Lyon County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Nathaniel Lyon. The County has Chariton as its seat and the County was created January 15, 1851. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

Parent County
1851--Lyon County was created 15 January 1851 as Buncombe County. The name was changed to Lyon in 11 September 1862. It was attached to Woodbury County prior to organization 1 January 1872. County seat: Rock Rapids

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Iowa County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Iowa County Boundary Maps" (1816-1872) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

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

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

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:

Neighboring Counties
O'Brien • Osceola •  Sioux •  Lincoln County, South Dakota •  Minnehaha County, South Dakota •  Nobles County, Minnesota •  Rock County, Minnesota

Census
State Census
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1915 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1925 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Lutheran
George


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

Inwood


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

Local Histories

 * Early history of Lyon County. By George Monlux. Rock Rapid, Iowa : [s.n., 1909?]. Online at:;.

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa

Military

 * 1835-1998 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1949 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1862-1910 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
NewspaperArchive.com ($) has a large collection of digitized Iowa newspapers online. This database is sometimes free at libraries.

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1758 - 1997 Iowa Wills and Probate Records 1758-1997 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Taxation

 * 1934-1958 - at FamilySearch — index

Births

 * 1850-1939 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1921-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriages

 * 1518-1996 - Iowa, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1838-1934 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Deaths

 * 1850-1990 - at FamilySearch - index
 * 1880-1992 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1904-1951 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries
Lyon County Historical Society 605 S Boone St Rock Rapids, IA 51246 Telephone:712-472-3101 Website