The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society is the authoritative resource for those researching New York State families. While members of the NYG&B receive access to our full array of resources, we're committed to providing helpful information on New York State research to the genealogical community free of charge.
We thank our members and donors—all of the educational content below is only possible with their support!
This page contains a collection of articles, guides, and videos on essential New York family history topics organized by topic.
Make sure to sign up for our email newsletter below—subscribers will be the first to know about helpful new content and will also receive updates about new online New York genealogy records (and more) as soon as they're available.
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Core Genealogy Methods
- Getting Started on Your Family History
- The Genealogy Interview: Asking Relatives Questions to Grow Your Family Tree
- Are you asking the right genealogy research question?
- Essential Method: Research Logs
- Estimating Dates and Ages in Genealogical Writing
Census Research
- The Complete Guide to New York State Census Records Online
- New York 1890 Census Substitutes
- Special Federal Census Schedules For New York State
Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates (Vital Records)
- New York State Vital Records Guide
- New York Vital Records Timeline: Key Dates That Impact Your Research
- New York Divorce Records for Genealogy Research
- Essential Steps to Finding a New York State Marriage Record
- Why you need to have your ancestor's New York death certificate
Maps and Migration
- Using Maps for New York State Research
- Using Google Earth for Genealogy, Part 1: Putting Ancestors On the Map
- Google Earth for Genealogy, Part 2: Adding Historical Maps & Data
- Fire Insurance Maps: Sanborns and Others
- Why and How New Yorkers Migrated to the Great Plains
Immigration and Naturalization
- New York Immigration Records Online
- New York Naturalization Records Online
- Helpful Facts about Immigration to New York
- Tips for Finding Your Immigrant Ancestors
Religious Records
- New York Catholic Records Online
- Using the NYG&B's Religious Records Collection
- Reformed Dutch and German churches of Manhattan and the Bronx
- New York Vital Record Substitutes: Religious Records
Periodicals
Newspaper
- Online New York Historical Newspapers
- Why Historical Newspapers are Crucial Genealogy Sources
- Find Your Ancestor's Obituary: The New York Times and Other Sources
- New York Newspapers Timeline: Key Dates That Impact Your Research
New York Family History Resources: PDF Guide and Catalog
This PDF guide includes an overview of all NYG&B books and products, useful articles about New York family history research, and an overview of how the NYG&B can help you discover more family stories.
About the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
a registered 501(c)(3) organization devoted to
preserving, documenting, and sharing the history of
New York State families. Read more about our mission.
Since 1869, our mission has been to help our thousands of worldwide members discover their family's New York story, and there has never been a better time to join.
The cost of an Individual Annual Membership is less than six dollars a month, and includes the following benefits:
- Access to over 50 exclusive digital record sets covering the entire state of New York, including the fully searchable archives of The Record.
- A complimentary subscription to all of Findmypast's North American records, as well as U.K. and Irish Census records.
- Access to hundreds of expert-authored Knowledge Base articles and webinars to help you navigate the tricky New York research landscape.
- Exclusive discounts and advanced access to conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures to learn more about researching people and places across New York State.
To learn more or join us, please visit our member benefits page.