Livingston County, Illinois Genealogy

United States  Illinois  Livingston County

County Organization
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Livingston County are kept, see the Livingston County Courthouse page.

Historical Facts


The county was named for Edward Livingston, a lawyer and statesman. He was the Mayor of New York City, a representive in Congress from New York and Louisiana, United States Senator from Louisiana, Secretary of State under President Jackson and United States Minister to France.

Parent County

 * 1837--Livingston County was created 27 February 1837 from LaSalle and McLean Counties.

County seat: Pontiac

Boundary Changes

 * 1831-1837 LaSalle


 * 1831-1837 McLean


 * 1826-1837 Vermilion


 * 1827-1831 Tazewell


 * 1821-1827 Fayette


 * 1823-1826 Edgar


 * 1819-1823 Clark


 * 1816-1819 Crawford


 * 1815-1816 Edwards


 * 1812-1815 Madison


 * 1801-1812 St. Clair


 * 1790-1801 Knox, Northwest Territory

See an interactive map of Livingston County boundary changes.

Neighboring Counties

 * Ford
 * Grundy
 * Kankakee
 * LaSalle
 * McLean
 * Woodford

Cemeteries
Illinois cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.


 * Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone.  May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.


 * Find A Grave also gives a list of cemeteries in Livingston County and links to the information for the individuals buried there.


 * Livingston Co. IL USGenWeb Tombstone Project usually gives the names of the deceased in alphabetical order by last name with birth and death dates plus any remarks.


 * Illinois Cemeteries by county.


 * The Family History Library Catalog lists . Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Livingston County cemeteries gives the names of the cemeteries in the county with a link to more information such as address, phone number, and web site.

African American
The following have information concerning African American research.


 * African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records


 * Illinois State Archives pamphlet on African American Research describes what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
 * African-American Resources for Illinois

Land and Property
1857-1865 Swamp Land Records - IRAD-ISU. Available through the Family History Library

1859-1946 Chattel Morgage Record - IRAD-ISU

Land records available through the Family History Library:

1853-1889 General index to deeds  Item 3.

1853-1921 Deed Records  first film

Military Records
War of 1812


 * Military Land Grants Livingston Coutny Illinois- USGenWeb

1862-1919 Military Discharge Record -IRAD-ISU


 * Civil War Civil War service men from Livingston County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Livingston County.


 * - 39th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 44th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 52nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
 * - 53rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.

- 129th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E, the company was raised in Fairbury, Livingston County - USGenWeb

Military Record available at the Family History Library

Patriotic Roster of Livingston County, Illinois. by J.B.Parsons.

1865-1945 Soldier's Discharge Records from Livingston County, Illinois. Recorder Item 3. First film of 3

Grand Army of the Republic


 * Aaron Weider Post, Fairbury1913 - USGenWeb
 * Forrest Post, Forrest1913 - USGenWeb
 * T. Lyle Dickey Post, Pontiac 1913 - USGenWeb

Naturalization
1854-1906 Naturalization Records, Illinois. Livingston County Court. Indexed.

Probate Records
1837-1958 Probate Case Files - IRAD-ISU

1917-1926 Probate Docket Index - IRAD-ISU

Probate records available through the Family History Library

1837-1905 Probate Records

1845-1891 Probate Records

Online Probate Records:

1819-1970Probate Records, 1819-1970

County Courthouse
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Livingston County are kept, see the Livingston County Courthouse page.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
Illinois State Universtiy 2016 Warehouse Road Campus Box 1520 Normal, Illinois 61802 Phone: 309-452-6027

Illinois Regional Archives Depository System - Local Governmental Records Listings Arranged by County

School Records
1898-1995 School Pupil Diploma Record - IRAD-ISU

1898-1921 School Student Permanent Record, High School - IRAD-ISU

1935-1972 School Pupil Diploma Record, Prison - IRAD-ISU

Taxation
1872-1876 Tax Lists, Delinquent -IRAD-ISU

Birth
1856-1900 Birth Certificates - IRAD-ISU

1856-1903 Birth Records - IRAD-ISU

1866-1950 Birth Record Index, Delayed - IRAD-ISU

Birth records available through the Family History Library

1878-1900 Register of births and birth cetificates, Birth index, 1848-1983  First film of 12.

Marriage
1837-1900 Marriage Licenses - IRAD-ISU

1837-1943 Marriage Record - IRAD-ISU

1915-1975 Marriage Record Index - IRAD-ISU

Marriage records available through the Family History Library

1837-1922 Marriage registers and certificates, first film of 33 films.

1876-1923 Applications from marriage licenses. first film of 11

Death
1877-1900 Death Record - IRAD-ISU. Availble through the Family History Library item 2-3

Web Sites
Databases Pertinent to Livingston County Local Governmental Records Database Name Index to Illinois Local Governments Illinois Statewide Marriage Index Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950 Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database Federal Township Plats of Illinois Livingston County Probate Case Files Index (1837–1958)


 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Livingston County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Livingston County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)