Hancock County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Hancock county was named for John Hancock and is located in north-central Iowa.

County Courthouse
Hancock County Courthouse 855 State Street Garner, IA 50438 Phone: 641-923-3122 Hancock 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

 * History of Kossuth, Hancock and Winnebago counties, Iowa together with sketches of their cities, villages and townships; history of Iowa. 1884. Springfield, IL: Union Publishing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet archive, Hathitrust.
 * History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa a record of settlement, organization, progress, and achievement. 1917. Chicago, Illinois: Pioneer Publishing. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2
 * Hancock County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories

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

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

Court Records

 * 1858-1959 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records


 * 1857-1938   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1861-1884   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1880-1949   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1888-1965   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * History of Kossuth, Hancock and Winnebago counties, Iowa together with sketches of their cities, villages and townships; history of Iowa. 1884. Springfield, IL: Union Publishing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet archive, Hathitrust.
 * History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa a record of settlement, organization, progress, and achievement. 1917. Chicago, Illinois: Pioneer Publishing. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Hancock County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1900-1914 Fire Insurance Maps for Hancock County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1900 and 1914.
 * 1904-2007 Hancock County 1904-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Hancock County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Hancock County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Hancock County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Hancock County at State Library of Iowa.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- 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

Civil War

Civil War Online Records
 * 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
 * 1875-1944 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index, images

Newspapers

 * 1951-1955 The Britt News Tribune. 1951-55. Britt, IA, USA at Ancestry ($)
 * 1955 Forest City Summit. 1955. Forest City, IA, USA at Ancestry ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1870-1906   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1880-1986   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

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

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, ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

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, ($)

Family History Centers
To locate the closest family history center or affiliate library, use the link listed above.

Libraries
Garner Public Library 416 State Street PO Box 406 Garner, IA 50438-0406 641-923-2850 Website Facebook

Museums
Klemme Homestead  Museum 112 South Second Street Klemme, IA 50449 641-587-2514 E-mail: [mailto:contact@klemmehomesteadmuseum.com contact@klemmehomesteadmuseum.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Hancock County Genealogical Society PO Box 81 Klemme, IA 50449-0081 E-mail: [mailto:hancoiagensoc@comm1net.net hancoiagensoc@comm1net.net] Website Hancock County Historical Society 266 2nd Street SE Britt, IA 50423 641-843-4086 Facebook

Websites

 * Hancock County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Hancock County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Hancock County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Hancock 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.