Mackinac County, Michigan Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Straits of Mackinac. The County has St. Ignace as its seat and the County was created October 26, 1818. The County is located in the north area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1873, marriage records from 1867, divorce and court records from 1808.

History
Mackinac (pronounced 'Mackinaw') County is situated in southeastern portion upper peninsula of Michigan. The name is from Indians in the area. The Straits of Mackinac are also named for this area and are between the two peninsulas that make up Michigan.


 * Mackinac County, Michigan
 * Brief Mackinac County History
 * The Journal of John McLaughlin, 1886-1891
 * History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Mackinac County
 * Genealogy Trails Mackinac County, Michigan

Books online


 * Mackinac and Lake Stories - Google Books
 * Mackinac, formerly Michilimackinac - Google Books
 * Annals of Fort Mackinac - Google Books
 * Early Mackinac: "the Fairy Island" : a Sketch - Google Books
 * Names of Places of Interest on Mackinac Island, Michigan - Google Books
 * Nicolet day on Mackinac Island - Google Books
 * Island of Mackinac: giving a description of all the objects of interest... - Google Books
 * Historic Mackinac: The Historical, Picturesque and Legendary, Volume 1 - Google Books
 * Historic Mackinac: The Historical, Picturesque and Legendary, Volume 2 - Google Books
 * Lewis Cass Day on Mackinac Island, August 28, 1915 - Google Books
 * Early Mackinac: an historical and descriptive sketch - Google Books
 * History of Chegongan and Mackinac Counties - Google Books
 * The Old Mission Church of Mackinac Island: An Historical Discourse - Google Books
 * Two Missionary Priests at Mackinac: A Lecture Delivered at the Village... - Google Books
 * Father Marquette at Mackinaw and Chicago: A Paper, Read Before the Chicago ... - Google Books
 * Old Mackinaw, Or, the Fortress of the Lakes and Its Surroundings - Google Books
 * Mackinaw in History: A Critique on Dr. John R. Bailey's Brochure Entitled ... - Google Books
 * Index to Volumes I-XX of the Wisconsin Historical Collections - Hathitrust
 * A Brief History of Les Cheneaux Islands - Internet Archive

Parent County
1818--Mackinac County was created 26 October 1818 from Wayne County. It was formerly Michilimackinac County, until name was changed 26 January 1837. County seat: St. Ignace

Boundary Changes

 * See COUNTY EVOLUTION IN MICHIGAN, 1790-1897 by Richard W. Welch for the development of the counties in the state. This will help you to determine place of residence of your ancestors and under whose civil jurisdiction they resided. It is also useful for when you start to read the census records.

For animated maps illustrating Michigan county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Michigan County Boundary Maps" (1790-1897) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

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

Places/Localities

 * Michigan Places by County
 * Michigan Townships by County
 * Indian Names Mackinac County
 * Roadside Thoughts
 * Seeking Michigan

Bois Blanc Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

Brevort Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

Clark Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

Ft. Mackinac


 * Mackinac Parks
 * Wikipedia
 * Historic Parks
 * Cemeteries

Garfield Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

Hendricks Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships
 * City-Data

Hudson Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

Mackinac Island


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Genealogy
 * Vanderbilt Family

Marquette Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

Moran Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

Newton Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

Portage Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

St. Ignace


 * History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan - Mackinac
 * Wikipedia
 * City of Ignace

St. Ignace Township


 * Wikipedia
 * Michigan Townships

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:

Neighboring Counties
Cheboygan •  Chippewa  •  Emmet  •  Luce  •  Schoolcraft

Cemeteries

 * State Cemeteries, Mackinac, Michigan

Census
Federal Census
 * Mackinac County, Michigan


 * 1820 1820 Federal Census transcription
 * 1850 1850 Census transcription; Index to Federal Census 1850 Michilimackinac County, MI at FamilySearch; at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1860 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1870 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1900 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1910 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1920 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1930 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1940 at FamilySearch — index and images

 State Census
 * 1894 - at FamilySearch — index

Church

 * 1819-1991 - at FamilySearch — index
 * The Mackinac Register: Register of marriages in the parish of Michilimackinac Collections - State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 18, p. 469
 * Catholic Church Directory
 * Episcopal Church Directory

Churches: various


 * Mackinac County Churches
 * Early History of St. Ignatius Loyola Parish
 * Ste. Anne's Catholic Church

Families

 * Early Families of the Upper Great Lakes
 * St. Ignace Names, Geneanet


 * AIABENS


 * AMIOT - VILLENEUVE


 * ANCE / ANSE


 * ARCHAMBEAU


 * BEAUDOIN


 * BELONGERS


 * BODOIN / BEAUDOINE


 * BOURASSA


 * BUSSINEAU


 * CAFFEY


 * CADOT(TE)


 * CAMPAU


 * CHARBONNEAU


 * CHENIER


 * COWN


 * DAVENPORT
 * Facebook Page


 * FAGNANT


 * GRONDIN
 * Facebook Page


 * HAMMOND


 * JOHNSTON


 * LaFRAMBOISE


 * LAJOICE / LAJOIE


 * LALONDE


 * (De)LANGLADE
 * Facebook Page


 * LEBLANC


 * LEDUC-SOULIGNY


 * LOUISIGNAN


 * LOZON


 * MARTIN


 * McGULPIN


 * (O')FLINN / FLYNN


 * OZAMICK


 * PAQUIN


 * Pay-She-Ne-Ne-Abe Descendants


 * PIERCE


 * POND


 * TROTOCHAUD


 * VALLIERE

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929 - 1966 at FamilySearch — index and images

Land

 * Mackinac County Original Land Claims
 * General Land Office Records Bureau of Land Management
 * Barns of Mackinac County

Maps

 * Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)
 * 1749 Map of Michilimackinac
 * Public Records Online Searches
 * Hendricks Township
 * Mackinac Island, 1915
 * Portage Township
 * St. Ignace

War of 1812

 * Commemorating the Beginning of the War of 1812

Civil War

 * Veterans' Names by County
 * at FamilySearch — index

Spanish American War

 * Michigan Volunteers by County

World War I

 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch — index

Native Americans

 * Indian Land Allotments Patents and Trusts in Mackinac County
 * Native American and French Settlement Patterns at St. Ignace, Michigan, 1670-1715
 * Huron Indians at St. Ignace, Michigan

Newspapers

 * Newspaper Codes and Surname Index to the Cheboygan and Mackinac County Newspapers
 * The St. Ignace News Archive
 * Mackinac Island Town Crier

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1784 – 1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1797 – 1973 at FamilySearch — images

Queries: Mailing Lists &amp; Message Boards

 * RootsWeb, Mackinac County
 * St. Ignace All Family Facebook Page
 * Genforum

Vital Records
State vital records started in 1867, however marriage records started at the county level earlier. Check both.


 * How to order Michigan Vital Records
 * Mackinac Area Genealogy Facebook Page

Birth Records

 * 1867-1917 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1867-1902 - Michigan Birth Registrations, 1867-1902 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Early Michigan Births Mackinac County Michigan Family History Network

Marriage Records

 * 1585-1945 - Michigan, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * From 1725 - Mackinac County Marriages Michigan Family History Network
 * 1800-1804 - Mackinac Marriage Records Access Genealogy
 * 1820-1937 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1820-1940 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1868-1925 - Michigan Marriage Registrations, 1868-1925 at FamilySearch — index and images

Death Records

 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1867-1897 - Michigan Death Registrations, 1867-1897 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Michigan Deaths, Mackinac County Michigan Family History Network

Societies, Libraries and Museums

 * Luce-Mackinac County Genealogical Society PO Box 113 Engadine, MI 49827-0113 Website
 * Michilimackinac Historical Society 334 North State Street St. Ignace, MI 49781 Phone: 906-643-6627 Website Facebook
 * St. Ignace Public Library 110 W. Spruce Street St. Ignace, MI 49781 Phone: 906-643-8318 Website
 * Ft. de Baude Museum 334 N State Street St. Ignace, MI 49781 Phone: 906-643-6627 Website Facebook
 * Library of Michigan 702 W. Kalamazoo Street Lansing, MI 48915 Phone: 517-335-1477 Email: [mailto:librarian@michigan.gov librarian@michigan.gov] Website
 * Some holdings:
 * For Mackinac
 * For Mackinaw

State wide or ethnic groups
AFRICAN-AMERICAN

Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society c/o Burton Historical Collection, DPL 5201 Woodward Avenue Detroit MI 48202-4007 Publication is Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society News published twice a year Located in Wayne County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/p/h/i/Bennie-L-Phifer-iii/

Lansing Area African American Genealogical Society Post Office Box 22203 Lansing MI 48909-2203 Publication is Newsletter published quarterly Member of Michigan Genealogical Council

CORNISH

Keweenaw Houghton Cornish Society of the Copper Country Cornish Connection Of Lower Michigan 8494 Wesley Drive Flushing 48433

DUTCH

Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College

FINNISH

Finnish American Heritage Center

FLEMISH

Genealogical Society of Flemish Americans Facebook Page

FRENCH-CANADIAN (includes Acadian, Cajun and Metis)

French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan Post Office Box 1900 Royal Oak MI 48068-1900 Publication is Michigan's Habitat Heritage published quarterly Located in Oakland County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council Facebook Page/

IRISH

Irish Genealogical Society of Michigan c/o Gaelic League/Irish American Club 2068 Michigan Avenue Detroit MI 48216-1303 Publication is Irish Tree published nine times a year Located in Wayne County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council Facebook Page

Wayne County Irish Society 31975 Cowan Westland 48185

ITALIAN

Americans Of Italian Origin Society 18336 Lister E. Detroit 48021

JEWISH

Jewish Genealogical Society of Michigan PO Box 251693 West Bloomfield MI 48325-1693 Publication is Generations published quarterly Located in Oakland County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council Facebook Page

POLISH

Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan c/o Burton Collection 5201 Woodward Avenue Detroit MI 48202-4007 Publication is The Polish Eaglet published three times a year Located in Wayne County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council Facebook Page

Polish Heritage Society P.O. Box 1844 Grand Rapids 49501

SCOTTISH

The St. Andrew's Society of Detroit 2360 Rochester Ct Troy Mi 48083 Phone:(248) 526-1849 Fax:(248) 528-1477 Contact: kilgour@detroitscots.com

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Websites

 * Michigan Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Michigan Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. Has maps, name indexes, marriages, military history, biographies, history, church records, or other historical information for this county.
 * Michigan Family History Network
 * Genealogy Trails History Group
 * Mackinac County Local History Web Page
 * Cyndi's List
 * Mackinac County Linkpendium
 * Mackinac Area Genealogy Facebook Page
 * Mackinac County Genealogy Michigan Genealogy
 * Mackinack County Familypedia