Clifton Genealogy Record Search
Clifton is a city in Passaic County in northern New Jersey with a population of about 90,000. The city's vital statistics office at 900 Clifton Avenue handles local genealogy records including birth, marriage, and death certificates. Clifton genealogy researchers also use the Passaic County Clerk's Office and the Passaic County Historical Society at Lambert Castle for older records. Searching for family history in Clifton means working with the city registrar, county offices in Paterson, and state-level archives in Trenton to find the documents you need.
Clifton Quick Facts
Clifton Vital Records for Genealogy
The Clifton City Vital Statistics office is at 900 Clifton Avenue, Suite 1, Clifton, NJ 07013. The registrar is Nancy Ferrigno. The phone number is 973-470-5824 extension 5825. This office issues birth, marriage, and death certificates for events that occurred in Clifton.
The New Jersey registrar directory lists the Clifton vital statistics office and contact details.
Use the state directory to confirm hours and contact details before visiting any local registrar in New Jersey.
Clifton vital records are restricted by state law. They are not public records. Access is limited to the person named on the record, a spouse or domestic partner, an immediate family member, a legal representative, a New Jersey government employee acting in an official role, or a person with a court order. This means Clifton genealogy researchers must prove their connection to the person on the record before a certified copy can be issued. Bring a valid photo ID and any documents that show your relationship.
Note: If you cannot prove your relationship to the person on the record, you may need to use the New Jersey Department of Health genealogical records process instead.
Passaic County Genealogy Resources
The Passaic County Clerk's Office is at 401 Grand Street, Room 130, Paterson, NJ 07505. The phone is (973) 225-3690. The clerk is Danielle Ireland-Imhof. The office handles land records, naturalization records, business trade names, notary public services, and veteran ID cards. There is also a satellite office at 1237 Ringwood Avenue in Wanaque. The Public Records Electronic Search System, known as PRESS, provides online access to some county records.
The Clifton City government website has information about local departments and services.
The city website links to departments that can help with record requests and other Clifton genealogy needs.
The Passaic County Surrogate's Office is at 71 Hamilton Street, Room 101, in Paterson. The phone is (973) 881-4760. Surrogate Zoila Cassanova handles probate of wills, estate administration, and guardianship matters. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, closed from 12:30 to 1:30 PM for lunch. Appointments must be booked online. Probate records from the surrogate can show family relationships that help with Clifton genealogy research.
Clifton Area Historical Records
The Passaic County Historical Society is based at Lambert Castle, 3 Valley Road in Paterson. The phone is (973) 247-0085. The society was founded in 1926. Its mission is to preserve the history of Passaic County, which includes Clifton. The collection holds over 2,800 books, atlases, city directories, manuscripts, family group sheets, more than 200 maps, and thousands of photographs.
City directories in the collection cover Paterson from 1859 to 1962 and Passaic from 1897 to 1960. These directories can help trace where Clifton ancestors lived and worked before and after the city was incorporated in 1917. The society does not hold official vital records like birth, marriage, or death certificates. For those, you need to go to the Clifton vital statistics office or the state level offices.
The New Jersey State Archives in Trenton has older records covering all of Passaic County. Birth records from 1848 to 1923, marriage records from 1848 to 1948, and death records from 1848 to 1963 are on microfilm. The archives also holds probate records from 1670 to 1952, colonial marriage bonds from 1666 to 1799, and divorce records from 1743 to 1947. These resources cover the time before Clifton existed as a separate municipality.
Note: The Passaic County Historical Society library is open by appointment, so call ahead to schedule your research visit.
Searching Clifton Genealogy Online
Several free online tools can help with Clifton genealogy research. The Reclaim The Records project has made New Jersey vital record indices available at the Internet Archive. These cover birth, marriage, and death records from the early 1900s. The indices are free to download and search from home.
The FamilySearch website has New Jersey births and christenings from 1660 to 1980 with images. The Genealogical Society of New Jersey produces locality guides for Passaic County that include updated information on records access. Their cemetery transcriptions are also available on the society website. The NJ GenWeb Project connects researchers with county-level resources and volunteer help across New Jersey.
For census records, immigration lists, and military draft cards, the New Jersey State Library in Trenton offers free access to Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest. These databases are available at the 185 West State Street location. If you cannot visit in person, many public libraries in Passaic County also offer these databases to cardholders.
How to Get Clifton Records
The process depends on how old the record is. For recent Clifton vital records, contact the city vital statistics office. For genealogical records, the New Jersey Department of Health handles births more than 80 years old, marriages more than 50 years old, and deaths more than 40 years old. The fee is $25 for the first copy. Walk-in service is available at 140 East Front Street in Trenton. Mail orders take 10 to 12 weeks.
- Recent records: Clifton vital statistics at 900 Clifton Avenue
- Older vital records: NJ Department of Health in Trenton
- Historical records: NJ State Archives at 225 West State Street
- Land and property: Passaic County Clerk in Paterson
- Wills and estates: Passaic County Surrogate in Paterson
Passaic County Genealogy
Clifton is part of Passaic County. The county clerk in Paterson holds land records, naturalization files, and other documents that are useful for genealogy. The surrogate has probate records. The Passaic County Historical Society at Lambert Castle holds local history collections. For more details on Passaic County genealogy resources, visit the county page.