Rock County, Wisconsin Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for the Rock River, which bisects the county from north to south. The name of the county is pronounced with the emphasis or accent on the first syllable, just as is the case with its namesake. The County is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Rock County Courthouse 51 S Main Street Janesville, WI 53545-3978 Phone: 608-757-5660 Rock County Website Register of Deeds has birth, marriage and death records from 1849, and land records from 1839. Registrar in Probate has probate records.

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

Census Records

 * 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 - 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 - Identifies head of household by name. - How to Use this Collection
 * 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 - at FamilySearch — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1905 - 1905 Rock County, Wisconsin State Census— Free indexed images can be viewed on the FamilySearch website. This census includes name of each member of the household, sex, race, age, marital status, country of birth, country of parents' birth, occupation, and home ownership.
 * 1836-1930 - Rock County Census Records Records from 1836 to 1930. State and federal census by township. Some links. WIGenWeb project

Church Records

 * Rock County Churches and Clergymen WIGenWeb project
 * Janesville, Wisconsin Church Records

Lutheran List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Beloit, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * Rock County government website
 * Rock County Circuit Court website
 * Rock County Register of Deeds website

Directories
City and county directories from 1858 to 1931 can be found at
 * University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.
 * Janesville, Wisconsin City Directories
 * Janesville, Rock County, Wisconsin, U.S., Directory, 1931

Land and Property Records

 * Rock County Land and Property Records WIGenWeb Project

Local Histories

 * Janesville's Past - digitized books, documents, and photos can be found in this collection, part of the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections. *The History of Rock County, Wisconsin, 1879. Digitized volume at the Wisconsin Historical Society website
 * Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wisconsin, 1889. Digitized volume at the Wisconsin Historical Society website
 * Rock County Histories American Local History Network. WIGenWeb project

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin
 * Family Maps of Rock County, Wisconsin (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * 1858 Plat Map of Rock County at the Rock County Genealogical Society website
 * 1873 Plat Map of Rock County at WIGenWeb Rock County
 * 1922 Plat map of Rock County at the Rock County Genealogical Society website
 * Official Wisconsin DOT Map of Rock County, showing cities, highways, town boundaries, and survey township numbers

Military Records

 * Rock County Links to All Wars WIGenWeb project
 * Rock County Veteran Burials Links to all wars from Civil War to Vietnam

Civil War

 * - 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Companies K, L, and M
 * - 3rd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Companies C, E, H, and L
 * - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company E
 * - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Company B
 * - 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company G
 * - 8th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company G
 * - 13th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies A, B, D, E, F, G, H and K
 * - 15th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company G

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Rock County Immigration and Naturalization Links WIGenWeb Project

Newspapers

 * Janesville, Wisconsin Newspapers Free
 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) has digitized historical newspapers from Janesville from the late 1800s and early 1900s that covered local news on residents from Rock County.
 * Wisconsin Digital Newspaper at Wisconsin State Historical Society

Obituaries

 * Rock County Obituaries USGenWeb Archives
 * Local History Database - index to obituaries, newspaper articles, and photos, maintained by the Hedberg Public Library, Janesville

Probate Records
Online Records


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

Vital Records

 * The Wisconsin Genealogy Index at the Wisconsin Historical Society contains an index of pre-1907 Wisconsin vital records.

Birth

 * 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 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)

Marriage

 * 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 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 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index/images $
 * Rock County Marriages Indexed by bride and groom. WIGenWeb project
 * Early Rock County Marriages WIGenWeb project

Death

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 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 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Rock County Deaths Listed by surname and by resource. WIGenWeb project

Divorce

 * 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Archives

 * Special Collections, Area Research Center, University Archives Anderson Library, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater 800 West Main Street P.O. Box 900 Whitewater, WI 53190-0900 Telephone: 262-472-5520 Email: [mailto:archives@uww.edu archives@uww.edu] Website
 * RCGS Library Charles Tallman Archives and Research Center 430 Jackson Street Janesville, WI 53547-0936 Phone: 608-752-5891 Website

Family History Centers

 * Beloit Wisconsin Family History Center

Libraries

 * Anderson Library, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater Special Collections, Area Research Center, University Archives 800 West Main Street P.O. Box 900 Whitewater, WI 53190-0900 Telephone: 262-472-5520 Email: [mailto:archives@uww.edu archives@uww.edu] Website
 * RCGS Library Charles Tallman Archives and Research Center 430 Jackson Street Janesville, WI 53547-0936 Phone: 608-752-5891 Website
 * Beloit Public Library
 * Clinton Public Library
 * Edgerton Public Library
 * Eager Free Public Library, Evansville
 * Hedberg Public Library, Janesville
 * Milton Public Library
 * Orfordville Public Library

Museums

 * Milton House Museum 18 S Janesville St. Milton, WI 53563 Phone: 608-868-7772 Milton-house-Museum Website

Societies

 * Rock County Genealogical Society PO Box 0936 430 N. Jackson Street Janesville, WI 53547-0936 Phone 608-756-4509 ext 312 E-mail:[mailto:RCGS.Library@gmail.com RCGS.Library@gmail.com] Website
 * Rock County Historical Society 426 N Jackson St Janesville, WI 53548 Phone 608-756-4509 ext.301 Facebook Website
 * Beloit Historical Society 845 Hackett St Beloit, WI 53511 Phone: 608-365-7835 E-mail:[mailto:info@beloithistoricalsociety.com info@beloithistoricalsociety.com] Website
 * Clinton Community Historical Society PO Box 606 607 Milwaukee Clinton, WI 53525 E-mail:[mailto:cobblestone1843@gmail.com cobblestone1843@gmail.com] Facebook Website
 * Evansville Grove Society PO Box 643 Evansville, WI 53536 E-mail:[mailto:grovesociety@gmail.com grovesociety@gmail.com] Website
 * Milton Historical Society 18 S Janesville St. Milton, WI 53563 Phone: 608-868-7772 Website

Websites

 * Rock County Genealogical Society
 * Rock County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Rock County Archives USGenWeb Archives
 * Rock County WIGenWeb project
 * - 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