Jefferson County, Wisconsin Genealogy
Guide to Jefferson County, Wisconsin 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 Jefferson County, New York. The county is located in the southeast area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Jefferson County Courthouse
320 S Main Street
Jefferson, WI 53549-1718
Phone: 920-674-7140
Jefferson County Website
Register of Deeds has birth and marriage records from 1850, death records from 1840 and land records from 1838.
Clerk of Circuit Courts has divorce records from 1851 and court records from 1843.
Register in Probate has probate records from 1840. [3]
Jefferson County, Wisconsin 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 |
| 1850 | 1850 | 1840 | 1843 | 1838 | 1840 | 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:[6]
| Cities | ||
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| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
- Jefferson County Populated Places WIGenWeb Project
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- Biographical index: 1879 History of Jefferson Co., WI USGenWeb Archives
- Biographical index: Jefferson Co.-Wisconsin and It's People,Vol. II, 1917 USGenWeb Archives.
- Links to Ten Biographies WIGenWeb Project
- Links to Five Biographies USGenWeb Archives
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 914 | — |
| 1850 | 15,317 | 1575.8% |
| 1860 | 30,438 | 98.7% |
| 1870 | 34,040 | 11.8% |
| 1880 | 32,156 | −5.5% |
| 1890 | 33,530 | 4.3% |
| 1900 | 34,789 | 3.8% |
| 1910 | 34,306 | −1.4% |
| 1920 | 35,022 | 2.1% |
| 1930 | 36,785 | 5.0% |
| 1940 | 38,868 | 5.7% |
| 1950 | 43,069 | 10.8% |
| 1960 | 50,094 | 16.3% |
| 1970 | 60,060 | 19.9% |
| 1980 | 66,152 | 10.1% |
| 1990 | 67,783 | 2.5% |
| 2000 | 74,021 | 9.2% |
| 2010 | 83,686 | 13.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Jefferson census records online, see: Wisconsin Census.
- 1855 Wisconsin State Census, 1855 This census includes name of head of family; other individuals in the household are identified by sex and race, number of deaf and dumb, blind, insane and foreign born. - How to Use this Collection
- 1865 Wisconsin State Census, 1865 Name index & images of the 1865 State Census which names the head of household. Most records have been destroyed but schedules exist for the following counties: Dunn, Green, Jackson, Kewaunee, Ozaukee, and Sheboygan. - How to Use this Collection
- 1875 Wisconsin State Census, 1875 Identifies head of household by name. - How to Use this Collection
- 1885 Wisconsin State Census, 1885 — index & images. Search indexed census.Identifies by name of head of household. Other information is statistical and identifies the rest of the household by race, gender and country of birth. - How to Use this Collection
- 1895 Wisconsin State Census, 1895 — index & images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical. - How to Use this Collection
- 1905 Wisconsin State Census, 1905 — Name index & images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants. - 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 Wisconsin denominations, view the Wisconsin Church Records wiki page.
Lutheran
- Records of the American Lutheran Church, Johnson Creek, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
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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 Wisconsin Land and Property for additional information about early Wisconsin land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Jefferson County, Wisconsin land ownership map, 1900
- Wisconsin Land Patents Database, Jefferson County (USGenWeb Archives)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
- Index to names in the History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin : illustrated, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879 map
- The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin : containing a history of Jefferson County ... ; also History of Wisconsin Viewable
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Wisconsin
Migration
Military Records
Civil War
Regiments. Service men in Jefferson served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Jefferson:
- - 1st Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Companies E, I and L
- - 3rd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Companies D, E and K
- - 11th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company C
- - 13th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies H and I
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Wisconsin, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Wisconsin Newspapers Online
- For Dodge and Jefferson counties, order newspaper clippings from Dodge/Jefferson Counties Genealogical Society
- Wisconsin Digital Newspaper at Wisconsin State Historical Society
Obituaries
- List of Jefferson County Obituaries WIGenWeb project
- Selected Jefferson County Obituaries USGenWeb Archives
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Probate records are held by the Jefferson Clerk of Circuit Court and are housed at the Jefferson Courthouse. See the wiki page Wisconsin Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Content: Probate records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, and adoptions.
Online Records
- 1800–1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry — images and index $
- 1848–1948 Wisconsin Probate Estate Files 1848-1948 at FamilySearch — images - How to Use this Collection
- 1851-1949 Jefferson County, Wisconsin Index to Wills 1851-1949
- 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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Wisconsin tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned property or other items that could be taxed were listed, some residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records. For more information see the Wiki page, Wisconsin Taxation.
Vital Records
Birth
- 1820-1907 Wisconsin, Birth Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1820-1920: Wisconsin, Birth Index, 1808-1920 at MyHeritage - index ($)
- 1826-1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry — index $
- 1826-1926 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- Births, Partial, Jefferson County USGenWeb Archives
Marriage
- 1836-1911 Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1836-1930 Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 1973-1997 Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index & images $
- Jefferson County, Wisconsin bride & groom index This has a groom and then a bride index; marriage date is included in index. Contents: [vol. 1]. Vol. A, 1833 (2), 1840-1846 (384), 1851-1855 (10) -- [v. 2]. Vol. B, 1846-1848 -- [v. 3]. Vol. C, 1848-1856 -- [v. 4]. Vol. E, 1852-1867 -- [v. 5]. Vol. F, 1848-1868. Vols. 1-3 bound together as 1 vol.; vols. 4-5 bound together also.
- Wisconsin Marriages at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death
- 1820-1907 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1835-1968 Wisconsin, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1851-1949 Jefferson County, Wisconsin index to wills 1851 - 1949
- 1867-1907 Wisconsin, Death Records, 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 1959-1997 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Wisconsin Deaths at MyHeritage — index ($)
Divorce
- 1907-2015 Wisconsin, U.S., Divorce Records, 1907-2015 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1965-1984 Wisconsin, Divorce Index, 1965-1984 at FamilySearch.org — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1985-Onward Wisconsin Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Jefferson County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Wisconsin Archives and Libraries.
- Special Collections, Area Research Center, University Archives
Anderson Library, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
800 West Main Street
P.O. Box 900
Whitewater, WI 53190-0900
Telephone: 262-472-5520
Email: archives@uww.edu
Website
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
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Jefferson County. For state-wide library facilities, see Wisconsin Archives and Libraries.
- Anderson Library, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
Special Collections, Area Research Center, University Archives
800 West Main Street
P.O. Box 900
Whitewater, WI 53190-0900
Telephone: 262-472-5520
Email: archives@uww.edu
Website
Museums
- Hoard Historical Museum
401 Whitewater Ave
Fort Atkinson WI 53538
Phone 920-563-7769
Email:info@hoardmuseum.org
Website - Jefferson Historical Museum
317 S. Main
Jefferson, WI 53549
Phone 920-674-7731
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Jefferson County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Wisconsin Societies.
- Bark River Woods Historical Society
Green Isle Drive
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538-9681
Phone: 920-563-4773
Email:brwhs75@gmail.com
Facebook - Concord Historical Society, Inc.
PO Box 154
Sullivan, WI 53178
Website - Palmyra Historical Society
112 3rd St
PO Box 265
Palmyra, WI 53156-0265
Phone: 262-495-2412
Email:info@palmyrahistorical.org
Facebook
Website - Town of Rome/Sullivan Historical Society
Street Address
N3866 West St
Rome, WI 53178
Mailing Address
715 E. Reinel St. #5
Jefferson, WI 53549
Phone 920-563-7171
Email:romesullhistsoc@yahoo.com
Website - Waterloo AREA Historical Society
130 E Polk St
Waterloo, WI 53594
Phone 920-478-8015 or 920-478-2649
Email:renie.giese@gmail.com
Facebook
Websites
- Jefferson County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Jefferson County, WIGenWeb project
- Jefferson County, USGenWeb Archives
- 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), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jefferson County, Wisconsin " in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County,_Wisconsin."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Jefferson County, Wisconsin. Page 755-760, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 757-759.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jefferson County, Wisconsin," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County,_Wisconsin, accessed 14 September 2018.
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