Washington County, Wisconsin Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for President George Washington. The County has West Bend as its seat and the County was created 1845. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Washington County Courthouse 432 E Washington Street West Bend, WI 53095 Phone: 262-335-4301 Washington County Website County Clerk has birth, marriage, and death records from 1850, divorce and court records from 1849. Register in Probate has probate records from 1851.

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:

Census Records

 * 1855 - 1855 Wisconsin State Census 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.
 * 1865 - 1865 Wisconsin State Census 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.
 * 1875 - 1875 Wisconsin State Census Identifies head of household by name.
 * 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.
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical.
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Germans Archives, Libraries, and Museums; Biographies; Church Records; Cemetery Records; Court Records; Histories; Immigration/emigration/migration; Maps; Newspapers; Societies

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Wisconsin
 * Family Maps of Washington County, Wisconsin (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Civil War

 * - 8th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company I
 * - 10th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company D (These men were from the town of Menasha. There is a town of Menasha in both Dodge and Washington Counties.)
 * - 12th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company D

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1800–1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry — images and index $

Vital Records

 * Washington County Family Section WIGenWeb project

Birth

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1826-1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry — index $
 * 1826-1926 at FamilySearch — index

Marriage

 * 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index/images $

Death

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index

Divorce

 * 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index

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

Family History Centers

 * West Bend 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

 * Washington County Historical Society 320 S 5th Ave West Bend, WI 53095 Phone: 262-335-4678 Website
 * Germantown Historical Society Highway 145 & Holy Hill Rd Germantown, WI 53022 Website
 * Hartford Genealogical Society 109 N Main St Hartford, WI 53027
 * Jackson Historical Society 2860 Division Rd Jackson, WI 53037 Phone: 262-677-4825 Website
 * Kewaskum Historical Society 1202 Parkview Dr Kewaskum, WI 53040 Phone: 262-626-4656
 * Richfield Historical Society PO Box 268 Richfield, WI 53076 Phone: 262-628-2841 Website

Websites

 * Washington County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Washington County WIGenWeb project
 * Washington County Archives USGenWeb Archives
 * - 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