Lancaster City Birth Records Guide

Lancaster birth records span multiple eras of documentation, from mid-nineteenth century county registers through the modern state vital records system. As the seat of Lancaster County in south-central Pennsylvania, the city of Lancaster has some of the most thoroughly preserved local records in the state. Researchers searching for Lancaster birth records will find indexed resources at the Lancaster County Archives, additional holdings through the Register of Wills, and state-era certificates through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. This guide covers all available sources, what each collection contains, and how to search them.

Lancaster County Archives and Birth Records

The Lancaster County Archives is the primary repository for historical Lancaster birth records. The Archives is located at 150 North Queen Street, Lancaster, PA 17603 and can be reached by phone at 717-299-8319 or by email at archives@co.lancaster.pa.us. The official website is co.lancaster.pa.us/169/Archives. All birth records held by the Archives are indexed online, which makes preliminary research significantly easier before a formal records request or in-person visit.

The Archives holds several distinct collections of Lancaster birth records. The earliest are Birth Registers from 1852 to 1855, which date from Pennsylvania's brief mid-century registration mandate. A second collection of Birth Registers covers 1881 to 1906 specifically for Lancaster City, which is an unusually early and complete city-level register. The broader county collection of Birth Registers runs from 1893 to 1907. Additionally, Delayed Birth Certificates covering approximately 1870 to 1906 are available. The combination of the city-specific registers starting in 1881 and the county registers from 1893 makes Lancaster one of the better-documented cities in Pennsylvania for the pre-state era.

The Lancaster County Courthouse also houses the Register of Wills at 50 N Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17608, phone 717-299-8242, which holds additional vital records including marriage license registers from 1852 to 1855 and from 1885 to 1998, wills beginning in 1730, death affidavits from 1874 to 1978, and estate files beginning in 1902.

Searching Lancaster Birth Records Online and In Person

Lancaster County Archives makes all of its birth records searchable online through the county's archives division portal. This online index is free to use and is the best starting point for any Lancaster birth records search. The index allows researchers to search by name and confirm whether a record exists before placing a request. Once you identify the relevant record in the index, you can contact the Archives directly to request a copy or plan an in-person visit to review the original document.

For Lancaster births from January 1906 onward, the Pennsylvania Department of Health maintains certified copies through the statewide vital records system. Certified copies cost $20 each. Online ordering goes through VitalChek for $20 plus a $10 processing fee. Mail requests go to the Division of Vital Records, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. The PA Department of Health website describes all ordering options and current office locations for in-person requests. For births from 1906 to 1920, the free Pennsylvania Birth Indices provide a searchable online index confirming births and listing certificate numbers.

The Lititz Library in Lancaster County offers PA-Roots resources for Lancaster County genealogical research. Their resources are described at lititzlibrary.org and can point researchers toward additional transcribed records and local indexes. Combined with the Archives online index and the PA Birth Indices, researchers working on Lancaster birth records have several strong starting points for online research before committing to an in-person visit.

Historical Birth Records in Lancaster

Lancaster is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States and served as the capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1812. This long history means that birth records touch on periods of early American life, immigration, and industrial development. The image below comes from the Lititz Library's PA-Roots resources, which document Lancaster County's extensive genealogical holdings.

The Lititz Library's genealogical resources include materials that complement the county Archives' birth register collections. Researchers working on Lancaster families from the colonial period through the early twentieth century will find that combining county Archives records, church registers, and the Lititz Library's local history materials provides a much fuller picture than any single source alone.

The 1852 to 1855 birth registers are among the most valuable early collections for Lancaster. Pennsylvania's Act of 1852 required county-level birth registration, and Lancaster County's compliance was relatively thorough compared to many other counties. These registers predate the Civil War and document families in Lancaster during a period of significant growth and economic development. Entries typically record the child's name, birth date, parents' names, and ward or township. Mother's maiden names appear in many entries, which is useful for tracing maternal family lines.

The Lancaster City-specific registers running from 1881 to 1906 are exceptional. Most Pennsylvania counties did not maintain city-level registers separate from county registers during this period. Lancaster's city registers provide denser, more geographically focused documentation for urban births, with ward-level detail that helps researchers locate families within the growing city. These registers are fully indexed through the Lancaster County Archives online portal.

USGenWeb Pennsylvania Archives, shown above, hosts volunteer-transcribed records including Lancaster County material. These transcriptions can supplement the official county indexes and sometimes include additional contextual detail not present in the formal register entries.

The Lancaster County Archives official site shown here provides the definitive guide to what birth records exist, their date ranges, and how to search them. The online index linked from the Archives site covers all holdings and is the recommended first step for any Lancaster birth records search.

What Lancaster Birth Records Contain

The content of Lancaster birth records varies by era and collection type. The 1852 to 1855 registers are relatively brief. A standard entry from this period lists the child's name, birth date, ward or township of birth, and both parents' names. Father's occupation appears in many but not all entries. These records were maintained by township or ward registrars whose thoroughness varied, but Lancaster's urban entries from this period are generally more complete than rural township entries from the same years.

The 1881 to 1906 Lancaster City registers are considerably more detailed. These city-specific records were maintained by city health officials rather than county registrars, which accounts for their greater consistency and completeness. A typical entry from this collection includes the child's full name, exact birth date, ward of birth, street address, attending physician or midwife name and address, father's full name and occupation, and mother's full name with maiden name. Many entries also note the number of previous children born to the family and whether those children were living at the time of the new birth. This demographic detail makes these records useful beyond simple name identification.

State birth certificates from January 1906 onward follow Pennsylvania's standardized form, which has been periodically updated. Early state certificates include the full name, birth date and location, parents' names and birthplaces, parental occupations, and a state certificate number. Certified copies bear the state seal and are accepted for all legal documentation purposes. The Pennsylvania State Archives also hold microfilm of early state-era Lancaster certificates.

Note: All Lancaster birth records held by the county Archives are indexed online at co.lancaster.pa.us/archivesdivison, which means researchers can confirm the existence of a specific record before requesting a copy or making an in-person visit.

Getting Certified Birth Certificate Copies

For Lancaster births from 1906 onward, certified copies are issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Health at $20 each. Order online through VitalChek, by mail to the Division of Vital Records in New Castle, or in person at a PA Vital Records public office. Requesters for records less than 105 years old must demonstrate eligibility, which includes being the person named, a parent, a child, a spouse, or a legal representative. Valid photo identification and relationship documentation are required.

For pre-1906 Lancaster birth records, contact the Lancaster County Archives at 717-299-8319 or archives@co.lancaster.pa.us. The Archives can advise on availability, copy procedures, and any applicable fees. Using the online index at the Archives website to identify the specific record before contacting the office will make your request more efficient. For records held by the Register of Wills at 50 N Duke Street, call 717-299-8242 for guidance on accessing marriage license registers and other supplementary vital records.

Genealogical researchers who cannot visit in person can submit mail requests to the Lancaster County Archives. Include as much identifying information as possible: full name, birth year, parents' names, and the specific collection you believe holds the record based on your preliminary online index search. The Archives staff can often locate and copy records with this level of detail.

Online Resources for Lancaster Birth Records

Lancaster County Archives maintains a free online index to all birth records at their website. This is the primary starting point for any Lancaster research. The Pennsylvania Birth Indices cover state-era births from 1906 to 1920 statewide. FamilySearch Pennsylvania offers free access to digitized Lancaster County records including birth registers, marriage records, and church indexes. USGenWeb Pennsylvania Archives hosts volunteer-transcribed Lancaster County birth records. Lititz Library's PA-Roots resources provide a local research guide specific to Lancaster County. PA-Roots includes a statewide database of transcribed vital records with Lancaster County coverage. For subscription research, Ancestry.com's Pennsylvania collections include digitized early state certificates and supplementary census records. The Pennsylvania State Archives online finding aids describe microfilm holdings for Lancaster County across all periods.

Lancaster County Birth Records

Lancaster City is the seat of Lancaster County. All county-level birth records for the city are held at the Lancaster County Archives. For a comprehensive overview of Lancaster County birth records covering the full county, including townships and boroughs beyond the city limits, visit the county page.

View Lancaster County Birth Records

Nearby Pennsylvania Cities

Birth records for nearby Pennsylvania cities are held through their respective county offices. Select a city below to learn about records in that area.

View Major Pennsylvania Cities