Union Township Genealogy
Union Township genealogy records are held by the township clerk and at the Union County level in Elizabeth. This township in Union County, New Jersey, has a population of about 59,000 people. Searching for genealogy records in Union Township starts at the municipal clerk's office on Morris Avenue. The clerk also serves as the registrar of vital statistics, which means birth, marriage, and death records are all in one place. County and state archives hold older records that can take your Union Township family research back even further.
Union Township Quick Facts
Union Township Clerk Genealogy Records
The Union Township Clerk is at 1976 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083. The main phone is 908-688-2800, and the vital records line is 908-851-8507. The municipal clerk serves as the registrar of vital statistics for the township. This means one office handles birth records, death records, marriage records, and related documents for events that took place in Union Township.
For genealogy work, the clerk can search their records and provide certified copies of vital record certificates. You need to give the full name on the record and the year or date of the event. A valid photo ID is required. The Union Township clerk is a good first stop for anyone doing family history research in this area of Union County.
The township clerk's website has details on office hours and the types of records they keep for Union Township genealogy research.
The clerk's office at 1976 Morris Avenue is the main point of contact for Union Township vital records.
Union County Records for Genealogy
Union Township is part of Union County, and the county holds records that go deeper than what the township clerk can provide. The Union County Clerk's Office in Elizabeth has land records from 1857 and military discharge records from 1941. Land records are useful for genealogy because they show property ownership, which can place a family in a specific location at a specific time. Deeds, mortgages, and liens tell the story of how families built their lives in Union Township.
The Union County Surrogate's Office handles probate records. They have two locations: the main office at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth and a satellite at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield. Both locations require appointments. The Surrogate can be reached at 908-527-4280. Probate records include wills, estate administrations, and guardianship files. These records often list family members by name and their relationship to the deceased, making them a strong resource for Union Township genealogy.
The Union County government website links to all county departments that hold genealogy-related records.
The New Jersey State Archives in Trenton holds vital records, land grants, and probate files that cover Union Township families going back to the colonial era.
Note: Both Union County Surrogate locations require appointments, so call 908-527-4280 before visiting.
State Archives for Union Township Research
The New Jersey State Archives is the best source for older Union Township genealogy records. Their microfilm collection has birth records from 1848 to 1923, marriage records from 1848 to 1948, and death records from 1848 to 1963. These records cover all of New Jersey, including Union Township. The Archives is at 225 West State Street in Trenton and is free to visit.
Beyond vital records, the State Archives holds over 37,000 cubic feet of paper records. Their collection includes land records from the colonial period, tax records from 1773 to 1822, estate records from 1670 to 1952, and military service files. For Union Township families with deep roots in New Jersey, these records can extend your genealogy back several centuries. The Archives also has naturalization records and records related to slavery and manumission that cover all counties in the state.
Online databases at the State Archives let you search marriage records from 1666 to 1900 and death records from 1848 to 1900 from home. The Reclaim The Records project adds free indexes for early 1900s vital records hosted on the Internet Archive.
Library Resources for Union Township Genealogy
Public libraries in Union County offer free access to genealogy databases. Through your library card, you may be able to use Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest, and newspaper archives from home or at the library. These databases hold census records, immigration records, city directories, and more. Census records from 1790 to 1950 list household members by name, age, birthplace, and occupation. They are one of the most useful tools for tracing Union Township families over time.
The New Jersey State Library in Trenton has about 18,000 genealogy items. Their collection includes 6,000 family histories and 1,000 city directories. You can use Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest for free at their State Street location. The State Library also has maps, atlases, and a newspaper collection that can help with Union Township genealogy.
The State Library in Trenton offers free on-site access to genealogy databases and a large collection of family histories.
The Genealogical Society of New Jersey has its collections at the Rutgers University Alexander Library in New Brunswick. They publish guides, cemetery transcriptions, and the Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey. Their resources can help direct your Union Township genealogy research.
Finding Union Township Family Records
Genealogy research works best when you use many record types together. A birth record may list parents' names. A marriage record may give birthplaces. A death record may name the parents of the deceased. Each record leads to the next. For Union Township families, start at the township clerk and then expand to county and state sources as you go further back in time.
- Contact the Union Township Clerk at 908-851-8507 for local vital records
- Search Union County land records from 1857 at the county clerk's office
- Check probate records at the Union County Surrogate in Elizabeth or Westfield
- Visit the New Jersey State Archives for records from 1848 and earlier
- Use free online indexes from Reclaim The Records and FamilySearch
Keep good notes as you work. Write down every source you check, even if it does not have what you need. This saves time later and helps you avoid searching the same place twice. Union Township genealogy records are spread across local, county, and state offices, so a clear system is important.
Note: New Jersey vital records are not public records, so you must show proof of identity and sometimes proof of relationship to obtain certified copies.
Union County Genealogy Records
Union Township is in Union County, and the county clerk, surrogate, and libraries all hold records that can support your family research. For a full overview of county-level genealogy resources and how to access them, visit the Union County genealogy records page.