Lafayette County, Wisconsin Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Marquis de Lafayette. The County has Darlington as its seat and the County was created 1846. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lafayette County Courthouse 626 Main Street Darlington, WI 53530 Phone: 608-776-4850 Lafayette County Website Register of Deeds has birth records from 1860, marriage records from 1847, death records from 1877 and land records from 1840. Clerk 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:


 * Lafayette County Townships, Cities, Towns, and Villages WIGenWeb Project

Biographies

 * Biographies on Various Families in Lafayette County WIGenWeb project
 * Biographical Index: History Of Lafayette County, Wisconsin, 1881 USGenWeb Archives

Census Records

 * 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.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin

Civil War

 * - 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company I
 * - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Company I
 * - 7th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company A
 * - 10th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company A

Newspapers
Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available online. Their database has Freeport, Illinois newspapers from the late 1800s and early 1900s that covered local news on residents from Lafayette County. The Rock Island Public Library in Rock Island, Illinois provides free access to this database at its library.

Probate Records
Online Records


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

Birth

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

Marriage

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

Death

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

Divorce

 * 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index

Archives

 * Area Research Center - University of Wisconsin-Platteville Southwest Wisconsin Room-Karrmann Library One University Plaza Platteville, WI 53818-3099 Phone: 608-342-1719 Email: [mailto:swwis@uwplatt.edu swwis@uwplatt.edu] Website

Libraries

 * Southwest Wisconsin Room-Karrmann Library Area Research Center - University of Wisconsin-Platteville One University Plaza Platteville, WI 53818-3099 Phone: 608-342-1719 Email: [mailto:swwis@uwplatt.edu swwis@uwplatt.edu] Website

Societies

 * Lafayette County Genealogical Society PO Box 183 Darlington, WI 53530 Phone: 608-776-2755 Website
 * Lafayette County Historical Society 525 Main St Darlington, WI 53530 Phone: 608-776-8340 Email: [mailto:lafayettehistorical@centurylink.net lafayettehistorical@centurylink.net] Website

Websites

 * Lafayette County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Lafayette County WIGenWeb project
 * Lafayette County Archives USGenWeb project
 * - 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