Berrien County, Michigan Genealogy

Guide to Berrien 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 John M. Berrien. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Berrien County Courthouse 811 Port Street St. Joseph, MI 49085 Phone: 269-983-7111 Berrien County Website County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage records from 1831, naturalization records 1835-1985 and military records from 1918. Probate Court has probate records from 1832. Register of Deeds has land records from 1831. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records from 1835.

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
 * Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles, Michigan has a Name Searchable Database.

Census Records
 State Census


 * 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
 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Church Records

 * 1819-1991 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Lutheran List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Baroda, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
 * 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 Civil War service men from Berrien County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Berrien County.


 * - 12th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Companies B, C, E, I, and K
 * - 17th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Company B

Online Indexes and Records
 * 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
 * Southwest Michigan Obituary Index from the earliest date to 2000.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1784-1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry($)


 * 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

 * St Joseph Michigan Family History Center

Museums
North Berrien Historical Museum 300 Coloma Ave PO Box 207 Coloma, MI 49038 Phone: 269-468-3330 Email: [mailto:info@northberrienhistory.org info@northberrienhistory.org] Website

Societies
Berrien County Genealogical Society PO Box 8808 Benton Harbor, MI 49023-8808 Website

Berrien County Historical Association 313 North Cass Street PO Box 261 Berrien Springs, MI 49103 Phone: 269-471-1202 Fax: 269-471-7412 E-mail:[mailto:Info@berrienhistory.org Info@berrienhistory.org] Facebook Website

Four Flags Area Genealogical Society PO Box 414 Niles, MI 49120-0414

The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center 601 Main Street St. Joseph MI 49085 Phone: 269-983-1191 website

Galien Woods Historical Society 305 Kiley Drive Galien, MI 49113 Phone: 269-545-8143 website

North Berrien Historical Society 300 Coloma Ave PO Box 207 Coloma, MI 49038 Phone: 269-468-3330 Website

Websites

 * Berrien County, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
 * The Berrien County MIGenWeb Project, an member of The MIGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Berrien County MI Genealogy LDS Genealogy (Michigan Genealogy)
 * – 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.