Bay County, Michigan Genealogy

Guide to Bay 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 Saginaw Bay. The County is located in the east area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bay County Courthouse 515 Center Avenue, Ste. 101 Bay City, MI 48708-5122 Phone: 989-895-4280 Fax: 989-895-4284 Bay County Website County Clerk has birth records from 1868, marriage records from 1857, death records from 1867, divorce records from 1883, and court records from 1965. Probate Court 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:

Cemeteries

 * 1799-1999 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Census Records
 State Census
 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 at FamilySearch - How to Use this CollectionThis is one of 17 counties that have a full, searchable census with links to images.
 * 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
 * Bay County is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw.
 * 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)
 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state
 * 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

Newspapers

 * Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University

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.com $
 * 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- 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

 * Midland Michigan Family History Center

Societies
Bay County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1366 500 Center Avenue Bay City MI 48708 Phone: 989-893-9566 Website

Bay County Historical Society 321 Washington Ave Bay City MI 48708 Phone: 989-893-5733 Facebook Website

Bay Mills - Brimley Historical Research Society 6799 S. M-221/P.O. Box 274 Brimley MI 49715 Phone: 906-248-3665 Facebook Website

Saginaw River Marine Historical Society Dept. W Box 2051 Bay City MI 48707-2051 Phone: 989-545-9425 Facebook  website

Websites

 * The Bay County MIGenWeb Project, a member of The MIGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Bay 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.