Polk County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Polk County was named for US President James K. Polk and is located in central Iowa.

County Courthouse
Polk County Courthouse 500 Mulberry Street Des Moines, IA 50309 Phone: 515-286-3772 Polk County Website

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

 * Annals of Polk county, Iowa, and City of Des Moines. By Will Porter. Des Moines, IA: Geo. A. Miller Printing Company, 1898. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * Des Moines, Iowa Pictorial and Biographical Deluxe Supplement. Chicago, IL: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1911. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Gold Star Men of Polk County, Iowa. Records Collected and Compiled by The Historical Department of Iowa. n.p.:n.p., 1918. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Pioneers of Polk County, Iowa, and Reminiscences of Early Days. By Lorenzo F. Andrews. Des Moines, IA: Baker-Trisler Company, 1908. Online at: Vol. I -FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library,Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * Portrait and Biographical Album of Polk Co., Iowa. Chicago, IL: Lake City Publishing Company, 1890. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).


 * Polk County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
 * IAGenWeb Biographies

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Census Records
State Census
 * 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images (individual cards, not family context)
 * 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records
Ward and Branch Records
 * FamilySearch Places
 * Des Moines

Directories

 * 1866 1866 Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory and Business Guide. 1867. Des Moines, IA: Mills and Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.


 * 1869 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images


 * 1878 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images


 * 1886-1893 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images


 * 1903 1903 Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory. 1903. R.L. Polk and Company. Des Moines, IA: The Geo A. Miller Printing Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.


 * 1912 ''Des Moines City and Valley Junction Directory for the Year Commencing December 1st, 1912, Vol XXI. 1912. Des Moines, IA: R.L. Polk & Co. Compilers and Publishers. Online at: Ancestry — index & images, ($)


 * 1915 ''Des Moines City and Valley Junction Directory for the Year Commencing December 1st, 1915, Vol XXIV. 1915. Des Moines, IA: R.L. Polk & Co. Compilers and Publishers. Online at: Ancestry — index & images, ($)

Funeral Homes

 * Brooks Funeral Care in Clive and Des Moines
 * Caldwell Parish Funeral Home and Crematory in Urbandale
 * Dyamond Memorial Funeral and Cremation Services in Ankeny
 * Hamilton's Funeral and After Life Services in Altoona, Des Moines, Mitchellville and West Des Moines
 * Iles Funeral Homes in Des Moines and West Des Moines
 * O'Leary Funeral and Cremation Services in Norwalk
 * Peterson Funeral Services in Carlisle and Des Moines

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records


 * 1846-1910   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1848-1905   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1848-1905   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1863-1908   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1874-1877   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * Annals of Polk county, Iowa, and City of Des Moines. By Will Porter. Des Moines, IA: Geo. A. Miller Printing Company, 1898. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * Centennial History of Polk County, Iowa. 1876. By J. M. Dixon and J.W. Doughty. Des Moines, IA: State Register. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * Des Moines, the Pioneer of Municipal Progress and Reform of the Middle West: together with the history of Polk County, Iowa. By Johnson Brigham. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1911.  Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust;  Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust.
 * The History of Polk County, Iowa. Des Moines, IA: Union Historical Company, 1880. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust.
 * A Pictorial History of Southeast Polk County, Iowa. Marceline, MO: Walsworth Publishing Company, 1981. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Resources and Industries of Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa: Also containing Short Sketches of the Towns of Polk County. By Joseph P. Bushnell. Des Moines, IA: J.P. Bushnell Publishers, 1885. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Polk County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1868-1957 Fire Insurance Maps for Polk County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1868 and 1957.
 * 1875-2007 Polk County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Land Atlas and Plat book, Polk County, Iowa. Rockford, IL: Rockford Map Publishers, 1982. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * IAGenWeb - Polk County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Polk County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Land Atlas and Plat Book, Polk County, Iowa at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Polk County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Polk County at State Library of Iowa.
 * Township Map of 1875 Polk County, Iowa at My Genealogy Hound - with enlarged views of each township.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.

Military Records
Multiple Wars Civil War
 * 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War service men in Polk County 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 here:
 * - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company D
 * - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
 * - 4th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 10th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A and K
 * - 13th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
 * - 16th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
 * - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B and K
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 23rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A, B, C, and E
 * - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F

World War I
 * Gold Star men of Polk County, Iowa.S.l. : s.n., 1919?

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1852-1884 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index, images
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1907-1927 (*); (Index to military petitions) District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index, images

Newspapers

 * 1876-2000 Altoona Public Library Archives, Polk County
 * 1970-2007 Johnston Historical Society Archive, Polk County
 * 1895-1975 Roland Historical Society Archives, Story County
 * 1855-Present Warren County Newspapers

Obituaries

 * IAGenWeb Obits

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1847-1912 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1847-1915 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1850-1866 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1852-1967 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1866-1893 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1866-1902 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1872-1901 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1895-1905 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1914-1924 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & 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 and images ($)

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1934-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Birth

 * 1850-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 1518-1996 Iowa, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

 * 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

Family History Centers

 * Des Moines Iowa Family History Center
 * Indianola Iowa Family History Center
 * Iowa Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Des Moines Public Library Central Library 1000 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309 Phone: 515-283-4152 Email: [mailto:JTHobbs@dmpl.org JTHobbs@dmpl.org] Website Mitchellville Public Library 205 Center Avenue N Mitchellville, IA 50169 Phone: 515-967-3339 Email: [mailto:mplibr@mitchellville.lib.ia.us mplibr@mitchellville.lib.ia.us] Website

Museums
Living History Farms 11121 Hickman Road Urbandale, IA 50322 Phone: 515-278-5286 Website

Societies
Johnston (Station) Historical Society 6161 Northglenn Drive Johnston, IA 50131 Phone: 515-608-5730 Email: [mailto:johnstonhistoricalsociety@gmail.com johnstonhistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Website  Urbandale Historical Society 4010 70th Street Urbandale, IA 50322 Phone: 515-270-2917 Email: [mailto:urbandalehistory@gmail.com urbandalehistory@gmail.com] Website Des Moines Historical Society P.O. Box 8038 Des Moines, IA 50301 Email: [mailto:dmhsiowa@gmail.com dmhsiowa@gmail.com] Website Facebook West Des Moines Historical Society PO Box 65563 West Des Moines, IA 50265 Phone: 515-225-1286 Email: [mailto:gbrubaker@wdmhs.org gbrubaker@wdmhs.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Polk County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Polk County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Polk County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Polk County at Iowa USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * State Historical Society of Iowa — select from research collection topics
 * State Library of Iowa — electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions
 * – 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.