Search Oyster Bay Genealogy

Oyster Bay genealogy research benefits from one of the richest collections of published town records on Long Island, with eight volumes covering 1653 through 1876. The Town Clerk keeps vital records from 1881 forward, and the Oyster Bay Historical Society adds manuscripts, photographs, and local history files. Nassau County records provide land deeds, marriage records from 1908 to 1935, and court filings that extend your search well beyond what the town office holds. Between these sources, Oyster Bay family lines can often be traced back to the colonial period.

Oyster Bay Town Clerk Records

The Oyster Bay Town Clerk handles vital records for the town and its unincorporated communities. Birth certificates, death transcripts, and marriage licenses are on file from 1881 to the present. The town covers a large area including Bethpage, East Norwich, Glen Head, Hicksville, Jericho, Locust Grove, Locust Valley, Massapequa, Old Bethpage, Plainedge, Plainview, South Farmingdale, Syosset, and Woodbury. If your ancestors lived in any of these communities, the Oyster Bay Town Clerk is where to look.

The main office is at Town Hall North, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, NY 11771. Phone is (516) 624-6332. There is also a Town Hall South location at (516) 797-7966. Both offices are open 9 AM to 4:45 PM on weekdays. Email is rlamarca@oysterbay-ny.gov. Under Public Health Law Sections 4173 and 4174, birth certificates open for genealogy after 75 years if the person is known to be dead. Death certificates are available after 50 years. Marriage certificates require 50 years and proof that both spouses have died.

The clerk also issues hunting, fishing, dog, clamming, peddler, bingo, and taxi licenses. While these are not strictly genealogy records, license files can sometimes place an ancestor at a specific address and time period.

Oyster Bay Published Town Records

Oyster Bay has published eight volumes of town records that are a gold mine for genealogy. These volumes cover more than two centuries of local government activity. Volume 1 runs from 1653 to 1690. Volume 2 covers 1691 to 1704. Volume 3 spans 1704 to 1720. Volume 4 goes from 1721 to 1732. Volume 5 covers 1733 to 1749. Volume 6 runs from 1750 to 1763. Volume 7 spans 1764 to 1795. Volume 8 covers 1795 to 1876.

These records predate the 1881 vital records requirement by more than two centuries. They include land transactions, town meeting minutes, appointments, and other official business that names residents and shows their roles in the community. For Oyster Bay genealogy before the civil registration era, these published volumes are one of the best primary sources available anywhere on Long Island.

Oyster Bay Historical Society

The Oyster Bay Historical Society maintains collections on military history, maritime history, religious history, manuscripts, books, photographs, and maps. The society publishes The Free-Holder as its official publication. Admission to the Museum and Research Library is $1.50.

The address is 20 Summit Street, PO Box 297, Oyster Bay, NY 11771. Phone is 516-922-5032. For Oyster Bay genealogy, the society's manuscript and photograph collections can provide details that official records miss. Church records from Oyster Bay congregations, maps showing property boundaries, and personal papers from local families all sit in this collection. Maritime records may be relevant if your ancestors were involved in the fishing or shipping trades on Long Island Sound.

Glen Cove Library Local History

The Glen Cove Public Library has the Robert R. Coles Long Island History Room, which contains books, periodicals, artifacts, pamphlets, maps, microfilmed documents, records, manuscripts, and microfilm of local newspapers. A digital collection is available online. The library is at 4 Glen Cove Avenue, Glen Cove, NY 11542. Phone is 516-676-2130. Email is Longislandhistory@glencovelibrary.org.

This collection covers the broader North Shore of Long Island, including areas that overlap with the Town of Oyster Bay. Local newspapers on microfilm can turn up obituaries, marriage announcements, and community news that help you trace Oyster Bay families across generations. The digital collection makes some of these materials accessible without a visit to the library.

Nassau County Records for Oyster Bay

The Nassau County Clerk holds records that go beyond what the Oyster Bay Town Clerk keeps. County-level marriage records cover 1908 to 1935. Land records go back to the formation of Nassau County in 1899, with earlier records in Queens County files. Court records and naturalization papers are also on file. For Oyster Bay genealogy in Nassau County, the county adds a layer of records that the town office does not have.

The Nassau County Surrogate's Court has probate files for Oyster Bay residents. Wills, estate inventories, and letters of administration can show family connections and property holdings. Under the Surrogate's Court Procedure Act, these records are generally open to the public. The Estates, Powers and Trust Law governs how estates were divided, which can help you understand family relationships when direct vital records are not available.

State Resources for Oyster Bay

The New York State Archives in Albany holds vital records indexes covering Oyster Bay and all of Nassau County. Birth indexes go through 1937. Death and marriage indexes open after 50 years. You use the state file number from the index to order a copy from the NYS Department of Health. The fee is $22 for a three-year search. Processing takes eight months or more.

The New York State Census was taken in 1825, 1835, 1845, 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, and 1925. These records sometimes have details the federal census missed. Reclaim The Records released the full New York State Death Index from 1880 to 2017 after winning a court case in 2025. Over 10 million records are free to download, including deaths in Oyster Bay.

Nearby Cities for Genealogy

Long Island families moved between towns regularly. These nearby places may hold records for your Oyster Bay ancestors.