Genealogy Resources

If you have a relative or ancestor who lived in Piscataway, you might want to check these resources first.

  • First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge, Olde East New Jersey, 1664-1714, by Orra Eugene Monnette. There are 7 volumes in this series, with the seventh holding an index to all the volumes. We have a copy in the Local History Room, available for research. Digital copies of the volumes (except Volume 3) are available online thanks to the Hathi Trust : https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/102006954. Volume 3 may be sourced from FamilySearch, however sign up is required to view the document.
    • Volume 1 contains: New Jersey, New York, and New England Sources; Surname Lists; First Settlers; Staten Island; Maps; and more.
    • Volume 2 contains: Vital Records of Piscataway and Woodbridge.
    • Volume 3 contains: Gleanings from Early New Jersey Records; Archives and Printed Sources; Surname Reference and Identification of the First Settlers by Date, Place, and Activities in Community Life for the Period.
    • Volume 4 contains: Miscellaneous Data Concerning the First Settlers, with Historical Connotations and Genealogical Interpretations as May Lend Interest and Historical Development.
    • Volume 5 contains: Articles by “Gerer,” First Appearing in the Department of “Jersey Genealogy,” Published by The Newark Evening News, of Newark, New Jersey, with Revisions, Corrections, and Ammendments.
    • Volume 6 contains: Genealogies of the First Settlers, of the First Three or More Generations in America of Each Surname in New Jersey.
    • Volume 7 contains: Index and Conclusive Reactions by Orra E. Monnette.

 

 

  • New Jersey Hispanic Research and Information Center at Newark Public Library — The Center addresses the informational needs of the state’s diverse Hispanic and Latinx communities, from the newly arrived monolingual immigrant to the English dominant scholarly researcher. It consists of three components: the Sala Hispanoamericana, the Hispanic Reference Collection, and the Puerto Rican Community Archives.

 

  • New Jersey State Archives — The state archives holds genealogical collections, searchable databases of documents and photographs, and much more. Looking for birth, marriage, and death records, or military service and pension documents, cout cases, state censuses, tax lists, early land and probate records? Start your search here.

 

  • New Jersey State Library — The state library’s genealogical materials include 6,000 family histories, 1,000 city directories, and many other materials related to local municipalities. The Genealogy Librarian is Regina Fitzpatrick, who developed a very handy Genealogy Research Guide. She may be contacted here.

 

  • Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society — African-American genealogy research can be challenging, but this society provides useful tooks and guidance for researchers. The society’s main site is here, and if you are interested in contacting the New Jersey Chapter, their web site is here.

 

  • AsiaGenWeb Project — This site is a section of the WorldGenWeb Project. It holds family histories, source records, and links to databases that can help Asian genealogy researchers. It is an ongoing project, and they are seeking volunteers to help fill in spots.

 

  • Chinese-American Genealogy — This subsection of American Ancestors (a useful genealogy site overall) stands out from typical genealogical guidance in that it includes an exhaustive list of Chinese Exlusion Acts. This article provides links to resources such as genealogies, periodicals, organizations, languages notes, and more.

 

  • JewishGen — This site is the clearinghouse for Jewish genealogy research. There are more than 30 million searchable records, research tools and databases, family trees, and much more.

 

  • HeritageQuest — Using your library card’s barcode number, sign in to search more than 4.4 billion records. These include census records, genealogies, city directories, military records, wills and probate records, Freedman’s Bank records, maps, and photos, among others.

 

  • FamilySearch — While it’s a free genealogy service run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you still must create an account to search the genealogical and historical records. The company also has many tools that are worthwhile such as guides in many different languages.

 

  • MyHeritage — Piscataway Public Library does not have an account, but there are many free resources available such as printable family trees and specific guides on how to search military records.

 

 

  • National Genealogical Society — The society features useful tools for beginners such as free genealogy charts, templates, and tutorials on the US Census and How to Borrow Books from the NGS Book Loan Collection. Start your exploring here.

 

  • Find A Grave — This site provides photographs and descriptive information of memorials and cemeteries. Links to family members often can be found.