Union County Probate Records
Union County probate court records are held at the Surrogate's Office in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The county was formed on March 19, 1857, from parts of Essex County. Elizabeth is the county seat. The Surrogate's Office handles wills, estate files, guardianship papers, and letters of administration for all of Union County. You can search for probate court records by visiting the Elizabeth or Westfield office or by using state archive tools. This page explains how to find and obtain probate court records in Union County.
Union County Quick Facts
Union County Surrogate's Office
Christopher Hudak, Esq. serves as the Union County Surrogate. The main office is at the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Old Annex, 2nd Floor, in Elizabeth, NJ 07207. A second office is at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield, NJ 07090. You can reach the office by phone at (908) 527-4280. All visits are by appointment only.
Union County was formed on March 19, 1857, from Essex County. It is a mid-sized county in the northeastern part of the state. The Surrogate's Office has kept probate court records since the county was formed. The office validates wills, issues letters testamentary and letters of administration, handles guardianship cases, and manages trust matters. All of these tasks create records that become part of the Union County probate court system.
| Elizabeth Office |
Union County Courthouse 2 Broad St, Old Annex, 2nd Fl Elizabeth, NJ 07207 |
|---|---|
| Westfield Office |
Colleen Fraser Bldg 300 North Ave East Westfield, NJ 07090 |
| Phone | (908) 527-4280 |
| Website | ucnj.org/surrogate |
Note: All visits to the Union County Surrogate's Office are by appointment only. Call (908) 527-4280 before you go.
Union County Probate Court Records Online
The Union County Surrogate maintains a website with key details for anyone who needs to file or look up probate court records. The site lists office hours, forms, and contact details for both the Elizabeth and Westfield locations.
Below is a view of the Union County Surrogate's official website.
This site has forms and guides for wills, estates, and guardianship filings in Union County.
Probate court files in Union County are public record. Anyone may ask to see them. You do not need to be a relative or heir to view a probate file. This makes Union County probate court records useful for attorneys, genealogists, and researchers alike.
Union County Probate Filing Process
Under N.J.S.A. 3B:3-22, probate in Union County cannot begin until the day after 10 days from the date of death. This waiting period applies to all estates. Once that time has passed, the executor named in the will can bring the paperwork to the Surrogate's Office. The process takes about 30 to 45 minutes when all documents are ready.
To probate a will in Union County, you need the original will, a death certificate with a raised seal, the names and addresses of next of kin, and the filing fees. Fees range from $150 to $200. The base filing fee is $100 for two pages, plus $5 for each added page. Certified copies cost $5 each. Under N.J.S.A. 3B:3-19, the Surrogate has the power to admit a will to probate in Union County.
The Union County Surrogate FAQ page covers many common questions about probate court records. It notes that certified death certificates must come from Local Registrars, not the Surrogate. It also explains the steps for intestate estates.
Below is a view of the Union County Surrogate FAQ page.
The FAQ page answers the most common questions about filing probate court records in Union County.
Union County Letters of Administration
If there is no will, the estate is intestate. A family member can apply for Letters of Administration under N.J.S.A. 3B:10-1. This process takes 30 to 45 minutes at the Union County Surrogate's Office. You will need a death certificate with a raised seal, signed renunciations from other heirs, and a list of assets. Sections N.J.S.A. 3B:10-3 and 3B:10-4 set the order of who may serve as administrator.
The Surrogate's Office will review the paperwork and issue letters that let the administrator manage the estate. All filings create probate court records in Union County. These records are public and can be viewed by anyone who asks.
Union County Probate Records at State Archives
The New Jersey State Archives catalog for Union County lists microfilmed probate court records from the founding of the county. Researchers, genealogists, and family members use these files to trace estates and family lines.
The State Archives holds Will Books from 1857 to 1922 and Orphans Court Minutes from 1857 to 1902. Administration Bonds cover 1861 to 1902. Letters of Administration span 1857 to 1900. Guardian Bonds run from 1861 to 1904. Dockets extend from 1857 to the 1960s. These records form a broad collection of Union County probate court records for historical research.
Below is a view of the State Archives catalog for Union County probate records.
You can view these reels at the State Archives in Trenton or order them through interlibrary loan.
Because Union County was formed from Essex County in 1857, any probate court records filed before that date are kept in Essex County. If your search leads to a time before Union County existed, check Essex County records.
Union County Clerk and Court Resources
The Union County Clerk's Office handles land records that may tie to probate matters. When an estate includes real property, the deed transfer goes through the Clerk. If you are tracing property that passed through an estate, you may need records from both the Surrogate and the Clerk in Union County.
Below is a view of the Union County Clerk's website.
The Clerk's Office can help with deed searches that connect to Union County probate court records.
The New Jersey Courts website has forms, guides, and contact details for all county courts. It is useful if you need state-level information about probate court records in Union County. The New Jersey Legislature website has the full text of probate statutes, including N.J.S.A. 3B:10-3 and 3B:10-4 on small estate affidavits.
Historical Probate Records in Union County
Union County probate court records are a useful source for genealogical research. The county dates back to 1857. Its records at the State Archives reach back to that year. Wills from the mid-1800s list family members, land, and personal property. They name children, spouses, and sometimes neighbors. Administration records show who took charge of an estate when there was no will. These details help build family trees and trace property in Union County.
Dockets from 1857 to the 1960s provide a broad index to Union County probate court records. They list cases by name and date. This makes them a good starting point for any search. Orphans Court Minutes from 1857 to 1902 cover cases that dealt with minors and land divisions. All of these are part of the Union County probate court records at the State Archives.
Note: For records before 1857, you must search Essex County. Union County did not exist before that date, so all earlier probate court records are in Essex.
Cities and Towns in Union County
Union County has many cities and towns. All of them file probate court records through the Surrogate's Office in Elizabeth. No matter which town you live in, the Union County Surrogate handles your estate matters.
Other communities in Union County include Westfield, Cranford, Linden, and Rahway. All probate court records for these places go through the Surrogate's Office.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Union County. If you need probate court records from before 1857, check Essex County. Records for the area that became Union County were filed there before the split.