Saginaw County, Michigan Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Sace-nong or Sak-e-nong (English: Sauk land), as the Sauk (French: Sac) tribe is believed by some to have once lived there. A more likely possibility is that it comes from Ojibwe words meaning "place of the outlet". The County is located in the center area of the state.

County Courthouse
Saginaw County Courthouse 111 S Michigan Ave. Saginaw, MI 48602 Phone: 517-790-5251 Saginaw County Website

County Clerk has birth and marriage records from 1867, death records from 1868, divorce records from 1886 and court records from 1843. Probate Court has probate records; Equalization Department has land records.

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

 * 1830-2000 at FamilySearch — index and images

Census Records
State Census


 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch -How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library

Church Records

 * 1819-1991 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Ward and Branch Records List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Saginaw
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories

 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust Digital Library — images
 * 1915 Polk Saginaw, Michigan, City Directory. 1915 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * 1921 Polk Saginaw, Michigan City Directory, 1921 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * How to Do Things : A Compendium of New and Practical Farm and Household Devices, Helps, Hints, Recipes, Formulas and Useful Information from the Farm Journal, with Rural Directory of Saginaw, Michigan. By Wilmer Atkinson Company. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Wilmer Atkinson Company, 1919. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Indian and Pioneer History of the Saginaw Valley : with Histories of East Saginaw; Saginaw City and Bay City, from Their Earliest Settlements; Also Pioneer Directory and Business Advertiser, for 1866 and 1867. By Thomas and Galatian. East Saginaw, Michigan : Thomas and Galatian, 1886. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)
 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Civil War
 * 1861-1865 Record of Service of the Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865 at Michiganology — images, multiple volumes organized alphabetically by surname
 * 1876-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War I
 * 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1918-1919 Record of Saginaw County soldiers and sailors in service in the great war, 1918-1919

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1837-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1800s-Current Public Library of Saginaw Obituary Index at Public Library of Saginaw

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1784-1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry $
 * 1797-1973 at FamilySearch - 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

 * 1867-1917 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1902 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Marriage

 * 1585-1945 Michigan, United States Marriages at Findmypast $
 * 1820-1937 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1820-1940 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1868-1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection at FamilySearch

Death

 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch -How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1897 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1952 Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1897-1952 Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index and images, organized by county and then last name.

Divorce

 * 1897-1952 Michigan, Divorce Records, 1897-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index and images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Caro Michigan FamilySearch Center
 * Midland Michigan FamilySearch Center
 * Saginaw Michigan FamilySearch Center


 * Hoyt Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Hoyt Library 505 Janes Avenue Saginaw, MI 48607 Phone: 989-755-9827 Website Butman-Fish 1716 Hancock Street Saginaw, MI 48602 Phone: 989-799-9160 Website Wickes 1713 Hess Street Saginaw, MI 48601 Phone: 989-752-3821 Website Zauel Memorial 3100 North Center Road Saginaw, MI 48603 Phone: 989-799-2771 Website

Museums
Castle Museum of Saginaw County Historical Society 500 Fede​ral Avenue Saginaw, MI 48607 989-752-2861 Website

Societies

 * Cass River Genealogical Society c/o James E. Wickson Memorial Library 359 South Franklin Street Frankenmuth, MI 48734-1529 Email: [mailto:CRGS@live.com  CRGS@live.com] Website


 * Chesaning Genealogical Society 602 West Broad Street Chesaning, MI 48616 Phone: 989-845-3155 Email: [mailto:cahs@centurytel.net cahs@centurytel.net] Facebook


 * Historical Society of Saginaw County Castle Museum of Saginaw County 500 Federal Ave. Saginaw, MI 48607 tel:989-752-2861 Website Facebook


 * Saginaw Genealogical Society PO Box 6584 Saginaw, MI  48608-6584 Email: [mailto:saggensoc@gmail.com saggensoc@gmail.com] Website  Facebook

Websites

 * Saginaw County, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Saginaw County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – 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.