Genesee County, Michigan Genealogy
Guide to Genesee County, Michigan ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
County Information
Description
The county was named for Genesee County, New York. The county is located in the southeastern area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Genesee County Courthouse
900 S Saginaw St.
Flint, MI 48502
Phone: (810) 257-3225
Genesee County Website
County Clerk has birth and death from 1867, marriage and court records from 1835, and divorce records from 1890.
Probate Judge holds probate records from 1954-present.
Probate records from 1836-1953.
Land Records are located at the County Administration Building
Cemetery custodians have burial records. [3]
Genesee 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 | 1835 | 1867 | 1835 | 1819 | 1836 | 1820 |
Record Loss
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
|
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:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Additional Information
Genesee County is located northwest of the Detroit area and is north of Livingston County and Oakland County. It has a number of communities, including Grand Blanc, Burton, Mundy Township, Davison, and the county seat is Flint.
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
- 1799-1999 Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), Cemetery Index, 1799-1999 at FamilySearch — index & images
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 4,268 | — |
| 1850 | 12,031 | 181.9% |
| 1860 | 22,498 | 87.0% |
| 1870 | 33,900 | 50.7% |
| 1880 | 39,220 | 15.7% |
| 1890 | 39,430 | 0.5% |
| 1900 | 41,804 | 6.0% |
| 1910 | 64,555 | 54.4% |
| 1920 | 125,668 | 94.7% |
| 1930 | 211,641 | 68.4% |
| 1940 | 227,944 | 7.7% |
| 1950 | 270,963 | 18.9% |
| 1960 | 374,313 | 38.1% |
| 1970 | 444,341 | 18.7% |
| 1980 | 450,449 | 1.4% |
| 1990 | 430,459 | −4.4% |
| 2000 | 436,141 | 1.3% |
| 2010 | 425,790 | −2.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1850-1880 Michigan Mortality Schedules, 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
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
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Flint
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
- 1839-1841 Final Judgement Record, V. 56, 1839-1841(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1839-1889 Common Rule Books, 1839-1889(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1839-1891 Special Motion Book(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1840-1872 Court Journal, 1840-1872(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1841-1870 Chancery Case File, 1841-1870(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1847-1851 County Court Journal, V. 73, 1847-1851(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1847-1851 County Court Law Calendar, V. 72, 1847-1851(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1847-1871 Equity Journal, V. 62-64, 1847-1871(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1847-1878 Chancery Calendar, V. 58 (1)-61 (4), 1847-1878(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Volunteers at the Genesee County Court House (Clerk's Office), 1977 to 1987; Flint Genealogical Quarterly - V. 29, No. 3 (July 1987). By Flint Genealogical Society (Michigan). Flint, Michigan : Flint Genealogical Society, 1987. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
Directories
- 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust Digital Library — 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
- Brown Funeral Home in Grand Blanc.
- Dodds-Dumanois Funeral Home & Cremation Center, L.L.C. in Flint.
- Hill Funeral Home in Grand Blanc.
- Legacy Funeral Chapel in Flint.
- Plumb Smith Funeral Home in Flint.
- Reigle Funeral Home/Sunset Chapel in Flushing.
- Serenity Funeral Chapel, L.L.C. in Flint.
- Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Fenton, Grand Blanc,Linden and Swartz Creek.
- Swartz Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Flint.
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 Genesee County courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1835-Present - Land Records housed at County Administration Building.
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Genesee 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 Genesee 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 Genesee County.
- 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
- 1914-1918 Honor roll and complete war history of Genesee County, Michigan, in the great World War, 1914-1918. Flint, Michigan : , 1920
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 ($)
- Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University
Obituaries
- 1820-2006 Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1920-Onward Michigan, Genesee County Obituaries at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 2000-2016- Obituary Index at Flint Public Library--Index to obituaries found in Genesee County newspapers.
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
- 1841-1870 Chancery Case File, 1841-1870(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1857-1883 Probate Estate Files, ca. 1857-1883(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Genealogical Data from Wills Over 100 Years Old (1886) : Found at Register of Deeds, Genesee County Michigan; Flint Genealogical Quarterly - V. 29, No. 2 (April 1987). By Flint Genealogical Society (Michigan). Flint, Michigan : Flint Genealogical Society, 1987. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
- Genealogical Data from Wills Over 100 Years Old : (Found at Register of Deeds, Genesee Co. Michigan); Flint Genealogical Quarterly - V. 27, No. 4 (Oct. 1985). By Flint Genealogical Society (Michigan). Flint, Michigan : Flint Genealogical Society, 1985. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
- Genealogical Data from Wills Over 100 Years Old : (From Register of Deeds, Genesee County Michigan); Flint Genealogical Quarterly - V. 28, No. 1 (Jan. 1986). By Flint Genealogical Society (Michigan). Flint, Michigan : Flint Genealogical Society, 1986. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
- 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.
1797-1973 Genesee County, Michigan Tax records, 1844-1880, 1890 at FamilySearch
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 ($)
- 1868-1925 Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1934-Onward Michigan, Genesee County Marriages at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1965-Present Genesee County Online Records Search
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
- 1885-Onward Michigan, Genesee County Deaths at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1897-1952 Michigan Death Certificates, 1897-1952 at Michiganology
Divorce
- 1897-1952 Michigan, Divorce Records, 1897-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Genesee County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
Sloan Museum Archives
1221 E Kearsley St
Flint, Michigan 48503
Phone: 810-237-3421
Email: Collections@SloanLongway.org
Website
Facebook
- Written email appointments are strongly encouraged. Archive contains large newspaper collection, family journals, and funeral home records.
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
- Flint Michigan FamilySearch Center
- Grand Blanc Michigan FamilySearch Center
- Owosso Michigan FamilySearch Center
- St Clair County Library System - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Genesee County. For state-wide library facilities, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
Flint Public Library
1026 E Kearsley St
Flint, MI 48503
Phone: 810-232-7111
Email: askus@fpl.info
Website
Facebook
- Flint Public Library is home to the second largest open stack genealogical collection in Michigan.
Genesee Historical Collections Center (Archives)
Frances Willson Thompson Library, Room 227
University of Michigan-Flint
303 Kearsley St
Flint, MI 48502
Phone: 810 762-3402
Website
Facebook
Museums
Sloan Museum of Discovery
1221 E Kearsley St
Flint, MI 48503
Phone: 810-237-3450
Email: sloan@sloanlongway.org
Website
Facebook
Societies
Listed below are societies in Genesee County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Michigan Societies.
Flint Genealogical Society
PO Box 1217
Flint, MI 48501-1217
Email:Info@flintgenealogy.org
Website
Facebook
Websites
- Local Gov't Records by County at Library of Michigan — Browse their list; records are not online.
- The Genesee County MIGenWeb project - regularly updated online resources for genealogical research.
- Genesee County at Michigan USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
- USGenWeb May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- Genesee County, Michigan at Linkpendium - genealogy and family history
- Genesee County, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
- Genesee County MI Genealogy at LDS 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
- ↑ 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, "Genesee County, Michigan" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia
- ↑ 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, "Genesee County, Michigan," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia accessed 18 September 2019.