South Dakota, Wills and Deeds - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains an index of wills and deeds filed in South Dakota from 1700-2017.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Name of land seller
 * Name of land purchaser
 * Description of property

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this index it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the individual
 * Approximate date and or location of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
If these are indexes, the original records may contain additional information than was not indexed, or the information might have been indexed incorrectly. You may want to search for the original record.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family
 * Record entries for other people with the same surname to identify possible relationships

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in South Dakota.
 * GuidedResearch:South_Dakota
 * South Dakota Research Tips and Strategies
 * South Dakota Record Finder
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905|1905-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * South Dakota, agriculture censuses, 1880

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.