Babylon Genealogy Records Search

Babylon genealogy records begin at 1881 when New York State started requiring towns to keep birth, death, and marriage files. The Town of Babylon split off from the Town of Huntington in 1872, so earlier records for this area sit with Huntington. The Babylon Town Clerk holds vital records at the town offices in Lindenhurst. Suffolk County adds land deeds, court files, naturalization papers, and probate records to the picture. Long Island has a rich set of genealogy sources, and Babylon researchers can pull from town, county, and regional collections to trace family lines back generations.

Babylon Town Clerk Vital Records

The Babylon Town Clerk is the first stop for vital records in the town. Birth records go from 1881 to the present. Death records cover the same period. Marriage records also start at 1881. The clerk may have some earlier records from the 1847 to 1849 period when New York briefly asked school districts to collect vital data, but those files are rare.

The office is at 200 East Sunrise Highway, Lindenhurst, NY 11757. Phone is (631) 957-3005. You can visit in person to search indexes and ask for copies. Mail requests work too. Send the full name, the date or rough date, the type of record, and a note that this is for genealogy. Fees vary but expect $10 to $20 per copy.

Under state law, birth certificates open for genealogy after 75 years if the person is known dead. Death certificates are available after 50 years. Marriage certificates need 50 years and proof both spouses have died.

Babylon Records Before 1872

Babylon was part of the Town of Huntington until 1872. If your family was in the Babylon area before that date, check with the Town of Huntington clerk for earlier records. Huntington was first settled in 1653 and has deep records going back centuries.

The Babylon Town Historian can also help with pre-1872 research. The historian is at 151 Phelps Lane, North Babylon, NY 11703. Phone is (631) 957-7487. The office has local history files, maps, and photographs that may fill in gaps that vital records leave behind.

Historical newspapers are another good source. The South Side Signal, a Babylon newspaper, is available online for 1869 to 1879 through the Suffolk Historic Newspapers collection. Obituaries, marriage notices, and birth announcements often appear in these old papers.

Suffolk County Records for Babylon Genealogy

The Suffolk County Clerk holds records that go beyond what the town keeps. Land records include deeds, mortgages, and liens. The clerk also has naturalization records searchable through the office website, court records, and business certificates. Suffolk County was one of the original New York counties formed in 1683, so records run deep.

The clerk's office is at 310 Center Drive, Riverhead, NY 11901. Phone is (631) 852-2000. Land records are indexed by grantor and grantee. Some records are online.

The Suffolk County Surrogate's Court has probate records from 1683 to the present. Wills, estate files, and guardianship records are all on file. The court is at 320 Center Drive, Riverhead, NY 11901. Phone is (631) 852-1746. Probate files often reveal family relationships that vital records alone do not show.

The Suffolk County Historical Society in Riverhead holds account books, deeds, wills, census records on microfilm, letters, diaries, photographs, maps, and family files. The Daughters of the Revolution collection at the society has genealogies, cemetery transcriptions, ancestor charts, and Bible records. The address is 300 West Main Street, Riverhead, NY 11901. Phone is (631) 727-2881.

Long Island Genealogy Resources

The Smithtown Library Richard H. Handley Collection is one of the top Long Island genealogy collections. It holds thousands of Long Island history and genealogy books, maps, newspapers on microfilm, and family files. The library is at 1 North Country Road, Smithtown, NY 11787. Phone is (631) 265-2072. Even though it is in Smithtown, the collection covers all of Suffolk County including Babylon.

Babylon sits on the South Shore of Long Island. Families here often had ties to neighboring towns. Fishermen, farmers, and tradespeople moved along the shore and the rail line. Checking records in Islip, Huntington, and other nearby towns can turn up connections.

Church records are another source worth pursuing. Many Babylon families attended local churches that kept their own baptismal, marriage, and burial registers. These church records can go back further than government files and sometimes include details like godparents, maiden names, and family relationships that official records do not capture. Cemetery transcriptions for Babylon-area burial grounds have been compiled by local genealogy groups and may be available at the Suffolk County Historical Society or through FamilySearch.

State Resources for Babylon Genealogy

The New York State Archives in Albany holds vital records indexes on microfiche for births from 1881, marriages from 1881, and deaths from 1880. These cover Babylon and all of Suffolk County. The Patchogue-Medford Library at 54 East Main Street, Patchogue, is one of the 11 official repositories for these microfiche indexes, making it the closest location for Babylon researchers.

The NYS Department of Health has Babylon vital records from 1881 on. Fees start at $22 for a three-year search. Processing takes eight months or longer. Going to the Babylon Town Clerk first is usually the faster route.

Reclaim The Records released the full New York State Death Index from 1880 to 2017 for free download. Over 10 million records are in the set, including Babylon deaths. You get names, dates, ages, and state file numbers.

Nearby Cities for Genealogy

Long Island families moved between towns often. These nearby places may hold records for your Babylon ancestors.