Another type of genealogy record that provides tremendous value is criminal records. Some of our ancestors unfortunately got in trouble with the law. And records were kept from arrests through court cases to prison documents. Now, more and more of these records are being digitized or transcribed and are being made available online.
Types of Records
- Criminal court proceedings
- Police reports
- Prison and jail admission registers
- Arrest records
- Mug books
- Pardon and discharge information
- Hospital record books
- Workhouse records
Types of Information
- Name
- Age
- Birth date
- Height
- Weight
- Complexion
- Eye color
- Hair color
- Nationality
- Occupation
- Education
- Habits (alcohol use)
- Relations (parents living)
- Date incarcerated
- Court where charged
- Recommitments
- How and when discharged
Note: Some of the links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage, please make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Listed below are links to criminal records that are available for free online for the state; the first list is for multi-state collections:
United States
- Before the Needles, Executions in America Database
- Death Penalty USA, Executions 1607-1976 (by state)
- Federal Bureau of Prisons, Inmate Search 1982-
- Freedmen’s Bureau Records Relating to Murders and Outrages
New York
- Albion Correctional Facility Inmate Index
- Allegany County, Early Court Records
- Attica Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Auburn Correctional Facility Inmate Index
- Bayview Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Bedford Hills Correctional Facility Inmate Index
- Bushwick Correctional Facility Inmate Index
- Chautauqua County, County Jail Inmates – 1860 Census
- Chautauqua County, County Jail Inmates – 1880 Census
- Chautauqua County, County Jail Inmates – 1900 Census
- Chautauqua County, County Jail Inmates – 1920 Census
- Clinton Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Cortland County, Miscellaneous Court Records, 1808-1849
- Cortland County, Records of Various Courts, 1824-1880
- Coxsackie Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Department of Corrections, Inmate Lookup, 1970-
- Eastern Correctional Facility Inmate Index
- Edgecombe Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Elmira Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Executions in New York
- Executions in New York, 1600-1799
- Executions in New York, 1646-1963
- Fulton Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Great Meadow Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Green Haven Correctional Facility Inmate Index
- Groveland Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Lincoln Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Livingston County, Oyer and Terminer Minutes, 1840-1841, 1859-1871
- Marcy Correctional Facility inmate Index
- New York City Prison “The Tombs”, 1850 Convict Census
- New York State Pardons, 1819-1923
- New York State Reformatory Register of New Inmates, Index
- New York, Minutes and Roll of Attorneys, 1789-1841
- Parkside Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Parole Board female inmate Index
- Queensboro Correctional Facility inmate Index
- Sing Sing Prison List of Foreign Born Prisoners, Index
- Sing Sing Prison, Index
- St. Lawrence County, Minutes of Circuit Court and Court of Oyer & Terminer, 1848-1857
- Wayne County, Arrest Notes, 1883-1934
- Yates County, Indictments, 1823-1899
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
