Listed record inventories
Selected holdings and indexes for Cattaraugus County, checked against the repository descriptions linked below. Date spans may contain gaps; an index is not a complete set of original records.
Wills and estates
Court records
- Minutes/Records of the County Court, 1817-present · court-record survey1817-present (as described by source; confirm cutoff)
- Minutes/Records of the Supreme Court, 1817-present · court-record survey1817-present (as described by source; confirm cutoff)
Naturalization records
- Naturalization Records · court-record surveyDates not stated in survey
Newspapers and directories
- Allegany citizen (Allegany, N.Y.) · Allegany · NYSL newspaper microfilm1896–1976 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Cattaraugus chronicle (Cattaraugus, N.Y.) · Cattaraugus · NYSL newspaper microfilm1879–1880 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Cattaraugus press. · Delevan · NYSL newspaper microfilm1923–1924 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Cattaraugus Republican (Ellicottville, N.Y. : 1836) · Ellicottville · NYSL newspaper microfilm1844–1854 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Cattaraugus Republican (Ellicottville, N.Y. : 1867) · Ellicottville · NYSL newspaper microfilm1867–1872 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Chronicle-journal, Cattaraugus star and Rushford spectator. · Franklinville · NYSL newspaper microfilm1943–1956 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Enterprise (Gowanda, N.Y.) · Gowanda · NYSL newspaper microfilm1914–1921 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Gowanda enterprise (Gowanda, N.Y. : 1921) · Gowanda · NYSL newspaper microfilm1921–1941 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Gowanda news. · Gowanda · NYSL newspaper microfilm1905–1940 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Gowanda news and observer. · Gowanda · NYSL newspaper microfilm1965–1980 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Cattaraugus County Republican. · Little Valley · NYSL newspaper microfilm1872–1877 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Cattaraugus Republican (Little Valley, N.Y.) · Little Valley · NYSL newspaper microfilm1877–1938 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- The Little Valley hub. · Little Valley · NYSL newspaper microfilm1919–1967 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- The Independent Olean Press. · Olean · NYSL newspaper microfilm1989–1989 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Olean evening times. · Olean · NYSL newspaper microfilm1909–1931 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Times herald (Olean, N.Y.) · Olean · NYSL newspaper microfilm1932–1932 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Portville review. · Portville · NYSL newspaper microfilm1909–1952 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- The Portville star. · Portville · NYSL newspaper microfilm1954–1969 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Republican press (Salamanca, N.Y.) · Salamanca · NYSL newspaper microfilm1904–1926 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Salamanca inquirer. · Salamanca · NYSL newspaper microfilm1919–1941 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Salamanca press. · Salamanca · NYSL newspaper microfilm1981–1981 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
- Salamanca Republican-press. · Salamanca · NYSL newspaper microfilm1926–1981 · scattered issues; consult exact holdings
See the repository's descriptions and search options
Repository access note: Selected sources are linked on individual entries. NYSL newspaper dates summarize service-copy microfilm holdings, not a continuous run or the newspaper’s entire publication life; follow the link for exact issues and gaps. Court surveys describe county holdings and may require advance arrangements. Historical NYG&B microfilm listings refer to a collection transferred to NYPL; confirm current availability there. These sources do not promise online images or complete county coverage.
Sources: the catalogs and repository descriptions linked on the entries above. Selected inventories do not establish complete coverage of every record type or online access to original documents. Read the repository access note for source dates and limitations.
Where to find the records
- Cattaraugus County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the county clerk, the surrogate's court and the town or city clerk, and any online record search the county offers.
- The county clerk
Deeds and other land records, naturalizations and court records.
- The surrogate's court
Wills, estates and guardianships.
- The town or city clerk
Births, marriages and deaths registered locally (New York City has its own vital records).
- The New York State Archives
In Albany: state records, including the state censuses, and the statewide indexes to births, marriages and deaths outside New York City.
- New York State Archivesfree
The state archives in Albany: state censuses, court and military records, and genealogical guides.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "New York, Cattaraugus" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Allegany County, Genesee County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Allegany County, Genesee County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1808, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
New York took state censuses in years ending in 5 from 1825 to 1875, and in 1892, 1905, 1915 and 1925. Many survive at the county clerk's office and fill gaps between federal censuses.