Search Ulster County Genealogy Records

Ulster County genealogy records reach back to 1683, making this one of the richest counties in New York for family history research. The county seat is Kingston, which served as the first capital of New York State. As one of the original twelve counties, Ulster has some of the oldest land deeds, court records, and probate files in the state. The county was also a parent county for Delaware, Greene, and Sullivan counties, so records here may cover ancestors who lived in areas that later became separate counties. Dutch, Huguenot, and English settlers left a deep paper trail in Ulster County that researchers can still tap into today.

Ulster County Clerk Genealogy Records

The Ulster County Clerk at the Ulster County Office Building, 244 Fair Street, Kingston, NY 12401 is the primary source for county-level genealogy records. Phone is (845) 340-3288.

Land records and deeds from 1683 to the present are the crown jewels here. These go back to the Dutch colonial period and include some of the earliest property transfers in New York State. Court records also start from 1683. Maps, surveys, naturalization records, and business certificates round out the collection. The county archives hold additional materials that may not be in the clerk's main office.

Because Ulster County was a parent county for Delaware (formed 1797), Greene (formed 1800), and Sullivan (formed 1809), the early records here may cover ancestors who lived in those areas before the new counties were created. If your family was in the western or southern parts of what was once Ulster County before those dates, check the Kingston records first.

Copy fees and search fees apply. The clerk's office can help you identify the right record series for your research question, but staff will not do the actual searching for you. Plan to spend time on site if you have a complicated research problem.

Probate Records in Ulster County

The Ulster County Surrogate's Court at 240 Fair Street, Kingston, NY 12401 holds probate records from 1683 to the present. Call (845) 340-3348 for details on how to request files.

With over 340 years of probate records, this court has one of the longest continuous runs in New York. Wills, letters testamentary, letters of administration, estate inventories, and guardianship records are all here. Colonial-era wills can be especially detailed, naming enslaved persons, livestock, farm tools, and household goods along with family members. Later probate files tend to be more formal but still provide key genealogy information.

Files are indexed by the name of the deceased. You will need the decedent's name and approximate date of death to request a search. The New York State Archives holds some colonial probate records from 1665 to 1815 that may overlap with the court's holdings.

Ulster County Historical Society Genealogy

The Ulster County Historical Society maintains the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection for Ulster County genealogy research.

The society's museum is at the Bevier House, 2682 Route 209, Marbletown, NY 12401. Mailing address is PO Box 279, Stone Ridge, NY 12484. Phone is (845) 377-1040. The collection includes family papers, local histories, photographs, and community records that complement the official county documents. The Huguenot heritage of the area means some records involve French-speaking families who settled in the Kingston and New Paltz areas in the 1600s and 1700s.

Digital Genealogy Resources for Ulster County

The Hudson River Valley Heritage website provides free access to digital collections from over 40 organizations across multiple counties, including Ulster County.

This portal can save you a trip to the archives. Digitized documents, photographs, maps, and other primary sources are searchable online. The collections span several centuries and cover many aspects of life in the Hudson Valley. For genealogy purposes, look for town records, church documents, and community papers that may mention your ancestors by name.

Other online resources for Ulster County genealogy include the New York State Archives digital collections, FamilySearch records for the county, and digitized newspapers from Kingston and other Ulster County communities. The New York State Archives in Albany holds census, military, and land records that cover the county as well.

Ulster County Vital Records for Genealogy

The NYS Department of Health holds vital records for Ulster County from the state registration period. Birth records open after 75 years if the person is deceased. Death records open after 50 years. Marriage records need 50 years and proof both spouses have died. Fees begin at $22 for a three-year search.

For earlier vital records, Kingston and other Ulster County communities have church registers that go back to the colonial period. The Dutch Reformed Church in Kingston, for example, has records from the 1600s. Huguenot churches in New Paltz also kept early records. These church records are often the only source of vital information for the colonial and early American periods in Ulster County.

Land and Property Records in Ulster County

Land records at the Ulster County Clerk go back to 1683. Deeds, mortgages, liens, and surveys are all indexed and available for research. The colonial-era records include patents from the Dutch and English periods. Some describe large tracts of land that were later subdivided among settlers and their heirs. Following the chain of title through deed records can map out family relationships and movements across generations.

The NYS Archives land records collection has colonial patents, Indian treaties, and state land sales that cover Ulster County properties. Under the Estates, Powers and Trust Law, property transfers at death follow specific rules in New York, and these transfers are recorded in the county clerk's office. Land records are a solid secondary source when vital records have gaps, since deeds often name spouses and heirs.

Nearby Counties

Counties near Ulster County with their own genealogy record collections.