Bayfield County, Wisconsin Genealogy

Guide to Bayfield 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 Henry Bayfield. The County has Washburn as its seat and the County was created April 12, 1850. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bayfield County Courthouse 117 E 5th Street Washburn, WI 54891-9464 Phone: 715-373-6100 Bayfield County Website Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, and death records from 1850. Clerk of the Circuit Court has divorce records from 1889, probate records from 1870 and court records from 1888.

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

 * [1890 Veterans Schedule WIGenWeb project

State Census
 * 1855 - 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 - 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 - 1875 Wisconsin State Census Identifies head of household by name.
 * 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.
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical.
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants.

Federal Census
 * 1850 - 1850 Federal Census LaPointe County, Wisconsin (LaPointe County was renamed Bayfield County) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1860 - 1860 LaPointe County Federal Census WIGenWeb project
 * 1870 - 1870 Bayfield County Federal Census WIGenWeb project
 * 1880 - 1880 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 218: File 1 of 2) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1880 - 1880 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 218: File 2 of 2) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1920 - 1920 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 36: File 1 of 4) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1920 - 1920 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 36: File 2 of 4) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1920 - 1920 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 36: File 3 of 4) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1920 - 1920 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 36: File 4 of 4) USGenWeb Archives

Court Records

 * Bayfield County Clerk 117 E 5th Street Washburn, WI 54891-9464 Phone: 715-373-6100

Directories

 * Bayfield Business and Miscellaneous Directory, 1888 WIGenWeb project
 * Washburn Business and Miscellaneous Directory, 1888 WIGenWeb project

Land and Property Records

 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database: Bayfield County USGenWeb Archives

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin
 * Family Maps of Bayfield County, Wisconsin (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

World War I

 * Bayfield County WWI Army Casualties USGenWeb Archives

World War II

 * Bayfield County Army Enlistees, Surnames Aho-Justice USGenWeb Archives
 * Bayfield County Army Enlistees, Surnames Kacvinsky-Szczygiel USGenWeb Archives
 * Bayfield County Army Enlistees, Surnames Taipale-Zurian USGenWeb Archives

Probate Records
Online Records


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

Birth

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

Marriage

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

Death

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index

Divorce

 * 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index

Archives

 * History Center and Archives, Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center Wisconsin Historical Society 29270 County Highway G Ashland, WI 54806-9339 Phone: 715-685-2647 Email: [mailto:whsnorthwoods@whs.wisc.edu whsnorthwoods@whs.wisc.edu] Website

Societies

 * Bayfield Heritage Association 117 S 1st Ave PO Box 813 Bayfield, WI 54814 Phone: 715-373-6119 Website
 * Ashland/Bayfield County Tree Climbers Rt 1, Box 139 Mason, WI 54856
 * Moquah Heritage Society Route 1, Box 35-B Washburn, WI 54891 Phone: 715-373-5868 Website

Websites

 * Bayfield County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Bayfield County, GenWeb project
 * Bayfield County Archives USGenWeb Archives
 * Bayfield County Resources
 * - 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