Lancaster County
Courthouse Records

Office of Records and Archives Services
50 North Duke Street, P.O. Box 3480,Lancaster Pa. 17603 717-299-8319

Introduction to the records in the Archives

The Archives collection is compromised principally of records of the following Clerk of Courts - Criminal, Recorder of Deeds, Prothonotary, Register of wills Recorder of Deeds

Land records are available from the beginning of the County on May 10, 1729

Deeds are the principal instruments in the record books
Mortgages were included in the record books until 1812 when the Mortgage book series was begun.

Register of Wills

Wills are recorded from 1730. In testate records (Letters of Administration and Administration Bonds) at the Archives begin 1753
Orphan court records (recorded principally in Miscellaneous Books) may include records of all estates. A second series of bound records called Accounts & reports was begun in 1850. Early Estate papers such as Inventories and Accounts , are stored at the Lancaster County Historical Society.

Birth Records

Birth records from 1893 through 1907 for the county and from 1881 through 1906 for the city are located in the office of the Register of Wills, 50 N Duke Street.

Delayed Birth Certificates are available from 1942

Death Records

Death Affidavits are Available from 1874
Deaths are registered for the period 1894 through 1907

Marriage Records

Marriages are recorded continuously from 1885

Note: Births deaths and marriages were registered for 1852 - 1855

Letters of Attorney begin in 1811