Genealogy Research in the UB Libraries

This guide will highlight specific resources available in the University at Buffalo Libraries that might aid your genealogical research. The scope of the guide is Buffalo and the Western New York area. The library does not have a separate section for genealogy, nor do we have a genealogist on staff, but our reference librarians are available to answer questions for you.  The Buffalo and Eire County Historical Society Research Library posts a list of researchers for hire.

• Basics
• Census Records
• City Directories
• Newspapers
• Tax Rolls
• Web Sources

Basics

The UB Libraries own many books about conducting genealogical research. Use BISON – Catalog to do a subject search for Genealogy or United States —Genealogy. Many of these titles will be located in Lockwood Library and have call numbers beginning with CS.

Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
This site provides thousands of links to genealogical related materials. The sites are categorized and cross-referenced. It contains general as well as locale-specific links.

New York County and Regional Histories and Atlases
Silverman Multimedia Center MicFilm F119.N49
A collection of 116 reels of microfilm of county histories of New York. Most histories contain maps, listing of businesses, churches, schools, biographies, and illustrations. The index to the collection is Reel Index to the Microform Collection of New York County and Regional Histories and Atlases. Silverman Multimedia Center Reference F119.N49 Reel Index

 

Census Records

Census of population (year). New York
This is the Schedule of the Federal Population Census, Erie County , New York  We have 1820-1880, 1900-1930
Silverman Multimedia Center MicFilm F127.E6 S2
These are the Federal census records. The Libraries own the 1820-1880 and 1900-1930 federal census records for Erie County , City or Buffalo and some surrounding counties. Details are at Federal Population Census Rolls Microform Profile .

Buffalo & Erie County : Buffalo & Town Census Records 1855-
Silverman Multimedia Center MicFilm F127.E6 B8
These are the State census records. The Libraries own 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, and 1925. Details are at StateCensus Rolls Microform Profile .

1890 New York Census Index of Civil War Veterans or their Widows
Silverman Multimedia Center MicFiche E494.D583 1984 Fiche 1-4
This is often used as a substitute for the lost 1890 Federal Census.

City, County, Town and Township Index to the 1850 Federal Census Schedules
Annex CS65.P37
Helps to determine the county location of cities and towns (census schedules are arranged by county.)

Free Black Heads of Households in New York State Federal Census, 1790-1830
Lockwood Reference E185.93.N56 E37; Lockwood E185.93.N56 E37

Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790. New York
Lockwood Documents US C 3.11: N 42y
Also available online at http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1790g-01.pdf

Index to the 1800 Census of New York
Silverman Multimedia Center Reference F118.A76 1984

Map Guide to the US Federal Censuses, 1790-1920
Lockwood Reference G1201.F7 T5 1987
Shows U.S. county boundary maps for the census decades superimposed on modern county boundaries. Use to determine which county census you need. This information is also online as NYS County Formation Map. For other states, see State & County Maps.

New York in 1800; An Index to the Federal Census Schedules of the State of New York , with other Aids to Research
Lockwood Reference F123 .M159

Union List of Federal Population Census Schedules on Microfilm in Western New York Libraries
Lockwood Reference and Silverman Multimedia Center Reference Z7554.U5 S64 1986
Lists all the federal census microfilms owned by several nearby libraries.

Buffalo and Erie County Public Library owns copies of additional census records and indexes; see Genealogy and Heraldry, BECPL.

The UB Libraries have microfilm of federal census schedules for some additional counties. Do a subject search in BISON for NEW YORK STATE —CENSUS to locate them.

 

City Directories

City directories list residents, business, houses of worship, etc, by address, by telephone number, and alphabetically.

Buffalo City Directory (title may vary) The libraries own a number of city directories, both Buffalo and suburban. The holdings are described on the Help A-Z InfoPage City Directories .

City Directories of the United States through 1860 (segment I)
Silverman Multimedia Center MicFiche: E154.5 D4
        All U.S. directories, including Buffalo , up to 1860.

United States City Directories  ( segment II, covers 1861--)
Silverman Multimedia Center MicFilm: call number varies
UB Libraries does not own the entire collection. See : Microform Collection -- City Directories for details.

City Directories of the United States, 1860-1901: a guide to the microform collection
Lockwood Reference E154.5 .C42 1983

The public library also has old city directories, see http://www.buffalolib.org/ebranch/askus/faq.asp#gro

BuffaloResearch.com has a page of information about city directories and links to some digitized directories.

 

Newspapers

The Libraries have Buffalo area newspapers on Microform in the Silverman Multimedia Center . The most popular for genealogical research will be:

Buffalo News (title varies) MicFilm AN256.B84 1881-1925, 1958-present
Courier Express (title varies) at MicFilm AN256.B832 1842-61, MicFilm AN256.C6 1979-82.

 Details are in the guide: Newspaper Collections

If you need an obituary from a Buffalo newspaper, but do not have the date of death, try the SSDI (Social Security Death Index ) .

 

Tax Rolls

Buffalo City Tax Rolls
This microfiche collection reproduces tax rolls for the city of Buffalo for some of the years between 1846 and 1866. Property owner's name is included. For details, see Buffalo City Tax Rolls Microform Profile .

See Buffalosearch.com's Vital and Original Records page for additional information about local tax records.

 

Web Sources

• Buffalo Barracks
  A searchable database of US Soldiers serving in Buffalo 1837-1846 and in Fort Niagara 1835-1856 presented by Buffalonet.org.
• Buffalo Research
  Developed and maintained by a librarian in a genealogy & local history collection. Has excellent local resources/links with explanations. Read the FAQ section of this site. A must see for local research!
• Digitized maps of Buffalo and Western New York (including some old ward maps)
• Erie County, NY cemeteries
• Polish Genealogical Sources in Lockwood Library
• Western New York Genealogical Society

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