of dates, none of which have been digitally indexed before.
This crowd-sourced project will enable anyone with an interest in preserving the records of New York to take part in the largest volunteer effort to index New York’s state records to date.
The New York Land Records Project
Working with FamilySearch, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society has partnered with volunteers and members of genealogical and historical societies throughout New York to complete this important project.
Once completed, indexes for individual counties will be available at newyorkfamilyhistory.org and elsewhere.
How you can help
Millions of names are waiting to be indexed as part of this project, and the NYG&B needs your help!
Volunteers from across the country can participate in this exciting project using FamilySearch’s indexing web-based indexing tool. Indexers will capture the name and date of recorded transactions and other information to allow for the eventually linkage of these records with original materials. Enter your email below to receive an alert when the project is officially open for indexing:
It is known that indexes created by individuals with a vested interest in the community and families they portray are often more accurate and detailed. Volunteers identify names, dates, volumes, and pages as part of the indexing process. Additional instructions are available within each specific project available through FamilySearch indexing.
The indexing will take place over a number of different projects, which have been organized by New York State region. The open regions have a link to begin indexing:
| Adirondacks | Capital | Catskills | Central | Erie County |
|
Hamilton Herkimer Lewis Saratoga Warren Washington |
Albany Columbia Greene Montgomery Rensselaer Schenectady All Counties |
Delaware Otsego Sullivan |
Chenango Cortland Fulton Madison Oneida Onondaga Oswego Schoharie
|
Erie |
| Finger Lakes | Hudson | Monroe County | North Country | New York City - 1 |
|
Cayuga Livingston Ontario Seneca Tompkins Wayne Yates
|
Dutchess Orange Putnam Rockland Ulster |
Monroe |
Clinton Essex Franklin Jefferson St. Lawrence |
Bronx New York |
| New York City – 2 | Southern Tier | Suffolk County | Westchester County | Western |
|
Kings Richmond
|
Broome Chemung Steuben Tioga |
Suffolk |
Westchester |
Allegany Cattaraugus Chautauqua Genesee Niagara Orleans Wyoming
|
Working with a genealogical society? Email indexing@nygbs.org to let us know!
New to indexing at FamilySearch?
Visit FamilySearch and create a free account. Once your account is set up and the project has opened, you can visit the project links above to begin indexing the specific region you would like. Make sure to enter your email above to make sure you get the email announcing the project start.
FAQs
What if the county I am interested in is not listed?
The NYG&B and FamilySearch are actively working with counties whose records are not yet microfilmed or digitized to secure arrangements for these materials to be included in this important project. Currently the counties of Nassau and Queens are not included in the collection.
What date(s) are included in the project?
Coverage dates for specific counties vary, though many include records from a county’s initial founding to the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Do these include leases, patents, and other records?
No, this project includes those land transactions recorded in the deed and mortgage books for each county. To learn more about additional sources for New York Land transactions see Chapter 7 of the New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer.
When will the project be completed?
With millions of records to index, we anticipate the project will take a few years to complete. Follow the NYG&B blog for the latest details relating to the project.
What happens to the indexed records?
Completed indexes will be posted on the NYG&B website (newyorkfamilyhistory.org), at FamilySearch, and other locations as allowed.