New York, U.S., Hebrew Orphan Asylum Records, 1860-1934

The New York Hebrew Orphan Asylum was established in 1860 by the Hebrew Benevolent Society, a society already taking care of Jewish orphans. It later merged with the Jewish Child Care Association. Records of this orphanage, among other items, include:

• Admission and discharge records


• Medical records


• Conduct books


• Administrative and financial records


• Property records


• Meeting minutes


• Donation books


• Publications


• Correspondence


• Reports

The records most pertinent to genealogy research are the admission and discharge records. These records listed the names of children admitted to or discharged from the orphanage and could record the following information:

• Date of admission or discharge


• Age and/or birth date


• Nativity or birthplace


• Reason for discharge or admission


• Transfer information


• Names of parents


• Nativity of parents


• Occupation of parents


• Residence


• To whom discharged


• Remarks

Please note that ages or birthdates may not be accurate. Some orphans returned to the orphanage several times and may be found in the records more than once.

Ancestry.com has reproduced these records courtesy of the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) where this collection is available on microfilm.