Lake County, Montana Genealogy

Guide to Lake County, Montana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Lake County is located in the north western area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lake County Courthouse 106 4th Avenue Polson, MT 59860-2125 Phone: 406.883.6211 Lake County Website County Clerk Recorder has birth, death and land records from 1923; Clerk Court has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1923 and naturalization records 1923-1953

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

Boundary Changes
Parent County: created 11 May 1923 from Flathead and Missoula County seat: Polson

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:

Indian Reservation The Flathead Indian Reservation comprises most of Lake County. Small portions of the reservation are also in the surrounding counties of Flathead, Missoula, and Sanders Counties.

Territory and State Censuses

 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records  How to Use this Collection; index and images; Montana was included in the 1860 Washington and Nebraska Territory Censuses
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records - How to Use this Collection; index and images; Montana Territory Census
 * 1880 - at FamilySearch Historical Records - How to Use this Collection; index and images; Montana Territory Census

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of Montana starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Montana Census.

Church Records
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

Other Church Records The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * St. Ignatius
 * FamilySearch Places

County Records

 * 1857-2010 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Court Records

 * 1857-2010 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1923-1967 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Funeral Homes

 * The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory in Polson
 * Shrider -Thompson Funeral & Cremation Services in Ronan

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records
 * 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.com - ($), index and images
 * 1872 - 1989 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Local Histories

 * The Fabulous Flathead: Reservation Pioneers. c1962. By J.F. McAlear and Sharon Bergman. Polson, Montana : Treasure Street Pub..

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * See an interactive map of Lake County cemeteries and modern-day townships. (Histopolis)
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Montana - shows boundary changes for Montana Counties
 * Historical Maps and Atlases of Montana - maps and atlases of Montana

Online Collections
These collections are unique to Montana. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Montana Military Records. Civil War World War I World War II For further information see Montana Military Records.
 * 1890 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1890 - 1918 Montana Military Enlistments at Montana Memory Project
 * 1904 - 1918 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1917 - 1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * Soldiers of the Great War from the State of Montana at USGenWeb.
 * Military Enlistments Montana World War I at Montana Memory Project
 * WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualties for Montana - Index only

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1791-1992 - U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 at Ancestry($), index only
 * 1857-2010 -
 * 1868-1999 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1870-1999 - Montana, Federal Naturalization Records, 1870-1999 at Ancestry($), index only

Newspapers
 Montana Newspapers Online
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Montana newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Montana newspapers
 * Kalispell newspapers. This database is sometimes free at libraries.
 * Montana Newspapers by the Montana Historical Society
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Montana newspapers

Montana Newspaper Catalogs
 * 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

Obituaries

 * Obituary Daily Times - large obituary index from newspapers across the United States.

See also United States Obituaries for more about finding United States obituaries.

Other Records
Public Records


 * Montana, Lake County records, 1857-2010 Viewable
 * Montana, Lake County, school census records, 1910-1980 Viewable

Probate Records
(*) at FamilySearch —

Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1831–1952 Montana Wills and Probate Records 1831-1952 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1857-2010 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1923-1950 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

School Records

 * 1910-1980 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - 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.

Birth

 * 1840-2004 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1840-2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1857-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images.
 * 1897-1988 Montana, U.S., Birth Records, 1897-1988 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)

Marriage

 * 1800-1994 Montana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1865-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;  index and images
 * 1865-1950 Montana, County Marriages, 1865 - 1950 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1889-1947 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1889-1947 Montana Select Marriages 1889 - 1947 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1923-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images.
 * 1923-1959 Marriage records, 1923 - 1959 Viewable
 * 1943-1988 Montana, U.S., Marriage Records, 1943-1988 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * Western States Marriage Index - Index, incomplete, list of counties included

Death

 * 1840-2004 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1840-2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1860-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1868 - 2007 Montana, Death Index, 1868 - 2011 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1923-2010 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images.
 * pre 1954 - 2002 Montana State Death Registry Index Pre 1954 & 1954 - 2002 at Montana State Genealogical Society — index
 * 1954-2011 Montana Death Records at findmypast ($) — index

Divorce

 * 1814-1958 Montana, Lake County, divorce records, 1814 - 1958 Viewable
 * 1914-1958 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images.
 * 1943-1988 Montana, U.S., Divorce Records, 1943-1988 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)

Voting Records

 * 1884-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Family History Centers

 * Plains Montana Family History Center
 * Polson Montana Family History Center
 * Seeley Lake Montana Family History Center
 * Superior Montana Family History Center


 * Thompson Falls Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
North Lake County Public Library #2 1st Avenue East Polson, MT 59860 406-883-8225 Email: [mailto:polsoncl@polson.lib.mt.us polsoncl@polson.lib.mt.us] Website Facebook

Museums
Polson Flathead Historical Museum 708 Main Street PO Box 206 Polson, MT 59860 406-883-3049 Email: [mailto:info@polsonflatheadmuseum.org info@polsonflatheadmuseum.org] Website Facebook

Societies
Polson Flathead Historical Society 708 Main St PO Box 206 Polson, MT 59860 406-883-3049 Email: [mailto:info@polsonflatheadmuseum.org info@polsonflatheadmuseum.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Lake County at Cyndi's List — a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Lake County at Genealogy Trails — volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Lake County at Montana USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Lake County at Montana USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * Lake County, Montana at Linkpendium - genealogy and family history
 * Lake County, Montana 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.