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Genealogy Research with Maps: HOME

A guide to using maps available at The New York Public Library and elsewhere for genealogy research.

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Genealogists seek records that describe names, places, and dates. Maps describe places and their names at a given point in time and, sometimes, even record the names of people. Unsurprisingly, then, maps are very useful tools for genealogists.

The New York Public Library Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division is home to thousands of sheet maps and atlases published between the 16th and 21st centuries. The collections range in scale from global to local, and support the learning and research needs of a wide variety of users. Many of those maps have been digitized and made available through NYPL Digital Collections.

This research guide describes some of the ways those maps can be used for genealogical research. 

The image is a historic map showing a plan of property in the Town of Flatbush, Kings County, New York. The map, oriented horizontally, is drawn on a textured surface with a light beige background. The left side of the map illustrates a plotted area with numbered plots, streets, and property owners' names. Key streets shown include Martense Avenue, Linden Boulevard, Rogers Avenue, East Broadway, Neptune Avenue, St. Luke’s Place, and Bedford Avenue. Property lines are marked clearly, and several lots are numbered sequentially. The right side of the map contains a decorative title in ornate script, reading, “Map of Property in the Town of Flatbush. Kings County N.Y. Belonging to N.B. Kuliurh.” Additional information about the surveyor is provided below the title, indicating the date as June 1893. The bottom right corner shows the scale of the map, "Scale 50 = 1 inch."

Map of property in the town of Flatbush, Kings County, N.Y. : belonging to N.B. Kukuck, 1893 (NYPL Digital Collections)

Accessibility for Print Disabilities

For researchers with print disabilities, the Library has resources and services available upon request. The following services are available:

Digitization of Select Research Materials

Researchers who are homebound or have a print disability or visual impairment can explore many of our research collections online and request digitization of specific items of interest. To request the digitization service, email accessibility@nypl.org. Please note that you must be a patron of the Andrew Heiskell Library. This digitization service only includes material belonging to the research collections and does not apply to branch/circulating collections. 

Screen Readers and Enlargers 

Every public PC at all New York Public Library locations is equipped with JAWS screen reading software and MAGic software for enlarging the screen, changing colors and contrast, and screenreading. 

Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library

The Andrew Heiskell Library offers popular reading materials in accessible audio and braille formats, as well as free membership to the Bookshare database of over one million accessible texts. It also offers individual coaching and a large variety of group workshops on topics related to accessible technology. Check the listings on our website, call 212-206-5400, or email talkingbooks@nypl.org for details. It also hosts many networking groups, resource fairs, writing workshops, accessible art workshops, book clubs, and other events. All are listed in the quarterly newsletter, available by email, website (text or audio), or over the phone.

For more information, see the Accessibility at NYPL page. 

Reference librarians