Gloucester County Family Records

Gloucester County sits in southwestern New Jersey along the Delaware River. The county seat is Woodbury. Records here go back to 1686, making Gloucester County one of the oldest record-keeping areas in the state. Searching Gloucester County genealogy records can connect you to centuries of family history through deeds, wills, vital records, and church files. The county's historical society holds one of the largest genealogy collections in southern New Jersey. Whether your roots are in Woodbury, Deptford, or Washington Township, Gloucester County has the records to help trace your family line.

Gloucester County Clerk Records

The Gloucester County Clerk's Office is at 1 North Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ 08096. The mailing address is P.O. Box 129, Woodbury, NJ 08096. Phone is 856-853-3237. Fax is 856-853-3327. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. On Wednesdays, the office stays open until 6:30 p.m. for recording documents and passport services only.

Gloucester County also has a satellite office at the Monroe Township Municipal Building, 125 Virginia Avenue, Williamstown, NJ 08094. It is open on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Real estate documents dating back to 1686 are maintained at the Clerk's Office. Online access to land records, deeds, mortgages, and liens is available. Certified copies cost $10 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Uncertified copies are $0.05 per page.

The Gloucester County Clerk's website provides information about how to access records online and in person.

Land records are one of the strongest tools for Gloucester County genealogy, since they trace property ownership across generations.

Gloucester County Probate Genealogy

The Gloucester County Surrogate's Office handles wills, estates, and guardianship records. Giuseppe Chila serves as Surrogate. The office is at 17 North Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ 08096. Phone is 856-853-3282. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Probate records are critical for Gloucester County genealogy. Wills name heirs and describe assets. Estate administration files list family members and debts. Guardianship records can reveal the ages and names of minor children. These documents fill gaps that vital records may not cover. Fees are set by New Jersey statute and collected monthly by the Board of Chosen Commissioners. Original wills are filed with the Clerk of Superior Court in Trenton after probate.

Adoption records are confidential and sealed under New Jersey law. They are not available for public genealogy research.

Note: Adoption records at the Gloucester County Surrogate's Office are sealed and cannot be accessed for genealogy purposes.

Gloucester County Historical Society

The Gloucester County Historical Society holds one of the most detailed genealogy collections in southern New Jersey. The address is 17 Hunter Street, PO Box 409, Woodbury, NJ 08096. Phone is 856-845-4771. Admission is $5 for non-members. Members enter free. Hours are Monday through Friday, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The library is also open Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. On the first Saturday of each month from October through May, it is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The last Sunday of each month, hours are 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

The collection is extensive. It includes 44 volumes of Bible records plus hundreds of copies. There are 8,500 genealogy books. Census records cover the New Jersey State Census from 1855 to 1915 and the Federal Census from 1830 to 1920. Cemetery inscriptions fill 125 volumes. Church records span 115 volumes plus 60 additional church photocopies. The society has 240 microfilm reels of directories, 45 volumes of marriage records, and Gloucester County newspapers from 1819 to the present. Over 4,000 vertical files and more than 355,000 vital statistics index cards are also part of the collection. Wills from seven counties covering 1686 to 1900 are on file.

The Gloucester County Historical Society website has hours, directions, and information about their research services.

For serious Gloucester County genealogy, this society is an essential stop. Its breadth of records is hard to match anywhere in the region.

Gloucester Library Genealogy Tools

The Gloucester County Library System provides resources that support genealogy research. Public libraries often carry local history materials, newspaper archives, and access to digital databases. The Gloucester County Library System serves all municipalities in the county and can be a good complement to the records held at the Clerk's Office and Historical Society.

The Gloucester County Library System website has information about branch locations, hours, and available research tools for family history.

Libraries are useful for newspaper research, which can turn up obituaries, marriage notices, and community news tied to Gloucester County families.

Gloucester County Vital Records

Vital records are central to genealogy work. The New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics holds birth records from 1925, marriage records from 1951, and death records from 1951. For older Gloucester County records, the New Jersey State Archives has microfilmed vital records. Birth records cover 1848 to 1923. Marriage records span 1848 to 1948. Death records run 1848 to 1963. These are available for in-person research at 225 West State Street in Trenton.

Under N.J. Rev. Stat. 26:8-24, the State Registrar oversees all vital records in New Jersey and maintains a comprehensive index. For genealogical searches, the fee is $25 plus $1 for each extra year searched. Gloucester County researchers can order records through VitalChek at 877-622-7549 or visit the walk-in center at 140 East Front Street in Trenton for same-day service.

The State Archives also holds colonial marriage bonds from 1666 to 1799, divorce records from 1743 to 1947, and probate files from the 1670s onward. These cover Gloucester County and all other New Jersey counties.

Note: New Jersey vital records are restricted by law and cannot be browsed online, so you must submit a formal request for any copies.

Searching Gloucester County Genealogy

Gloucester County genealogy research works best with a clear plan. Start at the Clerk's Office for land records going back to 1686. Move to the Surrogate's Office for wills and estate files. Visit the Historical Society for its massive collection of books, church records, census data, and vital statistics index cards. Use state resources for vital records and older documents.

The main record types available for Gloucester County genealogy include:

• Real estate deeds and mortgages from 1686 to present
• Wills and probate records at the Surrogate's Office
• Census records from 1830 to 1920 at the Historical Society
• Church records spanning 115 volumes
• Over 355,000 vital statistics index cards
• Cemetery inscriptions in 125 volumes
• Newspapers from 1819 to the present

Online resources help too. The Reclaim The Records project offers free vital record indexes from the early 1900s. The Genealogical Society of New Jersey has cemetery transcriptions and a quarterly journal. The New Jersey State Library in Trenton offers free Ancestry.com access for on-site visitors. Gloucester County genealogy benefits from combining these online tools with the local resources in Woodbury.

Cities in Gloucester County

Gloucester County has many municipalities. All county-level genealogy records are maintained at the offices in Woodbury. The Clerk also operates a satellite office in Williamstown for select services.

Major communities include Woodbury, Deptford, Washington Township, Monroe Township, and Glassboro. All county records for these areas are filed at the Gloucester County Clerk's Office.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Gloucester County. Family members may have moved between these areas over the years, so checking neighboring county records can help round out your genealogy research.