Do you have birth, marriage, and death records (known as vital records) for genealogical research?
We only have marriage records from 1908-1935, when the County received copies from the towns. There are also “Returns for Births, Marriages, and Deaths” for 1847 for some, but not all, Westchester municipalities.
Since 1881, New York State has required city, town, and village governments to keep birth, marriage and death records. Prior to 1881, finding birth, death, and marriage information is very difficult unless you know the exact date of the event and could find a newspaper report or church record that documents the occasion. The Westchester County Historical Society has some church records and newspapers.
See the Westchester County Clerk's list of local municipalities for contact information for Westchester city, town, and village governments to obtain vital records after 1880.
I need a copy of my child's / my parent's / my own birth certificate. How do I do that?
Birth records are not available at the Westchester County Archives. In order to obtain a copy of the record, you need to contact the clerk of the local municipality where the birth took place. A list of local municipalties is available on the Westchester County Clerk’s Web site.
I need a copy of my marriage certificate. Can you help?
Marriage records are only available at the Westchester County Archives for the years 1908-1935. Copies of Vital Records may be used for genealogical purposes only. In order to obtain a copy of a marriage record for years other than 1908-1935, you need to contact the clerk of the town where the marriage license was issued. Contact information for local municipalities is available on the Westchester County Clerk's Web site.
I need a certified copy of a marriage certificate that you have from 1908-1935. How much does that cost?
Although the Westchester County Archives has marriage records from 1908-1935, they are for genealogical purposes only. To obtain a certified copy, you must contact the clerk of the town where the marriage license was issued. Contact information for local municipalities is available on the Westchester County Clerk's Web site.
I need a copy of a death certificate. How can I obtain one?
Death records are not available at the Westchester County Archives. In order to obtain a copy of the record, you need to contact the clerk of the local municipality where the death took place. Contact information for local municipalities is available on the Westchester County Clerk's Web site.
How can I obtain a birth, marriage, or death certificate if I am not sure of the local municipality in which the event occurred and therefore don’t know which clerk to contact?
Since 1881, copies of all birth, marriage, and death certificates have been filed with the New York State Department of Public Health in Albany. Check their Web site for more information.
For divorce records, see Court/Government FAQs