Kalkaska County, Michigan Genealogy

Guide to Kalkaska County, Michigan ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for pseudo-Native American word coined by Henry Schoolcraft, a Michigan geographer, and ethnologist. The County is located in the north-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Kalkaska County Courthouse 605 N. Birch Street Kalkaska, MI 49646 Phone: 616-258-3300 Kalkaska County Website County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, divorce and court records from 1871 and burial records. Probate Judge has probate records. Register of Deeds has land records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Census Records
 State Census


 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1819-1991 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories

 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929-1966 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Civil War
 * 1876-1945 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War I
 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1837-1993 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Probate Records
Online Indexes and Records


 * 1784-1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry $
 * 1797-1973 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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.

Birth

 * 1867-1917 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1902 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Marriage

 * 1585-1945 - Michigan, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
 * 1820-1937 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1820-1940 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1868-1925 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Death

 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch   and images  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1897 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1897-1952 - Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index and images, organized by county and then last name.

Family History Centers

 * Kalkaska Michigan Family History Center

Libraries
Kalkaska County Library 247 S. Cedar Street Kalkaska, MI 49646 231-258-9265 E-mail:kalkaskadawn@hotmail.com Website

Museums
Kalkaska County Historical Society Museum PO Box 1178 361 South Cedar St. Kalkaska, MI 49646 Phone: 231-258-4854 Facebook

Societies
Kalkaska Genealogical Society PO Box 353 Kalkaska, MI 49646 Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Kalkaska County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – 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.