Search Hempstead Genealogy

Hempstead genealogy research draws on records that reach back to the town's founding in 1640, making it one of the oldest settled communities on Long Island. The Town of Hempstead sits in Nassau County and serves more than 35 unincorporated communities. The town clerk holds vital records, historical documents, maps, and photographs. Church records and local historical groups add even more depth. If your family roots trace to the south shore of Long Island, Hempstead's archives are a strong starting point for finding birth, death, marriage, and property records tied to your ancestors.

Hempstead Town Clerk Genealogy Records

The Hempstead Town Clerk at One Washington Street, First Floor, Hempstead, NY 11550 maintains birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, and town archives. Call 516-489-5000 ext. 3046. The clerk's collection includes historical documents, maps, and photographs that span centuries of the town's history.

Early vital records in Hempstead go back further than most towns on Long Island. Records from Town Justices and Vestry minutes cover 1704 to 1784. Marriages performed by Justice William Mott run from 1793 to 1827. Justice Henry Pearsall recorded marriages from 1844 to 1866. These pre-state-registration records are a rare find for genealogy researchers, since New York did not require statewide vital records until 1880.

The town clerk also serves as the local registrar for all the unincorporated areas within Hempstead. That means vital records for Baldwin, Bellmore, East Meadow, Elmont, Franklin Square, Levittown, Merrick, Oceanside, Roosevelt, Seaford, Uniondale, Wantagh, West Hempstead, and many more communities all come through this office.

Hempstead Genealogy Resources

The Hempstead Town Clerk's office processes vital records requests for one of the largest towns in the state by population.

Staff can help you locate records in the archives, but they will not do full genealogy searches. Bring as much detail as you can about the person you are looking for. Dates, full names, and community names all help narrow things down.

Hempstead Town Historian and Genealogy

The Hempstead Town Historian at Town Hall Plaza, Main Street provides historical research help and access to town archives. The historian's office preserves documents that don't always show up in the clerk's files. Old maps, land surveys, and community records can fill in gaps when vital records are missing.

Church records are another key source for Hempstead genealogy. Historic St. George's Episcopal Church has baptism records starting in 1725 and marriage records from 1725 to 1786. These church records predate any government-kept vital records in the area by decades. For African American genealogy in Hempstead, the African American Museum of Nassau County at 110 North Franklin Street, Hempstead, NY 11550 holds history and genealogy resources. Call (516) 572-0730 for research hours.

State Records for Hempstead Genealogy

After 1880, Hempstead vital records are also on file with the NYS Department of Health. Birth certificates open after 75 years if the person is known dead. Death records open after 50 years. Marriage records need 50 years and proof both spouses died. Fees start at $22 for a three-year search and go up from there. Processing can take eight months or more.

The New York State Archives in Albany has vital records indexes on microfiche. Under Public Health Law Sections 4173 and 4174, eligible people can request genealogy copies from either the local registrar or the state. Going through the Hempstead Town Clerk is usually faster than the state office. The Patchogue-Medford Library on Long Island also has a copy of the state vital records index microfiche if you prefer to search closer to home.

New York State Census records for the Hempstead area are available for years between 1825 and 1925. These fill in details between federal census years and sometimes list birthplace and occupation.

Note: Under the Surrogate's Court Procedure Act, probate records for Hempstead residents are held at the Nassau County Surrogate's Court.

Nassau County Genealogy Records for Hempstead

The Nassau County Clerk at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, NY 11501 holds land records from 1899 to the present, court records, marriage records from 1908 to 1935, and naturalization records. Phone is (516) 571-2660. Nassau County was formed from Queens County in 1899, so records before that date are held by Queens. For Hempstead genealogy, the county marriage records fill a useful gap between what the town clerk holds and what the state filed.

The Nassau County Surrogate's Court at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, NY 11501 has probate records from 1899 to the present. Wills and estate files can show family ties that vital records alone do not capture. Phone is (516) 571-2510. The Nassau County Historian in Mineola also keeps family files, cemetery records, and local history materials that can help with Hempstead genealogy.

FamilySearch has free access to New York census, church, and probate records that cover the Hempstead area. New York State Census records for 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, and 1925 are especially useful for finding family details that the federal census left out.

Free Online Genealogy Tools for Hempstead

Reclaim The Records won a court case in 2025 that opened up the full New York State Death Index from 1880 to 2017. This free database has more than 10 million records with names, dates of death, ages, and state file numbers. Hempstead researchers can search it to find death records for ancestors who lived anywhere in New York State. The data is downloadable in searchable formats at no cost.

New York residents also get free access to colonial wills, military records, and state census data through the Ancestry.com New York partnership. Create a free account and verify your New York address to use it. The Long Island Room at the Hempstead Public Library is another strong local resource for Hempstead genealogy. Staff can help with local newspaper indexes and Long Island family files.

Hempstead County Page

Hempstead is part of Nassau County. Visit the county page for additional genealogy records and resources.

Nearby Cities

Other towns and cities near Hempstead with their own genealogy resources.