Ottawa County, Michigan Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for an Ottawa Nation. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Ottawa County Courthouse 414 Washington Ave. Grand Haven, MI 49417-1473 Phone: 616-846-8310 Ottawa County Website County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage and court records from 1847 and divorce records from 1863.

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:

Biographies

 * History of Ottawa County, Michigan: with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Published: Chicago, H. R. Page, 1882
 * Portrait and biographical record of Muskegon and Ottawa Counties Michigan containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co. 1893
 * Directory People Northwest Ottawa County by Dr. Wallace K. Ewing containing biographical sketches of citizens of northwestern Ottawa County. Published: Grand Haven, Tri-Cities Historical Museum 1999, ninth printing 2012

Census Records
1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Federal Censuses for Ottawa, Michigan can be found at FamilySearch Record Search. Free searchable name indexes and images are available for most census years.

 State Census


 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch  -How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 - Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library

Church Records

 * 1819-1991 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * Ottawa County Michigan Church Directory: A listing of some of the different churches in Ottawa.

First Presbyterian Church List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * The seventy-fifth anniversary of the Organization of the First Presbyterian Church of Spring Lake, Michigan, Rev. A. Meengs, Minister / 1928 at babel.hathitrust.org. Free online
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories

 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust Digital Library — images
 * 1892-1893 Historical and business compendium of Ottawa County, Michigan, Vol I at Internet Archive
 * 1892-1893 Historical and business compendium of Ottawa County, Michigan, Vol II at Internet Archive
 * The Farm Journal Illustrated Rural Directory of Ottawa County, Michigan : 1918-1923. By Wilmer Atkinson Company. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Wilmer Atkinson Co., 1923. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Historical and Business Compendium of Ottawa County, Michigan : 1892-3. By Potts and Conger. Grand Haven, Michigan : Potts and Conger, 1892. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Local Histories

 * History of Ottawa County, Michigan: with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Published: Chicago, H. R. Page, 1882

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Illustrated Historical Atlas of the Counties of Ottawa & Kent, Michigan. Published: Chicago, H. Belden & Co., 1876. Includes county histories and patrons directories. archives.org
 * Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)
 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state
 * Standard Atlas of Ottawa County, Michigan : including a plat book of the villages, cities and townships of the county ..., Chicago : Geo. A. Ogle & Co., 1897
 * Standard Atlas of Ottawa County, Michigan : including a plat book of the villages, cities and townships of the county...patrons directory, reference business directory and departments / compiled and published by Geo. A. Ogle & Co. 1912. Also archives.org
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Civil War Civil War service men from Ottawa County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment)that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Ottawa County.


 * 1861-1865 Record of Service of the Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865 at Michiganology — images, multiple volumes organized alphabetically by surname
 * 1876-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 - Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War I
 * 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1837-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1784-1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry $
 * 1797-1973 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Birth

 * 1867-1902 Index to Birth Records in Ottawa County 1867-1902 (MIGenWeb)
 * 1867-1902 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1917 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Marriage

 * 1585-1945 Michigan, United States Marriages at Findmypast $
 * 1820-1937 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1820-1940 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1868-1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * Index to Marriage Records in Ottawa County (MIGenWeb)

Death

 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch -How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1897 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1952 Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1897-1952 Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index and images, organized by county and then last name.
 * Index to Death Records in Ottawa County (MIGenWeb)

Divorce

 * 1897-1952 Michigan, Divorce Records, 1897-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index and images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Grand Rapids Michigan FamilySearch Center
 * Muskegon Michigan FamilySearch Center


 * Hackley Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Grand Rapids Public Library - an affiliate library

Museums

 * Coopersville Area Historical Society and Museum 363 Main Street Coopersville, MI 49404 Phone: 616-997-7240 Website

Societies

 * Coopersville Area Historical Society and Museum 363 Main Street Coopersville, MI 49404 Phone: 616-997-7240 Website


 * Grand Haven Genealogical Society c/o Loutit Library 407 Columbus Grand Haven, MI 49417


 * Holland Genealogical Society c/o Herrick Public Library 300 River Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Facebook


 * Historic Ottawa Beach Society  P.O. Box 8462 Holland, MI 49422-8462 (616) 607-6854 Email: [mailto:info@historicottawabeachsociety.org info@historicottawabeachsociety.org] Website


 * Western Michigan Genealogical Society  c/o Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library Street NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3268 Email: [mailto:wmgs@wmgs.org wmgs@wmgs.org] Website Facebook


 * Zeeland Genealogy Study Group 14 Church Street Howard Miller Community Center Zeeland, MI 49464 (616) 399-6131 Email: [mailto:genealogystudygroup@gmail.com genealogystudygroup@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Ottawa County, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Ottawa County, wikipedia
 * Michigan Family History Network
 * Ottawa County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – 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.