Iowa, United States Genealogy

United StatesIowa

Guide to Iowa ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Welcome to Iowa, the Hawkeye State

Counties
Click on the map below to go to a county page. Hover over a county to see its name. To see a larger version of the map, Left Click on the map.

Major Repositories
State Historical Society of Iowa—Des Moines· State Historical Society of Iowa—Iowa City· Iowa Genealogical Society· State Library of Iowa· Burlington Public Library· Davenport Public Library· Fort Madison Public Library· Grout Museum of History and Science Library· Iowa State University Library· Marshalltown Public Library· University of Iowa Main Library· Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center· National Archives at Kansas City· Newberry Library

Migration Routes
Mississippi River· Missouri River· California Trail· Chicago-Dubuque Highway· Mormon Trail· Oregon Trail· Great Northern Railway (U.S.)· Illinois Central Railroad· Santa Fe Railway· Union Pacific Railroad

Iowa's rivers provided transportation routes bringing European traders, trappers and explorers like the Frenchmen, Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1673. Prior to this exploration the land was occupied by the Fox, Ioway, Potawatomi, Oto, Missouri, Sauk, and Sioux Native Americans. The Louisiana Purchase gave the U.S. control of Iowa in 1803. The Black Hawk Purchase in 1833 brought the first official American village. Iowa was populated with settlers pioneering in from Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. When Iowa became a State in 1846, its capital was Iowa City. Iowa’s current borders were drawn in 1857 when Des Moines in Polk county became home of the new State Capital.

Featured Content
The Archives Division of the State Historical Society of Iowa in Des Moines primarily collects manuscript records of the state, including government, land, and military records; while the State Historical Society of Iowa Library in Iowa City has manuscript records as well as numerous published sources, censuses, and newspapers. Read more...

Research Tools
Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:


 * Iowa Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * List of Iowa Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies
 * History &amp; Facts of Iowa Counties
 * Iowa Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Iowa Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Iowa Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Iowa State Census, 1885 (FamiltySearch Historical Records
 * Iowa County Births (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Iowa County Marriage Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Iowa Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * How to order Iowa Vital Records
 * State of Iowa County &amp; City Government Court links
 * Rotating Formation Iowa County Boundary Maps and Atlases
 * Find which county a town is in, what town a cemetery is in, even where a postoffice or building is by using the United States Geographical Survey's Geographical Names Information System.
 * Clickable Map of Iowa Counties -- Iowa Gen Web,  Click on County to get to Gen Web County Page
 * David Rumsey Map Collection is a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures.
 * The IAGenWeb Project has a wealth of information at Iowa's GenWeb Project, it is a part of the larger USGenWeb Project. The USGenWeb Project provides internet information on every county in every state in the United States.
 * Iowa Pathways
 * Looking 4 Kin Genealogy &amp; Family History Network - Iowa
 * Family Tree Encyclopedia - Terminology &amp; Meanings of Genealogical Terms
 * Printable Genealogy Forms used in Research
 * Research in Iowa Military Records

Obtain additional help

 * Call or chat with an experienced researcher
 * Join a Facebook Group
 * Consult a Professional Genealogist

Things you can do
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