Kankakee County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Kankakee County

County Organization
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Kankakee County are kept, see the Kankakee County Courthouse page.

History
Kankakee is an Indian name given to a river which joins the Des Plaines river and forms the Illinois river.

Parent County

 * 1853--Kankakee County was created 11 February 1853 from Iroquois and Will Counties. County seat:Kankakee

Boundary Changes

 * 1836-1853 Will


 * 1833-1853 Iroquois


 * 1826-1835 Vermilion


 * 1823-1825 Edgar


 * 1823-1825 Fulton


 * 1819-1823 Clark


 * 1816-1819 Crawford


 * 1815-1816 Edwards


 * 1812-1815 Madison


 * 1801-1812 St. Clair


 * 1790-1801 Knox, Northwest Territory

Populated Places
Aroma Park, Aroma Park Northwest, Bourbonnaias, Bradley, Grant Park, Herscher, Kankakee, Manteno, Momence, and St. Anne,

Neighboring Counties

 * Ford
 * Grundy
 * Iroquois
 * Lake County, Indiana
 * Livingston
 * Newton County, Indiana
 * Will

Cemeteries
Illinois cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.


 * Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone. May give obituaries,names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.


 * Find A Grave also gives a list of cemeteries in Kankakee County and links to the information for the individuals buried there.


 * Kankakee Co. IL USGenWeb Tombstone Project usually gives the names of the deceased in alphabetical order by last name with birth and death dates plus any remarks.


 * Illinois Cemeteries by county.


 * The Family History Library Catalog lists . Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Kankakee County cemeteries gives the names of the cemeteries in the county with a link to more information such as address, phone number, and web site.

Ethnic Research
African American The following have information concerning African American research.

African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records Illinois State Archives pamphlet on African American Research describes what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records. African-American Resources for Illinois

Military Records

 * Civil War Civil War service men from Kankakee County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Kankakee County.


 * - 42nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies D and H.
 * - 53rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 76th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies D, F, H and I.
 * - 88th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.

Civil War Veterans of Kankakee County, Illinois: Department of Illinois, Grand Army of the Republic. by Mary Ann Schatz. item 5 Book 977.363 M2

Probate Records
Original probate records at County Court. The following copies available:

1853-1900 County Court and Probate case files IRAD-ISU

1866-1869 Probate Dockets IRAD-ISU

FHL Collection

1853-1928 Kankakee County Illinois probate and will records on 21 films

County Courthouse
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Kankakee County are kept, see the Kankakee County Courthouse page.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
Illinois State University (ISU) 2016 Warehouse Road Campus Box 1520 Normal, Illinois 61802 Phone: 309-452-6027

Illinois Regional Archives Depository System - Local Governmental Records Listings Arranged by County

Taxation
1858-1858 Tax Sale record IRAD-ISU

Vital Records
The website of the Kankakee County Clerk explains how to order original birth, marriage, and death records.

Illinois Vital Records for more information

Birth
Original birth records at County Clerk. The following copies are available:

1863-1905 Birth Record Index IRAD-ISU

1877-1918 Birth Record IRAD-ISU Also availalble at the first of 7 films

1864-1910 Birth Certificates, Delayed Also available at the for years 1863-1915.

1864-1926 Birth Certificates, City of Manteno IRAD-ISU

Marriage
Original marriage records at County Clerk. The following copies are available:

1877-1967 Marriage Record Index IRAD-ISU

1853-1926 Marriage Record IRAD-ISU Also available at the first of 24

1889-1925 Marriage Licenses IRAD-ISU

1899-1905 Marriage License Applications IRAD-ISU Also available at the {{FHL|594234|item|disp=FHL film 1839993

Death
Original death records at County Clerk. The following copies are available:

1877-1916 Death Record Index IRAD-ISU Also available at the item 6; first film of 3

1916-1958 Death Certificate Index IRAD - ISU Also available at the first film of 23

1877-1915 Death Record IRAD-ISU

1915-1951 Death Certificates IRAD-ISU Also available at the

Web Sites
Databases pertinent to Kankakee County

Local Governmental Records Database

Name Index to Illinois Local Governments

Illinois Statewide Marriage Index

Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950

Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database

Federal Township Plats of Illinois


 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Kankakee County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Kankakee County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)