Door County, Wisconsin Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the Door Peninsula. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Door County Courthouse 421 Nebraska Street Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235-2204 Phone: 920-746-2200 Door County Website Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, divorce, and land records from 1850. Clerk of Court has divorce records from 1900 and court records from 1860. Register in Probate has probate records from 1863.

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:

Places with their included locations


 * Washington Island includes Detroit Harbor.
 * Liberty Grove (Town of) includes Villages of Gills Rock, Ellison Bay, and Sister Bay; old towns/areas of Rowleys Bay, Appleport, Hedgehog Harbor, North Bay, and North Port.
 * Baileys Harbor includes Peninsula Center
 * Gibraltor (Town of) includes Villages: Ephraim, Juddville, Fish Creek, Horseshoe (Eagle), and Chamber Islands.
 * Jacksonport includes West Jacksonport.
 * Egg Harbor includes the Villages of Egg Harbor and Carlsville.
 * Sevastopol including Villages of Valmy, Institute, and Whitefish Bay.
 * Sturgeon Bay
 * Gardner includes Little Sturgeon Bay
 * Forestville includes Village of Forestville, Carnot, and Maplewood.
 * Nasawaupee, includes Idlewild.
 * Union includes Shoemaker Point and Namur.
 * Brussels includes Rosiere and Kohlberg.
 * Clay Banks includes Vignes and Salona.

Biographies

 * Index: History of Door County, Wisconsin, Together With Biographies Of Nearly Seven Hundred Families, Mention Of 4,000 Persons, Published in 1881 USGenWeb Archives
 * History of Door County, Wisconsin: The County Beautiful, by Hjalmar R. Holand, Volumes 1 and 2 USGenWeb Archives
 * Biographical Index: History of Door County, published in 1881 USGenWeb Archives
 * Biographical Index: History of Door County, Wisconsin, The County Beautiful, Vol II, published in 1917 USGenWeb Archives

Census Records
State Census


 * 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 — 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 — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1905 — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants. - How to Use this Collection

Federal Census


 * 1860 Census, Door County (partial) WIGenWeb Project
 * 1870 Census, Door County (complete) WIGenWeb Project
 * 1870 1870 Census, Door County, with images USGenWeb Archives
 * 1880 - 1880 Census, Door County (complete) WIGenWeb Project
 * 1910 1910 Census, Door County Index (complete) Peninsula Genealogical Society
 * 1920 - 1920 Census, Door County (complete) WIGenWeb Project

Church Records
Lutheran


 * Records of Bay View Lutheran Church, Sturgeon Bay, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
 * Tanum Forest Evangelical Lutheran Church, Clay Banks, has Evangelical Lutheran Church records for immigrants from Norway, FS Library microfilm 1769859. History of this church's establishment was published in the Door County Advocate on 3 March 1862.

List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * Circuit Court case files, 1895-1987 at Archives and Area Research Center

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Norwegians


 * Immigration to Door County, WI. - Birth, immigration, marriage, death etc found in the digitized parish registers of Norway.

Funeral Homes
Door County WI Funeral Homes -Peninsula Genealogical Society

Genealogies
Family Histories at Door County Library, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin-Surname Index (partial) - Peninsula Genealogical Society website

Land and Property Records

 * Door County Land Information Portal - click on map and find past and current land information.
 * The State of Wisconsin Collection Plat Maps 1899, 1900, 1914, and 1923 - Use "volume" forward feature to go to later years.
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database, Door County (USGenWeb Archives)


 * Surnames A-C
 * Surnames D-G
 * Surnames H-K
 * Surnames L-O
 * Surnames P-S
 * Surnames T-Z

Maps and Gazetteers
Door County Civil Towns - Peninsula Genealogical Society Door County Plat Maps - University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places


 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin

Civil War

 * Door County, Civil War Gold Star List WIGenWeb Project
 * 1883 list of Pensioners or dependents, Door Co., WI USGenWeb Archives

World War I

 * Door County, World War I Gold Star List WIGenWeb Project
 * Door County Army Casualties USGenWeb Archives

World War II

 * Local men & women who served in the armed forces during WWII from Door County, WI. WIGenWeb Project
 * Door County, World War II Gold Star List WIGenWeb Project
 * Door County, Army Enlistees, Surnames Abrahamson-Ludwikoski USGenWeb Archives
 * Door County Army Enlistees, Surnames Maccomber, Zwicky USGenWeb Archives

Korean War

 * Door County, Korean War Gold Star List WIGenWeb Project

Vietnam War

 * Door County, Vietnam War Gold Star List WIGenWeb Project

Operation Iraqi Freedom

 * Door County, Operation Iraqi Freedom Gold Star List WIGenWeb Project

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Declarations of Intention &amp; Naturalizations, 1861-1950 available at Archives and Area Research Center; Citizenship Request Forms $

Newspapers
 Wisconsin Newspapers Online
 * Door County Newspapers - Door County Library Newspapers Archive
 * Wisconsin Digital Newspaper at Wisconsin State Historical Society

Obituaries
Door County Obituary Index-1862 to 1899 - Peninsula Genealogical Society

Door County Obituaries - 2010 and before - no cemetery listed or out of town cemetery - Peninsula Genealogical Society

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1800 – 1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry.com — 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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Vital Records

 * Pre-1907 Births, Marriages and Deaths at Archives and Area Research Center, Cofrin Library, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay - $, the research center will make a search

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 ($)
 * Door County Church Baptismal Records WIGenWeb Archives

Marriage

 * 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Pre-1907 Door County Marriage Certificate Alphabetical Index: includes Groom, Bride, Parents of Groom, Parents of Bride, Witnesses and Person performing ceremony-created from FS Library film number's: 1275987, 1275988, and 1275989. Peninsula Genealogical Society website
 * Pre-1907 Door County Marriage Certificate Sequential Index: includes Groom, Bride, Parents of Groom, Parents of Bride, Witnesses and Person performing ceremony-created from FS Library film number's: 1275987, 1275988, and 1275989 Peninsula Genealogical Society website
 * Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * Pre-1927 Door County Marriage Index through 1927 WIGenWeb Project
 * 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index/images $

Death

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * To 1897 Door County Wisconsin Death Certificate Index - Alphabetical and Sequential - all persons on death certificates: from FS Library Film number 1310180 Peninsula Genealogical Society website
 * 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1857-1933 Door County, Wisconsin Death Index - 1857-1933 WIGenWeb Project
 * 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

Divorce

 * 1861-1886 Early Door County Divorces USGenWeb Archives
 * 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Archives

 * Archives and Area Research Center Cofrin Library, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay 2420 Nicolet Dr. Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 Phone: 920-465-2539 Email: [mailto:archives@uwgb.edu archives@uwgb.edu] Website Facebook

Libraries

 * Cofrin Library, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center 2420 Nicolet Dr. Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 Phone: 920-465-2539 Email: [mailto:archives@uwgb.edu archives@uwgb.edu] Website Facebook

Societies

 * Door County Historical Society 130 N. 4th Ave. Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Phone: 920-421-2332 E-mail:[mailto:doorcountyhistory@gmail.com doorcountyhistory@gmail.com] Website
 * Egg Harbor Historical Society P.O. Box 264 Egg Harbor,WI 54209 E-mail:[mailto:eggharborhistory@gmail.com eggharborhistory@gmail.com] Website
 * Peninsula Genealogical Society 477 No. 6th Ave Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Email:[mailto:pengensoc@yahoo.com pengensoc@yahoo.com] Website
 * Sevastopol Historical Society PO Box 501 Sturgeon Bay WI 54235 Website
 * Sister Bay Historical Society PO Box 34 Sister Bay, WI 54234 Phone: 920-854-7680 Website

Websites

 * Door County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Peninsula Genealogical Society
 * Door County Library / Genealogy
 * Door County WIGenWeb Project
 * Door County USGenWeb Archives
 * - 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

Research Guides
Peninsula Genealogical Society website