Monroe County, Michigan Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for James Monroe. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Monroe County Courthouse 106 E 1st Street Monroe, MI 48161 Phone: 888-354-5500 Monroe County Website County Clerk has birth records from 1874, marriage records from 1818, death records from 1867, divorce and court records to 1945. Probate Court has probate records. Register of Deeds has land records.

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:

Cemeteries

 * Listing of Cemeteries by Township, City or Village by Monroe County Library System

Census Records
 State Census


 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 - Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1819-1991 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * The Monroe County Library System has microfilm of county church records running back to the 18th century. They are housed at the Ellis Library &amp; Reference Center.
 * FamilySearch Places

Catholic Protestant

Directories

 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929-1966 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)
 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Civil War Civil War service men from Monroe 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 Monroe County.


 * - 17th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Companies C and I


 * 1861-1865 Record of Service of the Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865 at Michiganology — images, multiple volumes organized alphabetically by surname
 * 1876-1945 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 - Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

War of 1812
 * River Raisin Battlefield Visitors Center
 * War of 1812 Veterans Buried in Monroe County

World War I
 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1837-1993 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * Bygones of Monroe: Glimpses of Life in Monroe County History Taken from Area Newspapers.
 * Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1821-2012 - Monroe County Obituary Index Ancestry $

Other Records

 * Laurant Durocher Account Book Index, an active citizen in the founding of Frenchtown, later known as Monroe, Michigan.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1784-1980 - Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry $
 * 1797-1973 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

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

 * 1867-1902 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1917 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Marriage

 * 1585-1945 - Michigan, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
 * 1820-1937 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1820-1940 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1868-1925 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Death

 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1897 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1952 Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952 at Ancestry.com ($) — index and images
 * 1897-1952 - Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index and images, organized by county and then last name.

Divorce

 * 1897-1952 Michigan, Divorce Records, 1897-1952 at Ancestry.com ($) — index and images

Family History Centers

 * Adrian Michigan Family History Center


 * Adrian District Library - an affiliate library
 * Bedford Township Branch Library - an affiliate library
 * Manchester District Library - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Monroe County Library System Mary K. Daume Library Service Center 840 South Roessler Street Monroe, MI 48161 Phone: 734-241-5770 Website

Museums

 * Monroe County Historical Museum 126 South Monroe Street Monroe, MI 48161 Phone: 734-240-7780 Website

Societies

 * Daughters of the American Revolution Nancy DeGraff Toll Chapter Website


 * Genealogical Society of Monroe County PO Box 1428 Monroe, MI 48161-6428 E-mail: [mailto:gsmcmi@gsmcmi.org gsmcmi@gsmcmi.org] Website Facebook


 * Monroe County Historical Society 22 West Second St. Monroe, MI 48161 E-mail: [mailto:johnsonphinneybuilding22@gmail.com johnsonphinneybuilding22@gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * Monroe County, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Monroe County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – 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.