Union City Genealogy Record Search
Union City is a densely settled community in Hudson County, New Jersey, formed in 1925 by the merger of West Hoboken and Union Hill. Genealogy records for Union City include birth, marriage, death, property, and estate files held at the city, county, and state level. Searching Union City records starts at City Hall on Palisade Avenue or at the Hudson County Clerk in Jersey City. The Union City Public Library also holds local genealogy resources. Older records are available at the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton and through online databases that cover Union City and Hudson County families.
Union City Quick Facts
Union City Vital Records
The Union City vital statistics office is at City Hall, 3715 Palisade Avenue, Union City, NJ 07087. You can call the office at 201-348-5733. The office holds birth, marriage, and death records for events that took place in Union City. To get a copy, you need the full name on the record, the date of the event, and a valid photo ID.
Since Union City was formed in 1925 from the merger of West Hoboken and Union Hill, vital records before that year may be filed under either of those earlier names. This is an important detail for genealogy research. If you are looking for a birth, marriage, or death that happened before 1925, check under West Hoboken or Union Hill rather than Union City. The State Archives and Department of Health may also have these older records indexed under the original municipality names.
The first copy of a vital record costs $25 under New Jersey law. Each extra copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $2. For genealogical requests, the Department of Health in Trenton handles births over 80 years old, marriages over 50 years old, and deaths over 40 years old.
Union City Library Genealogy Resources
The Union City Public Library holds genealogy resources that cover the local area. The library's collections include cemetery records for New Richmond Cemetery and Oak Hill Cemetery. Cemetery records can fill gaps in genealogy research where vital records are missing or incomplete. Headstone inscriptions and burial logs often list dates, family relationships, and places of origin.
The library is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. It is closed on Wednesday. Public libraries in New Jersey often provide free access to Ancestry Library Edition, which gives you census records, vital indexes, immigration files, and military records without a paid subscription. Check with the library about their current database offerings for Union City genealogy research.
Old newspapers, city directories, and local history books are other resources that libraries can provide. These may list Union City residents by name and address and can help confirm dates and relationships found in other records.
Hudson County Records for Union City
The Hudson County Clerk's Office is at Hudson County Plaza, 257 Cornelison Avenue, 4th Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07302. The clerk is E. Junior Maldonado. Phone is (201) 369-3470. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office holds land records, archives, and public records for all of Hudson County, including Union City. These county-level records are a key source for genealogy when city records do not go back far enough.
The Hudson County Surrogate's Office is at 595 Newark Avenue, 4th Floor, Room 407, in Jersey City. The surrogate is Tilo E. Rivas. Phone is (201) 795-6378. The office holds probate records on microfilm going back to 1804. Collections include dockets and indexes from 1804 to 1953, unrecorded estate papers from 1840 to 1900, and will books from 1840 to 1901. Copies cost $3 per page. Wills and estate files are among the most detailed records for genealogy because they often name family members, describe property, and list personal items.
The Hudson County Clerk does not issue vital records. Those come from city offices like Union City or from the state Department of Health.
Note: The Hudson County Genealogical and Historical Society holds collections that may include records tied to West Hoboken and Union Hill, the two towns that merged to form Union City.
Union City Genealogy at the State Archives
The New Jersey State Archives in Trenton is the best source for older Union City genealogy records. The Archives holds over 37,000 cubic feet of paper records and 32,000 reels of microfilm. Birth records from 1848 to 1923, marriage records from 1848 to 1948, and death records from 1848 to 1963 are on microfilm and open to the public at no charge.
For Union City research, remember that records before 1925 will appear under West Hoboken or Union Hill. The Archives also holds land records, probate files from 1670 to 1952, divorce records from 1743 to 1947, naturalization records, and military records. Online databases let you search marriage indexes from 1666 to 1900 and death indexes from 1848 to 1900 for free. The Archives is at 225 West State Street in Trenton and is open to the public.
The Genealogical Society of New Jersey can help connect you with researchers who focus on Hudson County. The Hudson County Genealogical and Historical Society publishes a quarterly newsletter called "Hudson Roots" and holds monthly meetings where you can share research and learn from others working on Union City family histories.
Online Genealogy Tools for Union City
Several online platforms hold records that cover Union City. The Ancestry.com New Jersey collections include census records, vital indexes, immigration data, and military files. FamilySearch provides free access to a large set of New Jersey records. The Reclaim The Records project has posted free vital record indexes online.
Union City has a large immigrant population, and many families have roots in Cuba, Latin America, and Europe. Immigration records, ship manifests, and naturalization files can all help with Union City genealogy research. The National Archives at New York City holds immigration and naturalization records for the region that includes Hudson County. Census records from 1830 to 1950 show Union City and its predecessor communities over time and are available on multiple platforms.
Hudson County Genealogy Records
Union City is part of Hudson County. The county clerk, surrogate, and genealogical society all hold records that cover Union City and its predecessor communities. For a full guide to Hudson County genealogy resources, office information, and record details, visit the Hudson County genealogy records page.