Waukesha County, Wisconsin Genealogy

Guide to Waukesha 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 Potawatomi word for 'fox' because the streams in the lower part of the county drain into the Fox River. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Waukesha County Courthouse 515 W. Moreland Boulevard Waukesha, WI 53188 Phone: 262-896-8525 Waukesha County Website Vital records were not required until 1907. Before that time some civil records are available according to the dates below: Births are available circa 1860 - present; death records are available circa 1872 - present; marriage records are available circa 1846 - present. Records prior to 1846 may be found in Milwaukee County.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator (See also: Towns, Villages and Townships - Waukesha County Online Genealogy and FamilySearch Library). The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Biographies

 * 1880 Biographical Index: History Of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, 1880 - USGenWeb Archives
 * 1894 Biographical Index: Portrait And Biographical Record Of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, 1894 - USGenWeb Archives
 * 1907 Biographical Index: Memoirs Of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, 1907 - USGenWeb Archives

Census Records

 * 1838-1930 State and Federal Census Extracts Listed by township. WIGenWeb project

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

Church Records
Lutheran Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc


 * Records of Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

St. John's (Pine Lake) Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc


 * Records of St. John's (Pine Lake) Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories
The 1858 Waukesha Directory includes the towns of Berlin (Green Lake County).

Land and Property Records

 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database: Waukesha County Alphabetical links. USGenWeb Archives

Local Histories

 * The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Chicago : Western Historical Company. Online at: Internet Archive.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Wisconsin
 * Overlay of Waukesha County outline over google map. Wisconisn Home Town Locator.
 * Early Maps of Waukesha County Years include 1859,1873,1891,1895, 1965, 1973, 2000
 * Waukesha County starts at page 11.
 * UN of Milwaukee map of Wauesha County
 * Plat Book of Waukesha

Military Records

 * Veteran and Soldier Military History USGenWeb Archives

Civil War

 * - 1st Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company F
 * - 3rd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company D
 * - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies F and G
 * - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Company C
 * - 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company K
 * - 11th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company D
 * - 15th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company D

Newspapers

 * Waukesha County Daily Freeman Ancestry ($)
 * Wisconsin Digital Newspaper at Wisconsin State Historical Society

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1800–1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry — 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.

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 ($)
 * Waukesha County Family Page WIGenWeb project

Marriage

 * 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index/images $
 * Waukesha County Family Page WIGenWeb project

Death

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 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
 * Deaths, Burials, Funerals and Cemetery Records Waukesha County - WIGenWeb project

Divorce

 * 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Archives

 * Area Research Center - University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, Division of Archives and Special Collections Golda Meir Library, Room W250 2311 East Hartford Avenue PO Box 604 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0604 Phone: 414-229-5402 Email: [mailto:askarch@uwm.edu askarch@uwm.edu] Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Milwaukee Wisconsin Family History Center

Libraries

 * Golda Meir Library - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Area Research Center, Milwaukee, Division of Archives and Special Collections Golda Meir Library, Room W250 2311 East Hartford Avenue PO Box 604 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0604 Phone: 414-229-5402 Email: [mailto:askarch@uwm.edu askarch@uwm.edu] Website

Societies

 * Waukesha County Genealogical Society PO Box 1541 Waukesha WI 53187-1541 Email:[mailto:waukcgs@gmail.com waukcgs@gmail.com] Facebook Website
 * Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum 101 West Main St Waukesha, WI 53186-4811 Phone 262-521-2859 Email:[mailto:info@wchsm.org info@wchsm.org] Facebook Website
 * Elmbrook Historical Society PO Box 292 1075 Pilgrim Parkway Brookfield, WI 53008-0292 Phone: 262-782-4057 Email:[mailto:elmbrookhistoricalsociety@gmail.com elmbrookhistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Website
 * Hartland Historical Society PO Box 54 Hartland, WI 53029 Phone: 262-367-2979 Website
 * Hawks Inn Historical Society 426 Wells St Delafield, WI 53018-141 Website
 * Menomonee Falls Historical Society PO Box 91 N96 W15791 County Line Road Menomonee Falls, WI 53052-0091 Phone 262-250-3901 Website
 * Muskego Historical Society PO Box 137 W184 S8074 Racine Ave Muskego, WI 53150 Phone 262-679-1173 Facebook Website
 * New Berlin Historical Society 19885 National Avenue New Berlin, WI 53146 Phone: 262-679-6508 Facebook Website
 * Oconomowoc Historical Society PO Box 245 103 W Jefferson St Oconomowoc, WI 53066-0969 Phone: 262-569-0740 Email:[mailto:oahsm@att.net oahsm@att.net] Facebook Website
 * Pewaukee Area Historical Society PO Box 104 206 E Wisconsin Avenue Pewaukee, WI 53072 Phone: 262-691-0233 Email:[mailto:info@pewaukeehistory.org info@pewaukeehistory.org] Facebook Website
 * Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society PO Box 2 N64 W23760 Main St. Suite 240 Sussex, WI 53089-0032 Phone Fred Keller 262-246-3603 or Rita Hahn (President) 262-422-7870 Email:[mailto:slahsinc@yahoo.com slahsinc@yahoo.com] Website

Websites

 * Waukesha County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Waukesha County Online Genealogy and FamilySearch Library
 * US GenWeb Archives, Waukesha County
 * Linkpendium Waukesha County
 * WI GenWeb Waukesha County
 * Waukesha County Genealogical Society
 * Waukesha County Search Ancestry ($)
 * Cyndi's List Wisconsin Page (scroll down or search down to "Waukesha")
 * Live Roots - Waukesha County Page
 * Wis Genealogy Trails - Waukesha County Page
 * - 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