Black Hawk County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Black Hawk County was named for Black Hawk, a Sauk leader and is located in northeastern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Black Hawk County Courthouse 316 East 5th Street Waterloo, IA 50703-4774 Phone: 319-833-3000 Black Hawk 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:

History Timeline

 * Black Hawk County was attached to Buchanan, Benton, and Delaware Counties.

Biographies

 * Black Hawk County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories

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

 * FamilySearch Places

Lutheran
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

Court Records

 * 1853-1866 (*); Black Hawk County (Iowa). County Court Judge at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1854-1861 (*); (Iowa). County Court (Black Hawk County) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1868-1874 (*); Black Hawk County (Iowa). Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1853-1908   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1855-1885   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1865-1929   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * Hartman, John, C. History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people.  The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, IL., 1915. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1; FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2.
 * Melendy, Peter. Historical record of Cedar Falls, the garden city of Iowa containing a brief history of Iowa, of Black Hawk County, and a full and complete description of industrial and picturesque Cedar Falls. Peter Melendy, Cedar Falls, IA., 1893. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Van Metre, Isaiah. History of Black Hawk County, Iowa and representative citizens. Chicago Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, IL., 1904. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Historical and biographical record of Black Hawk County, Iowa. The Inter-state Publishing Company, Chicago, IL., 1886. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Iowa Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * David Rumsey Map Collection is a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures.
 * Township Map of 1875 Black Hawk County, Iowa at My Genealogy Hound.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

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

Civil War
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War service men in Black Hawk 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:
 * - 1st Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company G
 * - 3rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
 * - 9th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 12th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E

World War I
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * 1860-1908 Cedar Falls Gazette (Cedar Falls, Iowa) at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1871-1872, 1878-1880, 1885-1889, 1893 La Porte City Progress (La Porte City, Iowa) at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1882-1885 La Porte City Review (La Porte City, Iowa) at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1894-1896, 1919, 1921-1925, 1927-1938, 1941-1949, 1951-1977 Progress Review (La Porte City, Iowa) at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1928, 1944-1951, 1954 Waterloo Daily Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1938-1940 La Porte City Progress Review (La Port City, Iowa) at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1945, 1947 1949-1951 Waterloo Sunday Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * NewspaperArchive.com ($) has a large collection of digitized Iowa newspapers online. This database is sometimes free at libraries.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1853-1951   at FamilySearch Catalog - 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

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

 * Cedar Falls/Waterloo Iowa Family History Center

Libraries
Evansdale Public Library 123 N Evans Rd Evansdale, IA 50707 319-232-5367 Email: [mailto:eplib@mchsi.com eplib@mchsi.com] Website Hudson Public Library 401 Fifth St PO Box 480 Hudson, IA 50643 319-988-4217 Email: [mailto:staff@hudson.lib.ia.us staff@hudson.lib.ia.us] Website Waterloo Public Library 415 Commercial St Waterloo, IA 50701 319-291-4480 Email: [mailto:askus@waterloopubliclibrary.org askus@waterloopubliclibrary.org] Website

Museums
Cedar Falls Historical Society Museums 308 West 3rd Street Cedar Falls, IA 50613 319-266-5149 Email: [mailto:cfhistory@cfu.net cfhistory@cfu.net] Website Grout Museum District 503 South St Waterloo, IA 50701 319-234-6357 Email: [mailto:info@gmdistrict.org info@gmdistrict.org] Website

Societies
Cedar Falls Historical Society 308 West 3rd Street Cedar Falls, IA 50613 319-266-5149 Email: [mailto:cfhistory@cfu.net cfhistory@cfu.net] Website

Websites

 * State Historical Society of Iowa — Select from research collection topics
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions
 * State Library of Iowa — electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies
 * IAGenWeb Project — Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives — Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * – 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.