Cape Girardeau County, Missouri Genealogy

Guide to Cape Girardeau County, Missouri ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The county was named for Ensign Sieur Jean Baptiste de Girardot (also spelled Girardeau or Girardat) and a rock. The County is located in the southeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Cape Girardeau County Courthouse 1 Barton Square Jackson, MO 63755 Phone: 573-243-3547 Cape Girardeau County Website County Clerk has birth and death records 1883-1893 and land records 1821-1859. County Recorder has marriage records. Clerk of the Circuit Court has divorce and court records. Probate Judge has probate records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places in Cape Girardeau County, MO, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The State Historical Society of Missouri has information on historical Missouri place names for all 114 Missouri Counties. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cemeteries

 * Cape Girardeau and Adjoining Counties, Missouri, Cemetery Records at Ancestry ($)
 * Missouri Cemeteries Missouri Genealogy Cemeteries

Census Records

 * 1732-1933 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Evangelical '''Emmanuel Evangelical Church, Jackson


 * 1884-1909 Emmanuel Evangelical Church, Jackson, Baptism Index 1884-1909. Batch  at FamilySearch.

St. James Evangelical Church, Tilsit


 * 1892-1973 St. James Evangelical Church, Tilsit, Baptism Index 1892-1973. Batch at FamilySearch.

Salem Evangelical Church


 * 1874-1898 Salem Evangelical Church Baptism Index 1874-1898. Batch at FamilySearch.
 * 1874-1895 Salem Evangelical Church Marriage Index 1874-1895. Batch at FamilySearch.

Court Records

 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images

Local Histories

 * History of southeast Missouri. Embracing an historical account of the counties of Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Perry, Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Madison, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Dunklin, Scott, Mississippi, Stoddard, Butler, Wayne and Iron. Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co., 1888. Available online at MissouriDigitalHeritage

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
 * Map of Cape Girardeau County townships (Histopolis)
 * The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Cape Girardeau County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.
 * Map of 1904 Cape Girardeau County with numerous small settlements (My Genealogy Hound)
 * Plat Book of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri at Missouri Digital Heritage
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * 1900-1941 at FamilySearch — images

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch — index
 * 1911-1938  at FamilySearch — index and images

Regiments Service men in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri:

Civil War Battle The following Civil War Battle was fought in Cape Girardeau County


 * April 26, 1863 Cape Girardeau

Map showing Civil War battles in Missouri

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1941-1946 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index

Probate Records
'''Online Probate Records
 * 1750-1988 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1766-1988 Missouri Wills and Probate Records 1766-1988 at Ancestry — index and images $

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

 * Pre-1910 Missouri Birth and Death Records Database, Pre-1910 at Missouri Digital Heritage - index.
 * 1817-1939 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1827-1935 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1851-1910 Missouri Birth Records, 1851-1910 at Ancestry — index/images $
 * 1866-1871 Cape Girardeau County Birth Index, Volume D, 1866-1871. Batch at FamilySearch.
 * 1920-2015 Reclaim the Records: Missouri Birth Index at Archive.org - images of index

Marriage

 * 1750-1920 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1776-1988 Missouri, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1805-1868 Cape Girardeau County Marriage Books A thru C Index 1805-1868. Batch at FamilySearch.
 * 1805-2002 Missouri, Marriage Records, 1805-2002 at Ancestry $
 * 1850 Missouri Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry — index $
 * 1868-1885 Cape Girardeau County Marriage Books D and E Index 1868-1885. Batch at FamilySearch.

Death

 * 1834-1910 Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910 at Ancestry — index/images $
 * 1867-1976 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883-1893 Cape Girardeau County Death Index 1883-1893. Batch at FamilySearch.
 * 1883-1930 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1910-1960 Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1969 at Missouri Digital Heritage - index and images.
 * Missouri State Archives provides on-line access to Missouri Death Certificates more than 50 yrs old starting in 1910.
 * 1968-2015 Reclaim the Records: Missouri Death Index at Archive.org - images of index

Family History Centers

 * Cape Girardeau Missouri Family History Center

Libraries

 * Riverside Regional Library Main Library: 1997 E. Jackson Blvd. P.O. Box 389 Jackson, MO 63755 Phone: 573-243-8141 Website

Societies

 * Cape Girardeau County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 389 204 S Union Ave Jackson, MO 63755 Phone: 573-243-8141 Website
 * Cape Girardeau County Historical Society P.O. Box 251 Jackson, MO 63755

Websites

 * Missouri Digital Heritage. Free. digital images of many types of records from institutions across the State
 * Cape Girardeau MOGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * . Free. - 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
 * RootsWeb resources. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * Linkpendium. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * CyndisList. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * StateofUS. Free. family history resources and government records
 * Missouri Genealogy. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)