Waukesha County, Wisconsin Genealogy
Guide to Waukesha County, Wisconsin ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for the Potawatomi word for 'fox' because the streams in the lower part of the county drain into the Fox River. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Waukesha County Courthouse
515 W. Moreland Boulevard
Waukesha, WI 53188
Phone: 262-896-8525
Waukesha County Website
Vital records were not required until 1907. Before that time some civil records are available according to the dates below:
Births are available circa 1860 - present; death records are available circa 1872 - present; marriage records are available circa 1846 - present.
Records prior to 1846 may be found in Milwaukee County.
Waukesha County, Wisconsin Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1860 | 1846 | 1879 | 1962 | 1841 | 1846 | 1820 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Wisconsin County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Wisconsin County Boundary Maps" (1790-1961) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator (See also: Towns, Villages and Townships - Waukesha County Online Genealogy and Family History Library). The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- 1880 Biographical Index: History Of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, 1880 - USGenWeb Archives
- 1894 Biographical Index: Portrait And Biographical Record Of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, 1894 - USGenWeb Archives
- 1907 Biographical Index: Memoirs Of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, 1907 - USGenWeb Archives
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 19,258 | — |
| 1860 | 26,831 | 39.3% |
| 1870 | 28,274 | 5.4% |
| 1880 | 28,957 | 2.4% |
| 1890 | 33,270 | 14.9% |
| 1900 | 35,229 | 5.9% |
| 1910 | 37,100 | 5.3% |
| 1920 | 42,612 | 14.9% |
| 1930 | 52,358 | 22.9% |
| 1940 | 62,744 | 19.8% |
| 1950 | 85,901 | 36.9% |
| 1960 | 158,249 | 84.2% |
| 1970 | 231,365 | 46.2% |
| 1980 | 280,326 | 21.2% |
| 1990 | 304,715 | 8.7% |
| 2000 | 360,767 | 18.4% |
| 2010 | 389,891 | 8.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Waukesha census records online, see: Wisconsin Census.
- 1838-1930 - State and Federal Census Extracts Listed by township. WIGenWeb project
State Census
- 1855 - Wisconsin State Census, 1855 This census includes name of head of family; other individuals in the household are identified by sex and race, number of deaf and dumb, blind, insane and foreign born. - How to Use this Collection
- 1865 - Wisconsin State Census, 1865 Name index and images of the 1865 State Census which names the head of household. Most records have been destroyed but schedules exist for the following counties: Dunn, Green, Jackson, Kewaunee, Ozaukee, and Sheboygan. - How to Use this Collection
- 1875 - Wisconsin State Census, 1875 Identifies head of household by name. - How to Use this Collection
- 1885 - Wisconsin State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch — index and images. Search indexed census.Identifies by name of head of household. Other information is statistical and identifies the rest of the household by race, gender and country of birth. - How to Use this Collection
- 1895 - Wisconsin State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical. - How to Use this Collection
- 1905 - Wisconsin State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants. - How to Use this Collection
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Wisconsin denominations, view the Wisconsin Church Records wiki page.
Lutheran
Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc
- Records of Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
St. John's (Pine Lake) Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc
- Records of St. John's (Pine Lake) Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).[6]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Wisconsin Land and Property for additional information about early Wisconsin land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
- Wisconsin Land Patents Database: Waukesha County Alphabetical links. USGenWeb Archives
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Chicago : Western Historical Company. Online at: Internet Archive.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Wisconsin
- Overlay of Waukesha County outline over google map. Wisconisn Home Town Locator.
- Early Maps of Waukesha County Years include 1859,1873,1891,1895, 1965, 1973, 2000
- Waukesha County starts at page 11.
- UN of Milwaukee map of Wauesha County
- Plat Book of Waukesha
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Veteran and Soldier Military History USGenWeb Archives
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Regiments. Service men in Waukesha served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Waukesha:
- - 1st Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company F
- - 3rd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company D
- - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies F and G
- - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Company C
- - 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company K
- - 11th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company D
- - 15th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company D
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Waukesha County Daily Freeman Ancestry ($)
- Wisconsin Digital Newspaper at Wisconsin State Historical Society
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records are held by the Waukesha Clerk of Circuit Court and are housed at the Waukesha Courthouse. See the wiki page Wisconsin Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Content: Probate records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, and adoptions.
Online Records
- 1800–1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry — images and index $
- 1848–1948 Wisconsin Probate Estate Files 1848-1948 at FamilySearch — images - How to Use this Collection
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Wisconsin tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned property or other items that could be taxed were listed, some residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records. For more information see the Wiki page, Wisconsin Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Most counties started keeping records in the 1870s. In 1907, the counties began sending copies to the state.
For pre-1907 births, deaths, and marriages, search the Wisconsin Genealogy Index.
For additional information, see Wisconsin Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1820-1907 Wisconsin, Birth Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1820-1920: Wisconsin, Birth Index, 1808-1920 at MyHeritage - index ($)
- 1826-1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry — index $
- 1826-1926 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- Waukesha County Family Page WIGenWeb project
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1836-1911 Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1836-1930 Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 1973-1997 Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index/images $
- Waukesha County Family Page WIGenWeb project
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1820-1907 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1835-1968 Wisconsin, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1907 Wisconsin, Death Records, 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 1959-1997 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Deaths, Burials, Funerals and Cemetery Records Waukesha County - WIGenWeb project
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1965-1984 Wisconsin, Divorce Index, 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Waukesha County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Wisconsin Archives and Libraries.
- Area Research Center - University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Division of Archives and Special Collections
Golda Meir Library, Room W250
2311 East Hartford Avenue
PO Box 604
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0604
Phone: 414-229-5402
Email: askarch@uwm.edu
Website
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Kettle Moraine Wisconsin Family History Center
- Milwaukee Wisconsin Family History Center
- Milwaukee Wisconsin North Family History Center
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Waukesha County. For state-wide library facilities, see Wisconsin Archives and Libraries.
- Golda Meir Library - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Area Research Center, Milwaukee, Division of Archives and Special Collections
Golda Meir Library, Room W250
2311 East Hartford Avenue
PO Box 604
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0604
Phone: 414-229-5402
Email: askarch@uwm.edu
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
- Waukesha County Genealogical Society
PO Box 1541
Waukesha WI 53187-1541
Email:waukcgs@gmail.com
Facebook
Website - Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum
101 West Main St
Waukesha, WI 53186-4811
Phone 262-521-2859
Email:info@wchsm.org
Facebook
Website - Elmbrook Historical Society
PO Box 292
1075 Pilgrim Parkway
Brookfield, WI 53008-0292
Phone: 262-782-4057
Email:elmbrookhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Website - Hartland Historical Society
PO Box 54
Hartland, WI 53029
Phone: 262-367-2979
Website - Hawks Inn Historical Society
426 Wells St
Delafield, WI 53018-141
Website - Menomonee Falls Historical Society
PO Box 91
N96 W15791 County Line Road
Menomonee Falls, WI 53052-0091
Phone 262-250-3901
Website - Muskego Historical Society
PO Box 137
W184 S8074 Racine Ave
Muskego, WI 53150
Phone 262-679-1173
Facebook
Website - New Berlin Historical Society
19885 National Avenue
New Berlin, WI 53146
Phone: 262-679-6508
Facebook
Website - Oconomowoc Historical Society
PO Box 245
103 W Jefferson St
Oconomowoc, WI 53066-0969
Phone: 262-569-0740
Email:oahsm@att.net
Facebook
Website - Pewaukee Area Historical Society
PO Box 104
206 E Wisconsin Avenue
Pewaukee, WI 53072
Phone: 262-691-0233
Email:info@pewaukeehistory.org
Facebook
Website - Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society
PO Box 2
N64 W23760 Main St. Suite 240
Sussex, WI 53089-0032
Phone Fred Keller 262-246-3603
or Rita Hahn (President) 262-422-7870
Email:slahsinc@yahoo.com
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Waukesha County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Waukesha County Online Genealogy and Family History Library
- US GenWeb Archives, Waukesha County
- Linkpendium Waukesha County
- WI GenWeb Waukesha County
- Waukesha County Genealogical Society
- Waukesha County Search Ancestry ($)
- Cyndi's List Wisconsin Page (scroll down or search down to "Waukesha")
- Live Roots - Waukesha County Page
- Wis Genealogy Trails - Waukesha County Page
- FamilySearch Catalog - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Waukesha County, Wisconsin " in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waukesha_County,_Wisconsin."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Page 755-760, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 757-759.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Waukesha County, Wisconsin," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waukesha_County,_Wisconsin, accessed 13 Dec 2018.
- ↑ "Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: An Inventory of Selected Congregational Records of the American Lutheran Church in Minnesota at the Minnesota Historical Society," Collection Finding Aids, Minnesota Historical Society, http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/01009.xml, accessed 10 June 2013.
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