Winnebago County, Illinois Genealogy

United States  Illinois  Winnebago County

Winnebago County Organization
Winnebago County's civil records start the following years:

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

Historical Facts
Winnebago County is named for the Winnebago Indians who once inhabited that part of Illinois

Parent County

 * 1836--Winnebago County was created 16 January 1836 from Jo Daviess County. County seat:  Rockford

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Winnebago County boundary changes.

Neighboring Counties

 * Boone
 * DeKalb
 * Green County, Wisconsin
 * Ogle
 * Rock County, Wisconsin
 * Stephenson

Cemeteries
Illinois cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.

Illinois Cemeteries page provides explanations of the following online Winnebago County resources:


 * Illinois Cemeteries by county

Church Records
LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Rockford

Court Records

 * 1837-1922 Circuit Court Records IRAD-NIU; search for Winnebago County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1854-1958 County Court Records and Case Files IRAD-NIU; search for Winnebago County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

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

Local Histories

 * Carr, Edson Irving, The History of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois, 1820 to 1898, (Rockton, IL: Herald Office Print, 1898). Digital Version at Internet Archives; ;

Land and Property

 * 1800s-Present - Use the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land Patent Index to obtain original federal land transfer records including homestead, military warrants, and cash entry patents. These records help a research establish location and lead to National Archives' records which may include genealogical information. Earlier land transfer records are housed at the National Archives.


 * 1800s-Present - Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales from Illinois State Archives also provides an index to federal land sales.


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


 * 1836-1891 Deed Records IRAD-NIU; search for Winnebago County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

Civil War
Civil War service men from Winnebago 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 Winnebago County.


 * - 17th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company K.
 * - 44th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 45th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies F and G.
 * - 52nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 65th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Scotch Regiment), Company K.
 * - 90th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.

Newspapers and Obituaries
Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has Freeport City newspapers from the late 1800's and early 1900's that covered local news on residents from Winnebago County. The Rock Island Public Library provides free access to this database at its library.

Probate Records

 * 1854-1922 Probate Records IRAD-NIU; search for Winnebago County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

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

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Rockford Illinois Family History Center

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 Winnebago 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

Vital Records

 * Information about how to obtain birth, marriage, and death records through the Winnegabo County Clerk is explained at RootsWeb.

Birth Records

 * 1882-1905 Birth Certificates IRAD-NIU; search for Winnebago County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

Marriage Records

 * 1837-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index at Illinois State Archives; Index
 * 1836-1902 Marriage Licenses IRAD-NIU; search for Winnebago County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

Death Records

 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates at Illinois State Archives; Index
 * 1877-1919 Death Certificates IRAD-NIU; search for Winnebago County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Winnebago County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)
 * Winnebago County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)