Billings County, North Dakota Genealogy

Guide to Billings County, North Dakota ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Named for railroad executive Frederick H. Billings. It is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Billings County Courthouse 495 4th Street; PO Box 138 Medora, ND 58645-0138 Phone. 701.623.4492 Billings County Website

Clerk of the District Court has marriage records from 1893, burial records from 1922, divorce records, and probate records from 1895, court records from 1890, and land records from 1886.

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:

Biographies

 * Billings County Biographies on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website- alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * North Dakota State University Archives Index- Index only; gives references to publications containing information on North Dakotans, living and deceased

Cemeteries

 * 1877-1999 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Territory and State Census Records
Census Territory Census Territory Census Territory Census
 * 1836 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census – index only; North Dakota was included in the 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census
 * 1840 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1840 Iowa Territory - How to Use this Collection
 * 1850 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Minnesota - How to Use this Collection
 * 1860 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1860 Dakota - How to Use this Collection
 * 1870 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1870 Dakota - How to Use this Collection
 * 1880 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1880 Dakota Territory Census- How to Use this Collection
 * 1885 Dakota Territory 1885 Census Index at NDSU Archives – index only
 * 1885, 1915, 1925 North Dakota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1885, 1915, 1925 at Ancestry.com – ($), index and images
 * 1915 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1925 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of North Dakota starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal census indexes, see North Dakota Census.
 * Billings County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Online Church Records Lutheran Church
 * 1875-1940 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1800-1953 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to Billings County BLM Property Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1863-1908 U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * Echoing trails : Billings County history. 1979. Billings County Historical Society. Billings County Historical Society; Medora, North Dakota. ;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of North Dakota - shows boundary changes for North Dakota Counties
 * North Dakota Maps at NDGenWeb -historical maps

Online Collections
These collections are unique to North Dakota. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and North Dakota Military Records.

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1890 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War I
 * 1917-1918 North Dakota Military Men 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1917-1918 Roster of the men and women who served in the army or naval service (including the Marine Corps) of the United States or its allies from the state of North Dakota in the World War, 1917-1918, Vols. 1-4 at Ancestry ($)
 * WWI Draft Registrations, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)
 * WWI Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

World War II
 * World War II Army Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

Korean War
 * Korean War Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

Vietnam War For further information see North Dakota Military Records.
 * Vietnam War Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1868-1924 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1890-1941 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1890-1939 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * North Dakota Naturalization Records Index at NDSU Archives – index only, covers various dates and counties

Newspapers
North Dakota Newspaper Catalogs


 * State Historical Society of North Dakota - contains inventory and catalog of all known ND newspapers
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

 North Dakota Newspapers Online


 * Chronicling America - contains images of some North Dakota newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * GenealogyBank ($)
 * Newspaper Archive ($)
 * Papers from the Past at Community History Archives

Obituaries

 * Obituaries and Death Notices, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1800–1985 North Dakota and South Dakota Wills and Probate Records 1800-1985 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection  Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Marriage

 * 1872-1958 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * Billings County Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * 1892-present NDDH Public Death Index, 1892-present at North Dakota Dept. of Health – index only

FamilySearch Centers

 * Dickinson North Dakota FamilySearch Center
 * Glendive Montana FamilySearch Center


 * Dickinson Area Public Library - an affiliate library

Museums
Billings County Historical Society Museum 475 4th St PO Box 364 Medora, ND 58645 Phone:701-623-4829 Email: [mailto:bcm@midstate.net bcm@midstate.net] Facebook

Chateau de Mores State Historic Site PO Box 106 3426 Chateau Road Medora, ND 58645 701-623-4355 or 701-328-2666 Email: [mailto:shschateau@nd.gov shschateau@nd.gov] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Billings County at Cyndi's List — a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Billings County at Genealogy Trails — volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Billings County at North Dakota USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Billings County at North Dakota USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * Billings County, North Dakota at Linkpendium - genealogy and family history
 * Billings County, North Dakota Genealogy at LDSGenealogy.com - collection of links by state, county, city, and record type
 * The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.