Pennsylvania State Digital Archives
State-level databases and guides (all counties).
Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
Birth*1893
Marriage1885
Death*1893
Court1832
Land1828
Probate1830
Census1790
*Statewide registration for births & deaths began in 1906 (general compliance by 1915).
Overview: Births · Marriages · Deaths
Births
- County: 1893–1905 (Orphans’ Court)
- State: 1906–present (Dept. of Health)
- Note: general compliance ≈1915
Marriages
- Attempt: 1852–1855 (short-lived law)
- Official: 1885+ dockets (Clerk of Orphans’ Court)
- Tip: Early dockets to 1916 on FamilySearch
Deaths
- County: 1893–1905 (registers)
- State: 1906+ death certificates (Dept. of Health)
- Also check: probate, cemeteries & newspapers
At a glance: County births & deaths 1893–1905; statewide certificates 1906–present. Marriages: 1852–55 attempt; 1885+ official dockets.
Where the Records Live (County Level)
County offices & ledgers
- Marriages (1885+) · Marriage License Dockets — Orphans’ Court / Register & Recorder.
- Births, Deaths (1893–1906) · County registers — Clerk of Orphans’ Court / Register.
- Early attempts · Marriages (1852–55), Deaths (1853–54) — partial but worth checking.
- Probate · Register of Wills & Orphans’ Court — wills, estates, guardianships.
- Divorces · Filed with the Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts (civil dockets).
Tip: if you can’t find a certificate, try county registers or probate; then newspapers & church registers.
Start Here (Statewide Resources)
FamilySearch: PA Vital Collections
Births, marriages, deaths (1709–1999).
Births and Christenings (1709-1950)
Delayed Birth Records (1780-1977)
Some images require a free FamilySearch login or viewing at a Family History Center.
PA Probate Records (1683–1994)
Wills, estates, and guardianships (by county).
FS Catalog: PA Vital Records
Filter to “Online” to see digitized items.
Prefer browsing our Jefferson PDFs? Browse the PDF Index or jump to the file directory.
How to Obtain Certificates & Copies
Pennsylvania Dept. of Health
Holds birth and death certificates from 1906–present. Restrictions apply for recent years.
Jefferson County Register & Recorder
Marriage licenses (1885+), deeds, and probate copies.
- Register & Recorder website
- Phone: 814-849-1610
- Address: 200 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Brookville, PA 15825
Register of Wills / Orphans’ Court
Wills, estate packets, guardianships (1830+). Contact the courthouse for copy fees.
Tip: Ask specifically for the estate packet (original papers) if available.
Archives & Repositories
Jefferson County Records (Local & County-Level)
- Registration of marriages, 1852–1855 (FS Collection) · early county attempt (images)
- Marriage License Dockets, 1885–1916 (FS Collection)
- Registration of deaths, 1853–1854 (FS Images) · early county attempt
- Jefferson County Deaths (Register), 1893–1906 — FHL Film #927545 (see FS Catalog for access)
Delayed Births (Jefferson + neighbors)
Filed 1941–1976, includes Allegheny, Beaver & Jefferson counties (actual certificates and petitions):
Jefferson County Vital Record Collections (FamilySearch Catalog)
These links open directly to Jefferson County record sets in the FamilySearch Catalog or indexed image collections.
Icons indicate online availability, restrictions, or searchable full text.
Marriages
- Registration of marriages, 1852–1855 · early county attempt (images)
- Marriage license dockets, 1885–1916 · official county records
Births
- Record of delayed births, 1941–1969 · petitions & certificates
- Record of births, 1893–1906
Deaths
- Registration of deaths, 1853–1854 · early county attempt
- Record of deaths, 1893–1906 · county death register
Books & Compiled Abstracts
- Historical Notes — Patricia Michael Steele · contact county coordinator for look-up
- Some Vital Statistics from the Area of Punxsutawney — Abraham Rudolph · from the journal of Abraham Rudolph (1816–1904)
FamilySearch Historical Images (Unindexed)
Some records are only in the “Historical Images” viewer (not in standard search). Use this index to jump straight to film numbers:
- Jefferson Co. Historical Images — film chart (PDF)
- Historical Images — neighboring counties (Armstrong, Clearfield, Clarion, Elk, Forest, Indiana)
How to use: Log into FamilySearch → Search → Historical Images → enter the DGS/film number from the chart into the “Fiche/Film” box.
Using FamilySearch
- Look for icons next to each collection:
Camera = images viewable online,
Locked = view at a Family History Center, and
Full-Text = searchable page text available.
- For unindexed items, go to Search → Images and enter the DGS/film number from our charts.
- When Full-Text is available, use Search → Full-Text to look inside images for names or places.
- Always verify with the original image, register, or certificate.
Other Pennsylvania Death & Burial Sets
- Pennsylvania Deaths & Burials, 1720–1999
- U.S. Federal Mortality Schedules, 1850–1880
- Pennsylvania Obituaries, 1977–2010
- PA Obituary & Marriage Collection, 1947–2010
Coverage varies by county; always confirm with original images or certificates.
Jefferson PDFs (Auto-Updating)
This list pulls from our PDF Index. Use the filters or jump to a category below.
Research Tips
- Search this site for the surname and township name.
- Check county registers (1893–1906), then statewide databases (1906+).
- If you only know a death place out of state, scan the “Jefferson-born” indexes above.
- Confirm names and dates with original images.
- For boundary changes and township maps, see Maps.
Cite it: “Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, Marriage License Docket, vol. __, p. __, Name to Name, date; Register & Recorder, Brookville.”