Alpena County, Michigan Genealogy

Guide to Alpena County, Michigan ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth, marriage, and death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for a neologism coined by Henry Schoolcraft, meaning "a good partridge country. The County has Alpena as its seat and the County was created February 7, 1857. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth records from 1869; marriage, death, divorce and court records from 1871. Probate Judge has probate records. Register of Deeds has land records.

Parent County
1840--Alpena County was created 1 April 1840 from Mackinac County and unorganized territory. It was formerly Anamickee County, until the name was changed to Alpena 8 March 1843. Alpena county was attached to Mackinac and Cheboygan Counties prior to organization 7 February 1857. County seat: Alpena

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

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
Alcona •  Montmorency  •  Oscoda  •  Presque Isle

Census
 State Census
 * 1894 - at FamilySearch — index

Church

 * 1819-1991 - at FamilySearch — index

Roman Catholic
Alpena County is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord.


 * St. Anne Church records, Alpena, MI

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929 - 1966 at FamilySearch — index and images

Civil War
Civil War service men from Alpena County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Alpena County.

Online Records
 * at FamilySearch — index
 * 1876-1945 - at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch — index

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1784 – 1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1797 – 1973 at FamilySearch — images

Births

 * 1867-1917 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1867-1902 - -- Free name indexes and images at  FamilySearch.org. Records include such information as name of child, birthdate and place, if still-born, illegitimate or twin, gender, race and record number.
 * 1869-1911, 1870-1947 - Alpena County Births, 1869-1911, and Delayed Birth (reported between 1870-1974) from the county clerk's records are available on microfilm at Alpena Public Library. Records from the 1860's to the early 1900's have been indexed and can be searched on-line using the Alpena County Library's Vital Records Index, which is published in individual .PDF files by year.  Years must be searched individually (or as grouped).

Marriages

 * 1585-1945 - Michigan, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1820-1937 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1820-1940 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1868-1925 - -- Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch.org.  Records include such information as names of bride and groom, date of license, ages, race, residences, birthplaces, occupations and names of the fathers of the bride and groom.

Deaths

 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1867-1897 - -- Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch.org.  Records include such information as name of deceased, date and place of death, gender, color, marital status, age in years, months and days, disease or apparent cause of death, birthplace, names and occupations of parents, and the date the record was made.
 * 1871-1886 - Alpena Newspaper Necrology Listings, 1871-1996 -- Death entries in Alpena Michigan Newspapers can be searched at the Alpena Public Library Vital Records Index.
 * 1897-1920 - Michigan Death Certificates, 1897-1920 -- Index and images at SeekingMichigan.org. (free)
 * 1921-1947 - Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1947 -- Index and images at SeekingMichigan.org. (free)
 * 1948-1952 - Michigan Death Certificates, 1948-1952 -- Index and images at SeekingMichigan.org. (free)

Societies and Libraries
Northeast Michigan Genealogical Society 491 Johnson St. Alpena MI 49707-1433 Telephone: 989 379-3303 E-mail:[mailto:nemgs@charter.net nemgs@charter.net] Website

Family History Center
Introduction to Family History Centers

Alpena Family History Center 411 Long Rapids Plaza Road Alpena, Michigan 49707

989-358-9809

For more information about the resources available at Family History Centers, see Introduction to Family History Centers.

Websites

 * The Alpena County MIGenWeb Project, an member of The MIGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Alpena County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Alpena County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)