Michigan, United States Genealogy

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

Michigan Information
Michigan became the 26th state admitted to the Union on January 26, 1837.

Michigan was created from Michigan Territory and is located in the Midwestern region of the United States.

Early settlers included: Delaware, Fox, Menominee, Miami, Odawa (Ottawa), Ojibwe (Chippewa), Potawatomi, and Wyandot (Huron).

The French were the first Europeans to explore Michigan, beginning around 1620. In 1668 Jesuit missionary Père Jacques Marquette founded Sault Ste. Marie.

There are 83 counties in the U.S. state of Michigan.

The State capital is Lansing.

Michigan Clickable Map
Many genealogy records are kept on the county level in the United States. Click on a county below to go to the county Wiki article listing more information.

Counties
Extinct or Renamed Counties:  Aishcum· Anamickee· Bleeker· Brown· Cheonoquet· Des Moines· Dubuque· Forest· Iowa· Isle Royal· Kanotin· Kautawaubet· Kaykakee· Keskkauko· Manitou· Meegisee· Michilimackinac· Mikenauk· Neewago· Notipekago· Okkuddo· Omeena· Shawano· Tonedagana· Unwattin· Wabassee· Washington· Wyandot

FamilySearch Resources
Below are FamilySearch resources that can assist you in researching your family.
 * Historical Records - databases and record images on FamilySearch
 * FamilySearch Center locator map
 * Facebook Communities - Facebook groups discussing genealogy research
 * Learning Center - Online genealogy courses

Additional Resources

 * Archive of Michigan Research Resources


 * Access Genealogy – Genealogy guide for Michigan
 * Cyndi's List - Michigan genealogy sites on the internet
 * Every Name Index
 * Michigan Genealogy Trails - a collection of transcribed data for the state of Michigan
 * Michigan Research Outline – Original FamilySearch Library research outline; contains many out of date links
 * Shirley M. De Boer; revised and updated by Brenda Leyndyke, Research in Michigan Falls Church, Virginia : National Genealogical Society, ©2018 FS Library 977.4 D27d 2018
 * Michigan State Government Documents: A Researcher’s Guide
 * Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness - Guide to Ancestry and Family Tree Records for Michigan
 * Michigana Grand Rapids, Michigan : Western Michigan Genealogical Society, 1955- FS Library 977.4 B2m
 * The Detroit Society for Genealogical Research magazine : containing records of Michigan and Michigan source states Detroit, Michigan : Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, 1937- FS Library 977.4 C4de