New York Research Guide Digital Download

You'll love this if…

• You're getting started tracing your ancestors in New York
• You want new ideas and resources to get past a New York brick wall
• Your genealogy search is focused mainly on New York—you don't need the full collection

Trace your New York ancestors with the advice and resources in our State Research Guide! This four-page download includes:

• a how-to article detailing New York’s history and records, with helpful advice on tracking your family there
• the best websites, books and other resources for New York research, handpicked by our editors and experts
• listings of key libraries, archives and organizations that hold the records you need
• timeline of key events in the state's history

Here's a sampling of the helpful tips you'll get in the New York guide:

• Most early settlers in New York were Dutch; the Netherlands governed the area as "New Amsterdam" from 1624 to 1664.
• Vital record-keeping was spotty until 1881. Original vital records that are open to the public are held by the state archives. Note that New York City vital records are kept separately from the rest of the state.
• New York took its own censuses every 10 years from 1855 to 1875 and 1905 to 1925, plus a count in 1892.

Plus, each guide contains active web links for one-click access to every recommended online resource. You can view this PDF on your computer and print pages for reference.