Lyon County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Lyon County was named for Nathaniel Lyon and is located in northwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Lyon County Courthouse 206 South Second Avenue Rock Rapids, IA 51246 Phone: 712-472-8530 Lyon County Website

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:

Biographies

 * Compendium of History, Reminiscence and Biography of Lyon County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: George A Ogle & Co., 1905. Online at:  - images, HathiTrust.
 * Early History of Lyon County. By George Monlux. Rock Rapids, IA: G. Monlux, 1909. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.


 * Lyon County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
 * Lyon County Bios, IAGenWeb Project

Cemeteries

 * ca.1800-ca.2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Census Records
State Census
 * 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images (individual cards, not family context)
 * 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * FamilySearch Places
 * Lyon County Churches at IAGenWeb

Lutheran
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

Directories

 * 1911 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Jurrens Funeral Home in George, Larchwood, Little Rock and Rock Rapids

Land and Property Records

 * 1866-1931  at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1868-1937  at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1871-1930  at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images

Local Histories

 * Early History of Lyon County. By George Monlux. Rock Rapid, IA: G. Monlux, 1909. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Historical Sketch of Lyon County, Iowa. By S.C. Hyde. Sioux City, IA: Perkins Brother Printers and Binders, 1873. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
 * Northwestern Iowa, Its History and Traditions, Comprising the Counties of ...Lyon. By Arthur Francis Allen. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1927. Online at: Vol. III - HathiTrust.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Lyon County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1904-2007 Lyon County 1904-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1868-1917 Fire Insurance Maps for Lyon County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1868 and 1917.
 * Lyon County Maps at IAGenWeb
 * Iowa Digital Library, Lyon County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Lyon County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Lyon County at State Library of Iowa.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
 * 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Lyon County Military Records at IAGenWeb

Civil War
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1872-1954 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Obituaries

 * Lyon County Obituaries, IAGenWeb Project

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1872-1949 (*); District Court at Family Search Catalog - index & images
 * 1873-1925 (*); District Court at Family Search Catalog - index & images

School Records

 * Lyon County School Records at IAGenWeb

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 and images, ($)

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1934-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Birth

 * 1850-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Lyon County Birth Records at IAGenWeb

Marriage

 * 1518-1996 Iowa, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Lyon County Marriages at IAGenWeb

Death

 * 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * Lyon County Death Records at IAGenWeb

FamilySearch Centers

 * Sioux Falls South Dakota Family History Center
 * Spencer Iowa Family History Center
 * Yankton South Dakota Community Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Rock Rapids Public Library 102 South Greene Street Rock Rapids, IA 51246 Phone: 712-472-3541 Email: [mailto:rrlib@premieronline.net rrlib@premieronline.net] Website

Museums
Lyon County Historical Society Museum Complex Rock Rapids, IA Phone: 712-472-2016 Email: [mailto:lyoncountyiahistoricalsociety@gmail.com lyoncountyiahistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Facebook

Societies
Lyon County Historical Society Rock Rapids, IA Phone: 712-472-2016 Email: [mailto:lyoncountyiahistoricalsociety@gmail.com lyoncountyiahistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Facebook

Websites

 * Lyon County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Lyon County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Lyon County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Lyon County at Iowa USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * State Historical Society of Iowa — select from research collection topics
 * State Library of Iowa — electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions
 * – 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.