Buffalo County, Wisconsin Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Buffalo River. The County is located in the west area of the state.

County Courthouse
Buffalo County Courthouse 407 S. 2nd Street Alma, WI 54610 Phone: 608-685-6206 Buffalo County Website Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, death, burial and land records. Clerk of the Circuit Court has divorce and court records. Register in Probate has probate records.

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

 * Biographical Index: History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin, 1888, USGenWeb Archives
 * History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin, 1888, Google Archives

Census Records

 * 1855 This census includes name of head of family; other individuals in the household are identified by sex and race, number of deaf and dumb, blind, insane and foreign born. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1865 Name index and images of the 1865 State Census which names the head of household. Most records have been destroyed but schedules exist for the following counties: Dunn, Green, Jackson, Kewaunee, Ozaukee, and Sheboygan. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1875 Identifies head of household by name. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1885 — index and images. Search indexed census.Identifies by name of head of household.  Other information is statistical and identifies the rest of the household by race, gender and country of birth. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1895 — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1905 — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants. - How to Use this Collection

Church Records
Lutheran Buffalo County


 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Buffalo County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com. ($).

St. John's Lutheran Church, Alma


 * Records of St. John's Lutheran Church, Alma, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com. ($).

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records


 * Indexes to deeds and mortgages (1854-1892) and deeds (1854-1887), Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Original records at the Buffalo County Courthouse in Alma, Wisconsin.
 * Land Patents Database: Buffalo County, USGenWeb Archives
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin
 * Family Maps of Buffalo County, Wisconsin (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Civil War

 * - 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company L
 * - 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company H
 * - 9th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company F
 * - 9th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Company C
 * - 14th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company I


 * 1883 List of Pensioners or Dependents, Buffalo County USGenWeb Archives

World War I

 * Buffalo Co. Veterans Who Died in the Service of their Country During World War I WIGenWeb Project

World War II

 * Buffalo County Army Enlistees, Surnames Abts-Mulyck USGenWeb Archives
 * Buffalo County Army Enlistees, Surnames Neis-Zittel USGenWeb Archives

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Naturalization records (ca. 1853-1906) and naturalization card index (ca. 1858-1950), ca. 1853-1950 Viewable on line. Includes card index; most volumes include individual indexes as well.

Newspapers
 Wisconsin Newspapers Online
 * Wisconsin Digital Newspaper at Wisconsin State Historical Society

Obituaries

 * Alma Obituaries Index, WIGenWeb Project
 * Links to Obituaries, Charles Ebersold, Barbara Heller, John Ebersold, John Kostner, Roscoe Maynard McQuiston, and Margaret Ebersold McClellan - USGenWeb Archives

Probate Records

 * Probate file index (ca. 1854-1980) and probate files (ca. 1854-1900), ca. 1854-1980 Microreproduction of original records at the Buffalo County courthouse in Alma, Wisconsin. Files contain legal papers filed in probate proceedings, including estate, guardianship, adoption, and insanity records. Includes index.
 * Register in Probate has probate records

Online Records


 * 1800–1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry — images and index $
 * 1848–1948 at FamilySearch — images - 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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Vital Records

 * Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, death, burial and land records.
 * Clerk of Courts has divorce and court records.

Birth

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1820-1920: Wisconsin, Birth Index, 1808-1920 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1826-1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry — index $
 * 1826-1926 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)

Marriage

 * 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index/images $

Death

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Divorce

 * 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Archives

 * Inventory of the county archives of Wisconsin no. 6, Buffalo County (Alma). Includes chronological & subject indexes.

Societies

 * Alma Historical Society PO Box 473 505 S 2nd St Alma, WI 54610 Phone 608-685-4473 E-mail:[mailto:contact@almahistory.info contact@almahistory.info] Website
 * Buffalo County Historical Society PO Box 394 407 South Second Street, Second Floor Alma, WI 54610 Phone 608-685-6290 E-mail: [mailto:historical@buffalocounty.com historical@buffalocounty.com] Website
 * Fountain City Area Historical Society PO Box 114 7 South Main Street Fountain City, WI 54629 Phone 608-687-7541 Facebook
 * Mondovi Area Historical Society 156 Franklin St. basement of Mondovi city building Mondovi, WI 54755 Phone 715-926-3286 Facebook Website

Websites

 * Buffalo County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * WIGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * - 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