Research

The New York State Archives holds numerous records relating to individuals incarcerated in New York State correctional facilities (formerly prisons and reformatories). The prison records in the Archives are far from complete and indexing of those records is an ongoing process.

Divorce records dating since July 1, 1847, are filed in the office of the county clerk where the divorce proceeding occurred. (All records of matrimonial actions, including divorce, separation, and annulment, are available only to the parties or their attorneys until one hundred years after the date of the final court decree.)

Microfilm produced by the New York State Archives that does not contain information restricted by law, or that is not in daily use at the Archives, is available for inter-library loan or purchase. The Archives' online catalog indicates which record series are available on microfilm.

The New York State Archives is the official repository of New York State Government records having permanent legal and historical value. It has custody of legislative, judicial and executive agency records. Our webpage, research assistance, provides information on our hours, phone, email, locations, and parking.

Adoption records maintained by the Family Court or the Surrogate's Court are permanently sealed pursuant to the Domestic Relations Law Section 114. The records may be disclosed only by a judge's order "on good cause and on due notice to the adoptive parents and to such additional persons as the court may direct."

The State Archives has created a probate pathfinder to help researchers determine where to locate New Yorkers' probate records, which include wills, estate inventories, and letters of administration relating to deceased persons' estates.  In addition, the State Archives publication on probate records provides a concise explanation of the records in the State Archives which pre-date 1787, their location and how to access them.

Every year the State Archives receives dozens of requests, such as the one above, for "the file" on someone. The good news is that the State of New York does not keep "files" on all of its citizens; thus there are none in the Archives. Searchers can try many "person finders" on the internet such as Switchboard or WhoWhere. Also a private investigator, licensed by the Department of State, can be hired.

The New York State Archives holds historical records of New York State government. The New York State Library holds a very large collection of newspapers. For more information about that collection visit the State Library's web site.

Microfilmed schedules of the US Census of Population 1790-1920 are available at the National Archives and its branches. For further information go to the National Archives web site. Copies of the microfilmed US Census schedules for New York State are available at the New York State Library and at other large research libraries around the state. (Contact each library for information about its holdings.)

Immigration records and ship passenger records are federal government records. Recent immigration records are held by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Older immigration records, including ship passenger lists, are held by the National Archives.