DuPage County, Illinois Genealogy

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

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

Historical Facts
DuPage County is named for the small that flows through the county.

Description
The county was named for DuPage River. The county seat is Wheaton and the county was organized on February 9, 1839. The County is located in the Northeast area of the state.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Illinois county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Illinois County Boundary Maps" (1790-1869) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Prior to County Formation


 * 1790-1801 - DuPage part of Knox County and the Northwest Territory
 * 1801-1812 - DuPage part of St. Clair County
 * 1812-1815 - DuPage part of Madison County
 * 1815-1816 - DuPage part of Edwards County
 * 1816-1819 - DuPage part of Crawford County
 * 1819-1821 - DuPage part of Clark County
 * 1821-1823 - DuPage part of Pike County
 * 1823-1825 - DuPage part of Fulton County
 * 1825-1831 - DuPage part of Putnam County
 * 1831-1839 - DuPage part of Cook County

County Formation and After


 * 1839 - DuPage County created from Cook County

For more information see Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties or DuPage County Fact Sheet (Illinois State Archives). For interactive county boundary maps see Illinois County Boundaries, 1790-Present, Illinois Historical Counties

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Bible Records
A Family Bible belonging to the Hill family of Du Page County is included in an Ancestry database ($).

Biography

 * Du Page at 150 and those who shaped our world; pub. 1989
 * History of Du Page County: historical and biographical; pub. 1913 Note: no circulation to family history centers
 * History of Du Page County, Illinois; pub. 1882
 * Portrait and biographical record of DuPage and Cook counties, Illinois; pub. 1894 ,
 * The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a DuPage County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of DuPage County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Cemeteries
The DuPage County Genealogical Society (DPGS) has on-line indexes to cemeteries in the following townships:


 * Addison Township
 * Downers Grove and Lisle Township
 * York Township

Census
For information and tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.

Federal

 * 1840 federal census: DuPage County, Illinois
 * 1850 DuPage County, Illinois Federal Census
 * 1860 Du Page County, Illinois, federal census
 * 1870 federal census of Du Page County, Illinois

State

 * Name index to early Illinois records
 * 1855, State census Ancestry ($),
 * 1865, State census Ancestry ($),

1840 Pensioners

 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. ; ; digital version at Google Books. [See Illinois, DuPage County on page 186.]

Church History and Records
Church records may give birth, death and marriage information. It is usually best to locate church records with a search at a local level such as the city, town, or village.


 * Peters, Marjorie Herlache, editor. Du Page County, Illinois Churches and Their Records, 1833-1920. Lombard, Illinois: Lombard Suburban Genealogical Society, 1981. Includes indexes. The 2006 revised edition is available from the DuPage County Genealogical Society.


 * DuPage County Illinois Genealogical Society. Necrology Records of Selected Townships in DuPage County: Includes Cemetery, Funeral Home &amp; Church Records. Wheaton, Illinois: DuPage County Illinois Genealogical Society, 2007. This CD-ROM includes Addison, Downers Grove, Lisle &amp; York Townships and records for Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bensenville, Illinois, 1837-1938 and a "souls register" 1888.


 * Search WorldCat to identify a library near you which holds books of compiled church records for DuPage County.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


 * Batavia Branch, Record of Members, 1936-1948. Members of the Batavia Branch, which was discontinued in 1957, lived in Cook, DuPage, and Kane Counties, Illinois.

Lutheran


 * Grosse, T. Johannes, et al. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery and Burial Records, 1837-1988 &amp; Souls Register, 1888. Includes full-name indexes. This was the first Lutheran church in DuPage County with boundary lines encompassing much of the county.

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

History
Wheaton Public Library has created a detailed list of historic towns in DuPage County on their website.


 * The History of DuPage County by the Board of Supervisors of DuPage County and C.W. Richmond Knickerbocker and Hodder, Publishers, Aurora, Illinois, 1877. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * The History of DuPage County by Rufus Blanchard O.L. Baskin and Co., Chicago, 1882. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Du Page County Chicago: Munsell Pub. Co., 1913.


 * The Stoddard Project

The Stoddard Project is an ambitious attempt to inventory and index genealogical and historical resources in all the DuPage County repositories initiatied by John Stoddard, for whom it is named. The two-part project includes a listing of reference works and the individual libraries that house them, plus an index of individuals named in those reference works. The project incorporates histories of the county and of individual towns, high school yearbooks, histories of individual churches, maps and plats, old city directories and telephone books, holdings of back issues of local newspapers, etc.

For more information about the Stoddard Project, see the DuPage County Genealogical Society web site.

Rededication of Hobson Pioneer Marker, Pioneer Park, Du Page County, Illinois: 2:30 P.M., October Twelfth, Nineteen Hundred Fifty-two. Hillside, Ill.: P. Troost Monument Co., 1952. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Land and Property
Original land records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records.


 * Family Maps of DuPage County, Illinois (2007) plats the land of many nineteenth-century DuPage County residents. The publisher's bookstore includes a free online surname index.

Online Resources


 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * 1796–1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Federal Township Plats of Illinois
 * DuPage County Federal Township Plats

Maps

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * Township Map of 1870 DuPage County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)

Medical Records

 * Ledger book of Dr. Theodore Hoffman, 1864-1868; pub. 1982

Civil War
Civil War service men from DuPage 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 DuPage County.


 * - 8th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies D and E.
 * - 12th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company C.
 * - 13th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 17th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company H.
 * - 33rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 105th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, D, F and I.
 * - 141st Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H.
 * - 156th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
 * - 69th Regiment, New York Infantry, Company D

World War I

 * The DuPage County Genealogical Society (DCGS) provides a listing of all men from DuPage County who served in World War I. DCGS has also compiled an inventory of books and periodicals relating to the Naper Post 468 of the G.A.R.

Native Races

 * Potawatomi Indians of DuPage County; pub. 1974

Naturalization and Citizenship
The DuPage County Genealogical Society has published an Index to the Naturalization Records of DuPage County. The index covers 6,000 individuals, and includes the full name, date, locality, country of birth; and the date and port of entry into the United States (where available). Free online index.

Online Records
 * 1800-1998 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Aurora Daily Express - over 5,000 full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1882-1901
 * Aurora Daily Star - over 800 full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1921-1932
 * The DuPage County Genealogical Society has created abstracts from 1896-1908 from the Hinsdale Doings, a newspaper published in Hinsdale, Illinois. The index includes mentions of births, marriages, deaths, and other local news like family visits.
 * Du Page County, Illinois Obituary and Death Notices Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. From various funeral homes in the Lombard, York, Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Bartlett, Elmhurst, Villa Park and surrounding area.

Wheaton Public Library has created a Vital Records Index based on nineteenth-century Wheaton newspapers. As of 30 June 2011, the database appears to be undergoing construction.

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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1772 - 1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1819 - 1988 at FamilySearch.org — images

Genealogical records of Boone, DuPage, Kane, and Knox Counties, Illinois: bible records; index of wills, 1839-1900; marriages, 1830-1851, cemetery records and family records.

Repositories

 * County Courthouse

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


 * Family History Center

Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah (United States) and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources to assist you in the research and study of your genealogy.

You may search your address for a center near you on the FamilySearch site. The following center serves DuPage County:


 * Naperville Illinois Family History Center 1320 Ridgeland Road Naperville, Illinois Telephone:(630) 505-0233


 * Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)

The Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD), managed by the Illinois State Archives, houses the archival records of local Illinois counties, townships, municipalities and school districts. The seven Regional Depositories are housed on state university campuses scattered throughout Illinois. The Northern Illinois University (IRAD-NIU) holds the records for DuPage County. Learn more about finding and using their records.


 * Illinois Regional Archives Depository c/o Regional History Center Founders Memorial Library, Room 400 Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115 Telephone: (815) 753-1807


 * Public Libraries


 * Genealogical holdings of the Du Page LibrarySystem: as submitted by each library, September 1, 1975
 * Bibliographies of genealogical materials available at Elmhurst Historical Society: and selected libraries in the Illinois Suburban Library System; pub. 1975
 * Du Page County, Illinois genealogical records: located in Du Page County repositories; libraries, historical societies, colleges, etc; pub. 1992

The following DuPage County libraries have collections of particular interest to genealogists.


 * Bloomingdale Public Library 101 Fairfield Way Bloomingdale, IL 60108 Telephone: (630) 529-3120 The History Room offers collections of local interest as well as an online obituary index.


 * Downers Grove Public Library 1050 Curtiss Street Downers Grove, IL 60515 Telephone: (630) 960-1200 The library has materials on the history of Downers Grove and DuPage County.


 * Naperville Public Library (Nichols Library) 200 W. Jefferson Ave. Naperville, IL 60540 Telephone: (630) 961-4100 The Reference and Local History collections include DuPage County indexes, local histories, maps, newspapers, and more.


 * Wheaton Public Library 225 N. Cross Street Wheaton, IL 60187 Telephone: (630) 668-1374 The library's Genealogy and Local History collection includes local histories, biographies, indexes, directories, maps, newspapers, yearbooks, and more.

Other Repositories

 * DuPage County Historical Museum 102 E. Wesley Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187 Telephone: (630) 510-4941 A facility of the County of DuPage, the museum provides staff-assisted local history services of its photographs, maps, archives, and records.

Schools

 * Benedictine College University Yearbooks - available from the 1930s - 1980s; digitized and freely avaiable at the Internet Archive.

Societies
DuPage County Genealogical Society PO Box 3 Wheaton, IL 60187-0003 Website

'''DuPage County Historical Society] PO Box 1460 Wheaton, IL 60189 Website

Warrenville Historical Society 3S530 2nd St Warrenville, IL 60555-3134 Telephone Number: 630-393-4215 Website


 * Dupage County (IL) Genealogical Society surname project; pub. 2001?
 * Fox Valley Genealogical Society surnames; pub. 1983, 1994

Vital Records
See also How to order Illinois Vital Records or order electronically online.

Marriages

 * 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810–1934 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1839-1906 Marriages
 * 1839-1889 Marriages Two Volumes. also  One of 2 films.
 * DuPage County Marriage Index 20 June 1839 - 28 November 1861 Originally transcribed by the DAR from Record Book A in the DuPage County Clerk's office, and later compiled for publication by the DuPage County Genealogical Society
 * 1840-1861 DuPage County Marriage Records
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
 * To-1850 Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
 * 1851-1900 Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
 * 1790-1860 Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE

Deaths

 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1916–1947 
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Death Certificates 1916-1950
 * Searchable index of names of indivduals buried in cemetaries in DuPage County

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Naperville Illinois Family History Center

Websites

 * DuPage County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * DuPage County IL Genealogy
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * DuPage County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)