Buffalo and New York State Research

• A History of the City of Buffalo: Its Men and Institutions; Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens

  While not specifically focused on Polish-Americans, this is a general reference for the history of the city, published in 1908.

• Album pamiątkowe i przewodnik handlowy : osady polskiej w mieście Buffalo, z dołączeniem okolicznych miejscowości ze stanu New York [Souvenir album and trade guide of the Polish settlements in the City of Buffalo, with the addition of neighboring towns in the State of New York]

  The Przewodnik Handlowy was published in Buffalo in 1906. The book contains genealogically-relevant paid ads, for which information was supplied by the advertiser. In most cases, information includes place and date of birth, name of spouse and year of marriage, names of children, and the organizations or parish to which the family belonged. The entire album is now available for browsing and searching online. Alternatively, we offer a database of names found in the Przewodnik Handlowy. A complete English translation of this text is available here.

• Alphabetical Card Index (1831–ca. 1930) to Erie County Court Naturalizations

  If you find a record of interest, you can use the petition number, volume, and page number—located in the upper left corner of the index card—to request a copy of the file. You can also visit the basement records room of the county courthouse (92 Franklin Street) to obtain a copy. For more information, please visit our Local Research page.

• Broadway-Fillmore Neighborhood: Polish-American History in Buffalo, NY

  A collection of links to photos and articles documenting the architectural history in one of Western New York’s Polish neighborhoods.

• Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Digital Collections

  Unique collections for genealogy which include Erie County Poor House Ledgers; Marriage and Death Announcements, 1811–1833; as well as atlases and city directories.

• Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Genealogy Databases

  Erie County residents with a valid Buffalo & Erie County Public Library card number have free access to HeritageQuest Online, which contains U.S. federal census records from 1790-1940, special federal census schedules, over 20,000 local and family history books, over 20,000 U.S. city directories, a genealogical and local history serials index, Revolutionary War Pension Files, Freedman’s Bank Records, and select content from the U.S. Serial Set.

• Buffalo, New York, Birth Index, 1878–1915

  Free to use online at Internet Archive, courtesy of Reclaim the Records. Please note that compliance with civil vital registration laws was not well enforced prior to about 1920. Be sure to look for baptismal records as an alternative, including those indexed in our own PGSNYS databases.

• Buffalo, New York, Death Index, 1852–1944

  Free to use online at Internet Archive, courtesy of Reclaim the Records.

• Buffalo’s Polish Pioneers

  Article reprinted from Polish American Studies, Vol. XXI. No. 2, July-December 1964.

• BuffaloResearch.com

  A portal for researching architecture, business, genealogy, literature, and obscure websites in Buffalo, NY. Includes a very helpful collection of links to Buffalo City Directories online from 1828–1942, as well as a few directories that included the broader Western New York area. They also offer this fabulous table of repositories for vital & archival records!

• FamilySearch New York Genealogy Wiki

  A practical how-to guide for genealogy research in New York, including information on getting started, finding records, identifying online collections, historical record types, and more.

• German Genealogy Group Database of Naturalizations in NY and NJ

  This free index includes over two million naturalization records from New York District Courts that are available at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) now located in Philadelphia.

• History of Buffalo and Erie County in the World War, 1914–1919, Daniel J. Sweeney, compiler

  Historical account of World War I from a local perspective, including an extensive roster of service men and women from Erie County, those killed in action, medical personnel, government officials, etc. A list of Buffalonians in the Polish Army appears on p. 694/image no. 706.

• New York City Databases

  The German Genealogy Group offers a number of indexed databases for New York City research, including births, marriages, and deaths across all ethnic groups.

• New York City Geographic Birth Index, c. 1880–1912

  This database, brought to us by Reclaim the Records, includes births that took place in New York City area, organized according to the borough and the street address or public institution in which the birth took place.

• New York City Marriage Index, 1950–2017

  This database, brought to us by Reclaim the Records, includes the 4,757,588 marriage licenses filed in New York City between 1950-2017, but is somewhat problematic, so be sure to read this disclaimer.

• New York Genealogy Links

  Includes more than 1,400 links to New York genealogy websites in 18 categories, with an emphasis on lesser-known, free resources,

• New York GenWeb

  An older, but still useful, collection of links to help you navigate genealogy research in New York State. Select a county to begin, and explore topics and resources—often including transcribed and indexed records—for that location.

• New York Heritage Digital Collections

  Digital images of postcards, newspapers, city directories, historical photos, documents, correspondence, yearbooks, oral histories, and much more. Try using search terms such as “Polish” and “Poland” to locate items that may be of interest.

• New York State Birth Index, 1881–1942

  Courtesy of Reclaim the Records. Please note that this index does not include births in New York City, and does not include births in Albany, Buffalo, or Yonkers until 1915. Note, too, that compliance with civil vital registration laws was not well enforced prior to about 1920. Be sure to look for baptismal records as an alternative, including those indexed in our own PGSNYS databases.

• New York State Death Index, 1880–2017

  Courtesy of Reclaim the Records. Please note that this index does not include deaths in New York City, with a few rare exceptions, and does not include deaths in Albany, Buffalo, or Yonkers until 1915.

• New York State Marriage Index, 1881–1965

  Courtesy of Reclaim the Records. Please note that this index does not include marriages in New York City, and does not include marriages in Albany, Buffalo, or Yonkers until about 1915.

• Polonia Trail of Western New York

  A digital showcase of historic sites throughout Western New York that are significant to the Polish American community. This site enables individuals to virtually explore architecture, clubs, meetinghouses, churches, cemeteries, and other places that figured prominently within Western New York’s Polish American community, and learn about the people who shaped it.

• Rochester (NY) Churches Indexing Project

  Over 220,000 indexed birth/baptism, marriage and death records from Roman Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Rochester, New York and other churches in the Rochester area.

• Schenectady Digital History Archive

  The Schenectady Digital History Archive includes a project to discover Schenectady County’s Eastern European roots. The archive includes project newsletters.

• University at Buffalo, University Libraries Genealogy & Ancestry Research

  A list of genealogy resources available from UB libraries and local research links.