Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Genealogy

Guide to Milwaukee County Wisconsin ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

United States Wisconsin  Milwaukee County



County Courthouse
Milwaukee County Courthouse 901 N 9th Street Milwaukee, WI 53233 Phone: 414.278.4987 Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, and death records, land records from 1835; Register in Probate has probate records from 1838

Parent County
1834--Milwaukee County was created 6 September 1834 from Brown and Iowa Counties. County seat: Milwaukee

Boundary Changes
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.

Record Loss
For a list of record loss in Wisconsin Counties see: Wisconsin Counties with Burned Courthouses

Neighboring Counties
Ozaukee •  Racine  •  Washington  •  Waukesha



Biography

 * Biography Records USGenWeb Archives

Cemeteries

 * Milwaukee Wisonsin Cemeteries

Catholic Cemeteries

 * A Genealogy Search form for Catholic cemeteries in Milwaukee is provided by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
 * USGenWeb Archives has a list and links to cemetery records.
 * Milwaukee County Online Genealogy and Family History Library has links to cemeteries, transcribed obituaries and free online death indexes.

Wisconsin State Censuis

 * 1855 Wisconsin State Census 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.
 * 1865 Wisconsin State Census 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.
 * 1875 Wisconsin State Census Identifies head of household by name.
 * 1885 Wisconsin State Census 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.
 * 1895 Wisconsin State Census Index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical.
 * 1905 Wisconsin State Census Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants.

Federal Census

 * 1850 Federal Census for Milwaukee County
 * 1860 Federal Census for Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee, Ward 2
 * 1860 Federal Census for Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee, Ward 3
 * 1860 Federal Census for Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee, Ward 9
 * 1870 Federal Census for Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee, Ward 1


 * Links to Milwaukee County Census Records by Township

Church History and Records

 * Milwaukee Wisconsin Church Records

Lutheran
Ascension Lutheran Church


 * Records of Ascension Lutheran Church, Milwaukee County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Milwaukee County


 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Milwaukee County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Our Savior's Lutheran Church


 * Records of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Milwaukee County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Directories
Fold3.com has Milwaukee City Directories 1861-1892 (3 yrs. missing) available online. The collection is part of Fold3.com's "premium content" which requires a subscription to view, or can be viewed for free at a Family History Center.


 * Milwaukee Wisonsin City Directories

Germans
Archives, Libraries, and Museums Biographies Church Records Cemetery Records Court Records Histories Immigration/emigration/migration Maps Newspapers Societies

Volga Germans had many settlements in nearby Racine county. To find out more about Volga Germans click here. This site gives resources to help you with your Volga German research. including several links, two of which do not work, and two of which are in Russian. Family Search has a another collection - United States, Obituaries, American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1899-2012. The Milwaukee Historical Society has many useful records that may help you in your German or other nationality research.

The record types available here are:


 * Civil War Rosters
 * Jail records
 * Marriage record index
 * Manuscripts
 * Newspapers
 * Naturalization
 * School census record
 * Territorial census records
 * Ordination records of church clergy
 * Published histories

History

 * Milwaukee Wisconsin History

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin
 * Milwaukee Wisonsin City Maps

Civil War
Civil War service men from Milwaukee County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are many companies or regiments that were formed from men of Milwaukee County.


 * - 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Companies H and I
 * - 3rd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Companies D, H, K and M
 * - 5th Regiment, Enrolled Missouri Militia Cavalry (Union), Company G
 * - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies B and C
 * - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Company A
 * - 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies B and C
 * - 9th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies A, C, E, G, H, I and K
 * - 9th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Companies A, B, C, and D
 * - 13th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies E and K

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Wisconsin, Milwaukee naturalization index, 1848-1990 Viewable

Obituaries
The following obituary indices are available through the Milwaukee Public Library. See Genealogy Obituary Resources to learn more.


 * Milwaukee Journal Newspaper Index, 1915-1917
 * Milwaukee's German Newspapers: an Index of Death Notices and Related Items
 * Wisconsin Necrology, 1846-1944
 * Index to Deaths Reported in the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, 1921-1996
 * Death Notices/Obits, 1930s (?) - June, 30, 1992: Surname Index
 * Obituaries, Milwaukee Journal/Milwaukee Sentinel, 1958-1988
 * Milwaukee Area Necrology, 1992-1998
 * Milwaukee Sentinel Card Index, 1837 - 1879
 * Milwaukee Sentinel Card Index, 1880-1890
 * Italian Times
 * The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1800 – 1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry.com — images and index $
 * 1848 – 1948 at FamilySearch — images

Repositories
See also a List of Wisconsin Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Archives, Libraries and Museums
Milwaukee Public Library

814 W. Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53233 (414) 286-3000

See the library's Genealogy page for online and other collections.

Societies
Milwaukee County Historical Society 910 N. Old World Third Street Milwaukee WI 53203 414–273–8288 website

Milwaukee Metropolitan Historians Assn 2588 N Prospect Ave Milwaukee, WI 53211 Phone: 414-964-8361

Milwaukee County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 27326 Milwaukee 53227-0326 Website

Wisconsin State Old Cemetery Society 6100 W. Mequon Road Mequon, WI 53092-1951 website

Birth Records

 * 1826 - 1926 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1820 - 1907 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1826 - 1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry.com — index $

Marriage Records
Indices available through Milwaukee County Library:


 * Marriage Certificates for Milwaukee County for the years 1822-1876
 * Marriage Records for Milwaukee County for the years 1836-1911

Visit the library's site linked above to see a complete list of marriage records.


 * 1836 - 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1973 - 1997 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1973 - 1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry.com — index/images $

Divorce Records

 * 1965 - 1984 at FamilySearch.org — index

Death Records

 * Milwaukee Wisconsin Vital Records Milwaukee
 * 1867 - 1907 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1835 - 1968 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1820 - 1907 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1959 - 1997 at FamilySearch.org — index

Web Sites

 * Milwaukee County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Milwaukee County Genealogy (Wisconsin Genealogy)
 * Milwaukee County Historical Society
 * Milwaukee County Historical Society