Bayfield County, Wisconsin Genealogy

Guide to Bayfield County Wisconsin genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Historical Facts
1866 - Bayfield County was created 12 April 1866 by the renaming of La Pointe County. County seat: Washburn

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Wisconsin County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Wisconsin County Boundary Maps" (1790-1961) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Neighboring Counties
Ashland • Douglas • Sawyer • Washburn

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

Census Records

 * 1890 Veterans Schedule WIGenWeb project

State Census

 * 1855 - 1855 Wisconsin State Census 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.
 * 1865 - 1865 Wisconsin State Census 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.
 * 1875 - 1875 Wisconsin State Census Identifies head of household by name.
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — 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.
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical.
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants.

Federal Census

 * 1850 - 1850 Federal Census LaPointe County, Wisconsin (LaPointe County was renamed Bayfield County) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1860 - 1860 LaPointe County Federal Census WIGenWeb project
 * 1870 - 1870 Bayfield County Federal Census WIGenWeb project
 * 1880 - 1880 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 218: File 1 of 2) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1880 - 1880 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 218: File 2 of 2) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1920 - 1920 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 36: File 1 of 4) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1920 - 1920 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 36: File 2 of 4) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1920 - 1920 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 36: File 3 of 4) USGenWeb Archives
 * 1920 - 1920 Federal Census, Bayfield County, Wisconsin (ED 36: File 4 of 4) USGenWeb Archives

Directories

 * Bayfield Business and Miscellaneous Directory, 1888 WIGenWeb project
 * Washburn Business and Miscellaneous Directory, 1888 WIGenWeb project

Land and Property

 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database: Bayfield County USGenWeb Archives

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin
 * Family Maps of Bayfield County, Wisconsin (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

World War I (The Great War), 1914-1918

 * Bayfield County WWI Army Casualties USGenWeb Archives

World War II, 1941-1945

 * Bayfield County Army Enlistees, Surnames Aho-Justice USGenWeb Archives
 * Bayfield County Army Enlistees, Surnames Kacvinsky-Szczygiel USGenWeb Archives
 * Bayfield County Army Enlistees, Surnames Taipale-Zurian USGenWeb Archives

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1800 – 1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry.com — images and index $
 * 1848 – 1948 at FamilySearch — images

Repositories
See also a List of Wisconsin Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Societies
Bayfield Heritage Assoc 117 S 1st Ave PO Box 813 Bayfield 54814 Telephone: 715-373-6119 Website

Ashland/ Bayfield County Tree Climbers Rt 1, Box 139 Mason, WI 54856

Moquah Heritage Society Route 1, Box 35-B Washburn, WI 54891 Telephone: 715-373-5868 Website

Vital Records
Bayfield County Clerk 117 E 5th Street Washburn, WI 54891-9464 Phone. 715-373-6100 Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, and death records from 1850; Clerk Circuit Court has divorce records from 1889, probate records from 1870 and court records from 1888

Birth Records

 * 1826 - 1926 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1820 - 1907 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1826 - 1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry.com — index $

Marriage Records

 * 1836 - 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1973 - 1997 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1973 - 1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry.com — index/images $

Divorce Records

 * 1965 - 1984 at FamilySearch.org — index

Death Records

 * 1867 - 1907 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1835 - 1968 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1820 - 1907 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1959 - 1997 at FamilySearch.org — index

Websites

 * Bayfield County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Bayfield County, GenWeb project
 * Bayfield County Archives USGenWeb Archives
 * Bayfield County Resources