Locating Pennsylvania Records
To locate records, it’s important to note the date when counties were formed, parent counties, and counties formed from each county following boundary changes. Records will be held in the county as it was at the time that the event occurred.
Pennsylvania County Creation Date and Parent Counties (FamilySearch.org)
History of County Formations in Pennsylvania: 1673-1878 Interactive map with county formation dates.
Atlas of Historical County Boundaries – Pennsylvania (Newberry Library)
USGenWeb US Geological Survey maps of counties and townships, with lists of boroughs and villages
Ancestor Tracks Historical maps, atlases, and more
Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania Guides
Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania Repository Guides
Pennsylvania Collections and Resources
FamilySearch Pennsylvania Collections
- FamilySearch Pennsylvania Collections includes links to statewide online Pennsylvania collections, Pennsylvania records by county, and collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
- Collections and items with a camera link have images available for viewing from all locations.
- Collections with a camera and a key can be accessed at the GSP FamilySearch Affiliate Library, other FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries, Family History Centers, and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
Pennsylvania Genealogy: Doing Research in the Keystone State (video)
Pennsylvania Books Online from the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center fully digitized in the Internet Archive. Includes 19th and early 20th century publications such Pennsylvania Archives, the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, the Pennsylvania German Society publications, and Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania,
Digital Public Library of America
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is the main repository for Pennsylvania collections and a major center for historical and genealogical research.
What to Know Before You Go to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania – Video (PA Ancestors – Denys Allen)
Are Archives Worth the Trip? Historical Society of Pennsylvania – Video (PA Ancestors – Denys Allen)
Internet Archive
Pennsylvania Books Online from the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center fully digitized in the Internet Archive. Includes 19th and early 20th century publications such Pennsylvania Archives, the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, the Pennsylvania German Society publications, and Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania,
Library of Congress
Civil War Glass Negatives – Pennsylvania
Civil War Soldier in the Wildcat Regiment: Selections from the Tilton C. Reynolds Papers
National Child Labor Committee Photographs – Pennsylvania
Panoramic Photographs – Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Maps and Aerial Views
Pennsylvania Telephone Directories
Samuel J. Gibson Diaries and Correspondence
National Archives – Philadelphia
National Archives handout of resources available for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania research and where to locate them.
Pennsylvania GenWeb
Pennsylvania resources transcribed by volunteers
Pennsylvania State Archives
The Pennsylvania State Archives site includes links to the Pennsylvania Death Certificates 1906-1968 and Birth Certificates 1906-1913, Pennsylvania County Marriages 1845-1963, and 21 other collections of court, military, tax, and other records free with a Pennsylvania zip code through Ancestry.com.
Free Digital Records from the PA State Archives – Video (PA Ancestors – Denys Allen)
How to Navigate the Pennsylvania State Archives’ Online Resources – Video (Aaron McWilliams, Pennsylvania State Archives Archivist – GSP Special Event, December 6, 2021) GSP member recording.
Pennsylvania State Archives Collections on Power Library Several hundred collections of original records, including court records, military records, naturalization records, and many others. Free digitized images of microfilm, browsable but not full-text searchable. In-progress list of direct links to selected collections of genealogical interest below.
Pennsylvania State Archives: Hospital Records
- Anatomical Board (PA), Cadaver Receiving Books, 1901-1965
- Danville State Hospital (PA) County Registers, 1872-1923
- Danville State Hospital (PA) Court Commitment Books, 1884-1924
- Danville State Hospital (PA) Male Case Index Books, 1880-1920
- Danville State Hospital (PA) Patient Ledgers, 1872-1921
- Dixmont State Hospital (PA) Annual Reports, 1848, 1850-1875
- Dixmont State Hospital (PA) Female Patients’ Clothing & Property Books, 1890-1908
- Dixmont State Hospital (PA) Indigent Patient Cards, 1893-1916
- Dixmont State Hospital (PA) Male Patients’ Clothing & Property Books, 1895-1908
- Harrisburg State Hospital (PA) Account of Clothing Issued to Female Patients, 1851-1862
- Harrisburg State Hospital (PA) Journal of John Curwen, 1851-1871
- Harrisburg State Hospital (PA) Patient Register, 1930-1932
- Polk Center (PA) Glass Plate Negatives (Polk State School, Venango County, PA), early 20th century
- Woodville State Hospital (PA) Patient Register Books of Allegheny County Hospital for Insane
Pennsylvania State Archives: Prison Records
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania County Histories Full publications of 19th century county history books
Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive Pennsylvania’s historical full-text newspaper database
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps Maps of cities and towns with footprints of buildings and notes as to building material.
Power Library – Pennsylvania’s Electronic Library
Pennsylvania State Archives Collections on Power Library
How to Use PA Power Library for Family History – Video (PA Ancestors – Denys Allen)
State Library of Pennsylvania
Genealogy and Local History Resources
State Library of Pennsylvania Digital Collections
Podcast: State Library of Pennsylvania (PA Ancestors – Denys Allen)