New Castle County, Delaware Genealogy
Guide to New Castle County, Delaware ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| New Castle County, Delaware | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Delaware, United States Genealogy | |
 Location of Delaware in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | August 8, 1673 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Wilmington |
| Courthouse | |
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Tax Records
- 2.27 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Websites
- 5 Research Guides
- 6 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
- The county was named for the English city of Newcastle. The county seat is Wilmington and the county was created August 8, 1637.
- The County is located in the north area of the state.[1]
- Previously known as New Amistel County, by 31 December 1674 the name had been changed to New Castle.
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
| ||||||
New Castle County Courthouse
800 North French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: 302-571-7545
- Clerk of Peace has marriage records from 1911.
- The Prothonotary has divorce and court records.
- Register of Wills has probate records
- Recorder of Deeds has land records. [2]
- The New Castle County Government Center
87 Reads Way
New Castle, DE 19720-1648
Most records of the older county records have been transferred to the Delaware Public Archives
New Castle County, Delaware[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| abt 1861 | 1744 | 1919 | 1676 | 1671 | 1680 | 1782 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
The British army confiscated many county records during the Revolutionary War. Most were eventually returned, but some were never recovered.[4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
- Parent County: New Castle County was created 8 August 1673 from New Amistel (old) County.
- County seat: Wilmington [5]
- For animated maps illustrating Delaware County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Delaware County Boundary Maps" (1673-1841) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
1638 Swedes and Finns settle at Fort Christiana (now Wilmington).[7][8] They eventually spread as far north as Philadelphia. See New Sweden Genealogy wiki article for more details.
1651 Dutch build Fort Casimir and Sandhook (now New Castle City).[9][10][11] See New Netherland Genealogy article for details.
1654 New Sweden captures Fort Casimir without a fight. It is renamed Fort Trinity (Trefaldighets).
1655 New Netherland returns a large army and forces all of New Sweden to submit to Dutch rule.
1664 As part of the Second Anglo-Dutch War New Netherland is surrendered to England.
1673 A new war breaks out. The Dutch send a huge armada to recapture New Netherland, but at the end of 1674 it is finally ceded to England.[12] Nieuw Amstel is renamed New Castle after the English take control.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web sites may have additional information on New Castle County cemeteries.
- Catholic Cemeteries Burial Database for All Saints, Cathedral and Gate of Heaven Cemeteries Courtesy of the Diocese of Wilmington
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1790 | 19,688 | — |
| 1800 | 25,361 | 28.8% |
| 1810 | 24,429 | −3.7% |
| 1820 | 27,899 | 14.2% |
| 1830 | 29,720 | 6.5% |
| 1840 | 33,120 | 11.4% |
| 1850 | 42,780 | 29.2% |
| 1860 | 54,797 | 28.1% |
| 1870 | 63,515 | 15.9% |
| 1880 | 77,716 | 22.4% |
| 1890 | 97,182 | 25.0% |
| 1900 | 109,697 | 12.9% |
| 1910 | 123,188 | 12.3% |
| 1920 | 148,239 | 20.3% |
| 1930 | 161,032 | 8.6% |
| 1940 | 179,562 | 11.5% |
| 1950 | 218,879 | 21.9% |
| 1960 | 307,446 | 40.5% |
| 1970 | 385,856 | 25.5% |
| 1980 | 398,115 | 3.2% |
| 1990 | 441,946 | 11.0% |
| 2000 | 500,265 | 13.2% |
| 2010 | 538,479 | 7.6% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Territory and State Census Records[edit | edit source]
Federal Census Records[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing New Castle County, Delaware Genealogy census records online, see: Delaware Census.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1708-1985 - Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania – $, free to members of the society; Also available at Ancestry.com – $; 7,542,774 entries. This database is incomplete for all counties.
Contains church records of:
- Wilmington: Central Presbyterian Church; First Presbyterian Church; Holy Trinity Church; St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
- Swedes Church
- Christina Parish was located in what is now Wilmington. A 1754 membership list is preserved in Archivum Americanum at the Consistory Court of the Archbishop of Upsal in Sweden. A copy is held at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.[13]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Large numbers of Scotch-Irish immigrants who settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania Genealogy, probably arrived at the port of New Castle in the early 1700s.[14]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Online County Histories
- Fort Casimir : the Starting Point in the History of New Castle. By Alexander B. Cooper. 1905. Wilmington, [Del.] : n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books, Ancestry ($).
- The Old Hollingsworth Plantation. By Clinton Alfred Weslager. n.d. Wilmington, Delaware : Historic Red Clay Valley. Digitized by FamilySearch, 2009, and Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
American Revolution[edit | edit source]
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital version at Google Books. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Delaware, New Castle County on page 126.]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Civil War service men from New Castle County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in New Castle County.
- 1861-1865 - Delaware Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1917-1919 - Delaware, World War I Servicemen Records, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
World War II[edit | edit source]
- 1940-1945 - Delaware, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Delaware Public Archives has placed the New Castle County Naturalizations Original petitions and other legal documents of immigrants wishing to become American citizens on-line. There is an alphabetical listing of the names and dates.The date listed reflects the year of the file and may vary from the document displayed. The file for each individual may contain more documentation.
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
- A Calendar of Delaware Wills, New Castle County, 1682-1800. New York, NY: National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, 1911; Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1969. (Family History Library book 975.11 S2n.)
School Records[edit | edit source]
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
The 1676 list of taxables has been published:
- Dickson, Taylor L. and P.S.P. Conner. "Some Data Concerning the Taking of Wolves in New Castle County in 1676, and a Reprint of the Taxables of that Year," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan. 1895):29-34. For free online access, see WeRelate.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
- 1650-1974 Delaware Vital Records, 1650-1974 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1847-1954 Delaware, Wilmington Vital Records, 1847-1954 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- See also How to order Delaware Vital Records, order electronically online $ Delaware
Birth[edit | edit source]
Download an application for Delaware Birth Certificate to mail
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1784-2007 Delaware, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- Download an application for Marriage Certificate to mail
Death[edit | edit source]
- New Castle County, Delaware Obituary and Death Notice Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the Wilmington, Newark, Elsmere, New Castle, Middletown, Delaware City, Newport, Bellefonte and Odessa areas.
- Download an application for Death Certificate to mail
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Introduction to Family History Centers
- Newark Delaware Family History Center
- Wilmington Delaware Family History Center
Societies, Libraries, and Museums[edit | edit source]
- Delaware Genealogical Society
Center for African American Heritage
505 N. Market Street
Wilmington, Delaware 19801-3091
302 655-7161
E-Mail: president@delgensoc.org
Website
- Jewish Historical Society of Delaware
505 North Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19801-3091
Website
- New Castle Historical Society
30 Market Street
New Castle, DE 19720
302-322-2794
Fax: 302-322-8923
Email: nchistorical@aol.com
Website
- Fort Delaware Society
P.O. Box 553
33 Staff Lane, Fort DuPont State Park
Delaware City, DE 19706
302 834-1630
E-Mail: society@fortdelaware.org
Website
- Winterthur Heritage Association
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
5105 Kennett Pike
Wilmington, DE 19735
302.888.4681
E-Mail: reference@winterthur.org
Website
See also a List of Delaware Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
Websites[edit | edit source]
- New Castle County, DE History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Delaware Genealogy Network Community on Google+
- Delaware Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- The New Castle County DEGenWeb Project, an member of The DEGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- The USGenWeb Archives Project for New Castle County
- FamilySearch.org FamilySearch Catalog for New Castle County
- New Castle County, Delaware Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- New Castle County Genealogy (Delaware Genealogy)
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "New Castle County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Castle_County,_Delaware 04/27/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), New Castle, Delaware Page 121 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), New Castle County, Delaware. Page 121 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 118.
- ↑ Hancock, Harold. "Delaware's Captured Colonial Records." Delaware History Vol. 9, No. 4 (October 1961).
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "New Castle County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Castle_County,_Delaware, accessed 24 October 2018.
- ↑ Amandus Johnson, "Detailed Map of New Sweden 1638-1655" in Amandus Johnson's book The Swedes on the Delaware 1638-1664 (Philadelphia: Swedish Colonial Society, 1915), 392.
- ↑ John A. Munroe, Colonial Delaware: A History] (Millwood, N.Y.:KTO Press, 1978) [FHL book 975.1 H2mu], 16-18. “From there they proceeded according to instructions up the Delaware and into the Christina River, the Minquas Kill to the Dutch. Here, after reconnoitering the stream, Minuit met with Indians and purchased lands from Duck Creek (the southern boundary of New Castle County) to the Schuylkill. Here too a site was picked for a settlement that was called Fort Christina. It was at the Rocks, ‘a wharf of stone’ on the Christina about two miles from the Delaware River and above the junction of the Christina and its main tributary, the Brandywine, on the east side of the present city of Wilmington.”
- ↑ Johnson, Detailed Map.
- ↑ "Fort Casimir" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Casimir (accessed 7 November 2008).
- ↑ Philip S. Klein, and Ari Hoogenboom, "A History of Pennsylvania, 2nd ed." (University Park, Penn.: Penn State Press, 1980; digitized by Google at http://books.google.com/books?id=AB24rFZOmzcC), 11.
- ↑ "New Netherland" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_netherland (accessed 13 December 2008).
- ↑ Charles J. Stillé, "Archivum Americanum in the Consistory Court of the Archbishop of Upsal," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 15 (1891):482, 484-485. For free online access, see WeRelate.
- ↑ Wayland F. Dunaway, The Scotch-Irish of Colonial Pennsylvania (Chapel Hill, N.C.: The University of North Carolina Press, 1944), 51. Free digital version at PA's Past: Digital Bookshelf at Penn State.
