Berrien County, Michigan Genealogy
Guide to Berrien County, Michigan ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
The county was named for John M. Berrien. The county is located in the southwest area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse
Berrien County Courthouse
811 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
Phone: 269-983-7111
Berrien County Website
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage records from 1831, naturalization records 1835-1985 and military records from 1918.
Probate Court has probate records from 1832.
Register of Deeds has land records from 1831.
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records from 1835. [2]
Berrien County, Michigan Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1867 | 1831 | 1867 | 1835 | 1831 | 1832 | 1820 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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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:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| American Indian Communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
- Bible Records of Berrien County, Michigan at Berrien County Genealogy Project
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
- 1799-1999 Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), Cemetery Index, 1799-1999 at FamilySearch — index & images
- Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles, Michigan has a Name Searchable Database.
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 3,475 | — |
| 1870 | 4,518 | 30.0% |
| 1880 | 6,619 | 46.5% |
| 1890 | 10,694 | 61.6% |
| 1900 | 19,440 | 81.8% |
| 1910 | 22,722 | 16.9% |
| 1920 | 15,573 | −31.5% |
| 1930 | 14,646 | −6.0% |
| 1940 | 15,370 | 4.9% |
| 1950 | 13,966 | −9.1% |
| 1960 | 12,038 | −13.8% |
| 1970 | 11,556 | −4.0% |
| 1980 | 13,525 | 17.0% |
| 1990 | 14,153 | 4.6% |
| 2000 | 16,235 | 14.7% |
| 2010 | 19,286 | 18.8% |
| Source: [3] | ||
State Census
- 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
- 1850-1880 Michigan Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Church Records
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Michigan denominations, view the Michigan Church Records wiki page.
- 1819-1991 Michigan, Church Records, 1819-1991 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Lutheran
- Records of the American Lutheran Church, Baroda, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
Directories
- 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust Digital Library — images
- 1871 Berrien County Directory and History : Containing Historical and Descriptive Sketches of the Villages and Townships within the County, and the Names and Occupations of Persons Residing Therein - 1871. By Cowles, Edward B. Niles, Michigan : Ed. B. Cowles, 1871. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Also Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
- 1903 Standard Atlas of Berrien County, Michigan : Including a Plat Book of the Villages, Cities and Townships of the County(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1909-1910 The South Bend Blue Book(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
- 1929-1966 Michigan, Crew Lists for various ports, 1929-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Bowerman Funeral Home in Eau Claire.
- Brown Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Niles.
- Duffield and Pastrick Family Funeral Home and Cremation in Coloma.
- Florin Funeral Services in Benton Harbor, Coloma and St. Joseph.
- Halbritter Wickens Funeral Services in Niles.
- Hutchins Funeral Home in Watervliet.
- Pike Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Bridgman.
- Robbins Brothers Funeral Home in Benton Harbor.
- Starks Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in Berrien Springs, Buchanan, New Buffalo and St. Joseph.
- Wagner Family Funerals in Three Oaks.
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Michigan Land and Property for additional information about early Michigan land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the Berrien County courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Berrien County. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Michigan Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- 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: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
Civil War
Civil War service men from Berrien 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 Berrien County.
- - 12th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Companies B, C, E, I, and K
- - 17th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Company B
- 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 Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 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
- Michigan, Civil War Centennial Observance Commission, Committee on Civil War Grave Registration, Burial Records at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
World War I
- 1917-1919 Michigan, Census of World War I Veterans with Card Index, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship
- 1837-1993 Michigan, Eastern and Western Districts, Naturalization Records, 1837-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Michigan, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University
Obituaries
- 1820-2006 Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- Southwest Michigan Obituary Index from the earliest date to 2000.
Other Records
Voting Records
- 1850-Onward Michigan Voter Registrations at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Michigan, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate packets, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1784-1980 Michigan, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1784-1980 at Ancestry.com ($) — index & images
- 1797-1973 Michigan Probate Records 1797-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- 1832-1915 Probate Records: Estates of Minors and Guardianships, ca. 1832-1915(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1832-1933 Probate Records, 1832-1913, Index ca. 1832-1933(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Michigan tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the Wiki page, Michigan Taxation.
Vital Records
- Birth Records and Death Records from 1867 can be obtained from the Michigan Department of Community Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.
- Marriage Records from 1867 and Divorce Records from 1897 can be obtained from the County Clerk.
Birth
- 1867-1917 Michigan, County Births, 1867-1917 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1902 Michigan Births, 1867-1902 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection.
Marriage
- 1585-1945 Michigan, United States Marriages at Findmypast $
- 1820-1937 Michigan, County Marriages Index, 1820-1937 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1820-1940 Michigan, County Marriages, 1820-1940 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1828-Onward Michigan Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1868-1925 Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection.
Death
- 1850-1880 Michigan Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1897 Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection.; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1867-1952 Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- 1897-1952 Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index & images, organized by county and then last name.
Divorce
- 1897-1952 Michigan, Divorce Records, 1897-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Berrien County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- St Joseph Michigan FamilySearch Center
- South Bend Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Valparaiso Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Hartford Public Library - an affiliate library
- Van Buren District Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Berrien County. For state-wide library facilities, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
Museums
North Berrien Historical Museum
300 Coloma Ave
PO Box 207
Coloma, MI 49038
Phone: 269-468-3330
Email: info@northberrienhistory.org
Website
Facebook
Societies
Listed below are societies in Berrien County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Michigan Societies.
Berrien County Genealogical Society
3653 Niles Rd
PO Box 571
Stevensville, Michigan 49127
Email: info@bcgensoc.com
Website
Facebook
Berrien County Historical Association
313 N Cass Street
PO Box 261
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
Phone: 269-471-1202
Email:info@berrienhistory.org
Website
Facebook
Galien Woods Historical Society
305 Kiley Dr
Galien, MI 49113
Phone: 269-545-8871
Facebook
The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center
601 Main St
St Joseph, MI 49085
Phone: 269-983-1191
Email: info@theheritagemcc.org
Website
Facebook
North Berrien Historical Society
300 Coloma Ave
PO Box 207
Coloma, MI 49038
Phone: 269-468-3330
Email: info@northberrienhistory.org
Website
Facebook
Websites
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- Berrien County, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
- The Berrien County MIGenWeb Project, a member of The MIGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- Berrien County MI Genealogy LDS Genealogy (Michigan Genealogy)
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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.
Research Guides
References
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Berrien County, Michigan" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, [1]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Berrien County, Michigan," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, [2] accessed 06 September 2019.