Schenectady County Church Records

St. Luke's Church in Schenectady. The Grems-Doolittle Library has records of baptisms, marriages, and deaths in St. Luke's Church from 1916-2002. Photograph from the Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection.

The Grems-Doolittle Library has copies of church records - including records of births/baptisms, marriages, deaths/burials, and church membership - from a number of churches in Schenectady County. Such records are extremely helpful to genealogists in substantiating family connections, and provide important biographical information for those interested more broadly in local history. These records are especially useful in tracing the lives of people who lived in the area before 1880-1881, when New York State first required records documenting births, marriages, and deaths.


Page from the baptismal register of Woestina Reformed Church in Rotterdam. These records, like most of the church records in our collection, are transcribed and indexed.

There is a quick-reference guide to Schenectady County church records available in our library. This guide at a glance includes information about the city or town, denomination, church name, and the date ranges for various types of records associated with each church. This guide to Schenectady County church records at a glance can be found here.

Records from German Lutheran Church, 1800s.

If you're not sure what church records to check in looking for ancestors, our staff and volunteers can help you. Also, if we do not have church records available for a congregation you are looking for, we may be able to provide you with a referral to locate those records. We also have church histories, clipping files, and other resources regarding local churches if you are looking for more information about the ethnic community or neighborhood the church was associated with.  

In addition to church records for Schenectady County, the Library also has holdings of church records for other counties in New York State. Stop by, give us a call, or send an email to ask about our holdings for other counties you might be interested in!