Wisconsin, United States Genealogy

United States Wisconsin 

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

Featured Content



 * The Wisconsin Historical Society has many resources useful to genealogists.
 * The Wisconsin Native Races article can help with understanding how to search for Native American ancestors.
 * Milwaukee Catholic Cemeteries Burial Records

Did You Know?

 * The Wisconsin Historical Society has the second-largest collection of newspapers in the United States. Many, including most Wisconsin newspapers, are on microfilm and can be loaned to public libraries through interlibrary loan. Newspapers produced by German and other ethnic groups are especially valuable for research about residents of the state.
 * Before the Civil War, the Irish were the second largest immigrant group in Wisconsin. There was also considerable emigration from England, Scotland, Wales, and British North America.
 * You can find your nefarious Wisconsin ancestors at Wisconsin Blacksheep Ancestors?

Counties
Wisconsin County Creation Dates and Parent Counties

Extinct or Renamed Counties:


 * Bad Ax
 * Dallas
 * Gates
 * La Pointe
 * New

Major Repositories
National Archives at Chicago· Wisconsin Historical Society· Wisconsin State Genealogical Society· Wisconsin State Old Cemetery Society· Area Research Centers:  ''1. Wisconsin Historical Society, 2. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 3. University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 4. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 5. University of Wisconsin-Parkside, 6. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 7. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 8. University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 9. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 10. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 11. University of Wisconsin-Stout, 12. University of Wisconsin-River Falls, 13. Superior Public Library, 14. Northern Great Lake Center ''· Beloit Public Library· Brown County Library· Kenosha Public Library· Milwaukee County Historical Society· Milwaukee Public Library· Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library· Oshkosh Public Library· Racine Heritage Museum Research Center· University of Wisconsin-Madison Memorial Library· Allen County Public Library· Newberry Library

Migration Routes
Chippewa River· Lake Michigan· Lake Superior· Menominee River· Mississippi River· St. Croix River· Wisconsin River· Pecatonica Trail· Great Northern Railway (U.S.)

Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:


 * Wisconsin 1855 State Census (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin 1875 State Census (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin 1885 State Census (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin 1895 State Census Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin Death Index 1820-1897 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin, Death Index, 1959-1997 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin, Fond du Lac Public Library Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin, Marriage Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin Marriages ( FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin 1905 State Census (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin Probate Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Wisconsin, Shawano and Oconto Counties, Indexes and Records form the Shawano Family History Center (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Research Tools

 * Find which county a town is in, what town a cemetery is in, even where a post office or building is by using the United States Geographical Survey's Geographical Names Information System.
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Wisconsin Genealogy - Guide to Ancestry information on ordering vital records, city and government links, history and facts of counties, printable genealogy forms, list of archives and societies, and genealogical terms
 * Rotating Formation Wisconsin County Boundary Maps and Atlases
 * David Rumsey Map Collection is a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures.
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Wisconsin GenWeb Project has a wealth of information
 * Wisconsin Public Library Websites
 * BYU Research Outline for Wisconsin
 * Wisconsin County Histories at Wisconsin Historical Society website
 * The United States Vessel Enrollments for the Great Lakes region. The transcriptions are from a project that involved an attempt to transcribe all steamboat enrollments for Great Lakes ports prior to 1861, all vessels for Detroit and Cleveland up to 1861, and Buffalo up to 1841 are included in the file. The set includes 5741 enrollments in which just under 2000 individual vessels are named, over 6000 people were identified.
 * Wisconsin Genealogy extensive directory of Wisconsin genealogy records

To add your knowledge and help expand the wiki click here

Wisconsin Moderator
if you would like to be the moderator for Wisconsin.

Obtain additional help

 * Call or chat with an experienced researcher
 * Join a Facebook Group
 * Consult a Professional Genealogist

Things You Can Do
In order to make this wiki a better research tool, we need your help! Many tasks need to be done. You can help by: