Kauai County, Hawaii Genealogy
Guide to Kauai County, Hawaii ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Kauai County was created on 22 Apr 1903 and nicknamed “the Garden Isle” because of the beautiful lush green mountains and valleys. Its county seat is Līhuʻe.[1] It is located in the islands of Kauaʻi, Niʻihau, Lehua, and Kaʻula.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Kauai County Courthouse
4396 Rice Street
Lihue, HI 96766
Phone: 808-241-4188
Kauai County Courthouse
Kauai County, Hawaii Record Dates[edit | edit source]
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 |
| 1851 | 1842 | 1851 | 1851 | 1848 | 1851 | 1890 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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]
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Kauai is known as the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km), it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the “Garden Isle”, Kauai lies 105 miles (170 km) across the Kauai Channel, northwest of Oahu. This island is the Site of the Waimea Canyon State Park.
The United States Census Bureau defines Kauai as Census as Census Tracts 401 through 409 of Kauai County, Hawaii, which is all of the county excepts for the islands of Ka’ula Lehua, and Ni’ihau. The 2000 census population of Kauai (the island was 58, 303
There is no known meaning behind the name of Kauai. Native Hawaiian tradition indicates the name's origin in the legend of Hawaiʻiloa — the Polynesian navigator attributed with discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. The story relates how he named the island of Kauai after a favorite son; therefore a possible translation of Kauai is "place around the neck", meaning how a father would carry a favorite child. Another possible translation is "food season.
Kauai was known for its distinct dialect of the Hawaiian language before it went extinct there. Whereas the standard language today is based on the dialect of Hawaii Island, which has the sound [k] at the beginning of words, the Kauai dialect was known for pronouncing this as [t]. In effect, Kauai dialect retained the old pan-Polynesian /t/, while 'standard' Hawaii dialect has innovated and changed it to the [k]. Therefore, the native name for Kauai was Kauai, and the major settlement of Kapaau would have been called Tamara.
Kauai’s origins are volcanic. The highest peak on this mountainous island is Kawaikini at 5,243 feet (1,598 m).] The second highest peak is Mount Waiʻaleʻale near the center of the island, 5,148 feet (1,569 m) above sea level. One of the wettest spots on earth, with an annual average rainfall of 460 inches (1,200 cm), is located on the east side of Mount Waiʻaleʻale. The high annual rainfall has eroded deep valleys in the central mountains, carving out canyons with many scenic waterfalls. On the west side of the island, Waimea town is located at the mouth of the Waimea River, whose flow formed Waimea Canyon, one of the world's most scenic canyons, and which is part of Waimea Canyon State Park. At 3,000 feet (914 m) deep, Waimea Canyon is often referred to as "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific". The Na Pali Coast is a center for recreation in a wild setting, including kayaking past the beaches, or hiking on the trail along the coastal cliffs.
During the reign of King Kamehameha, the islands of Kauai and Niʻihau were the last Hawaiian Islands to join his Kingdom of Hawaii. Their ruler, Kaumualiʻi, resisted Kamehameha for years. King Kamehameha twice prepared a huge armada of ships and canoes to take the islands by force and twice failed; once due to a storm, and once due to an epidemic. In the face of the threat of a further invasion, however, Kaumualiʻi decided to join the kingdom without bloodshed, and became Kamehameha's vassal in 1810, ceding the island to the Kingdom of Hawaii upon his death in 1824. In 1815-17, Kaumualiʻi led secret negotiations with representatives of the Russian-American Company in an attempt to gain Russia's military help against Kamehameha; however, the negotiations folded and the Russians were forced to abandon all of their presence in Kauai, including Fort Elizabeth, after it was revealed that they did not have the support of Tsar Alexander I.
[missing reference]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing Kauai County, Hawaii Genealogy census records online, see: Hawaii Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1900 | 20,734 | — |
| 1910 | 23,952 | 15.5% |
| 1920 | 29,438 | 22.9% |
| 1930 | 35,942 | 22.1% |
| 1940 | 35,818 | −0.3% |
| 1950 | 29,905 | −16.5% |
| 1960 | 28,176 | −5.8% |
| 1970 | 29,761 | 5.6% |
| 1980 | 39,082 | 31.3% |
| 1990 | 51,177 | 30.9% |
| 2000 | 58,463 | 14.2% |
| 2010 | 67,091 | 14.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1849
- 1850
- 1866
- 1890
- 1900
- 1910
- 1920
- 1930
- See also Using the Census to find other records about ancestors
Church Records[edit | edit source]
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 Hawaii denominations, view the Hawaii Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- 1849-1900 Hawaii, U.S., Passport Records, 1849-1900 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1847-1898 Hawaii, Passport Records, 1874-1898 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
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Genealogies[edit | edit source]
- 1827-2013 Hawaii, U.S., Hawaii Genealogy Books, 1827-2013 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
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 Hawaii Land and Property for additional information about early Hawaii 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
- 1845-1909 Hawaii, Grantor and Grantee Index, 1845-1909 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Kauai County. They may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more about local histories and an Hawaii timeline, see Hawaii History.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
World War I
- 1917-1919 Hawaii, World War I Service Records, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
World War II
- 1940-1945 Hawaii, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1838-1991 Hawaii, Naturalization Records, 1838-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-Current Hawaii, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Ca. 1980-Present Hawaii Obituaries Index, ca. 1980-present at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1982-2010 Hawaii, Kauai County, Obituaries, 1982-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voting Records[edit | edit source]
- 1864-1910 Hawaii, U.S., Voter Records, 1864-1910 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1814-1917 Hawaii, Hawaii State Archives, Probate Packet Records, 1814-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1822-1962 Hawaii Wills and Probate Records 1822-1962 at Ancestry.com ($) — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- 1847-1903 Hawaii, Tax Assessment Rolls, 1847-1903 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. The State office has some records as early as 1853 up to the present. See the State of Hawaii, Department of Health website for information on acquiring the records and any restrictions.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1841-1944 Hawaii, U.S., Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1841-1944 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1843-1909 Hawaii, Births and Baptisms, 1843-1909 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1850-1950 Hawaii, U.S., Births, Marriages, and Death Cards, 1850-1950 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1803-1940 Hawaii, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index $
- 1841-1944 Hawaii, U.S., Marriage Certificates and Indexes, 1841-1944 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1850-1950 Hawaii, U.S., Births, Marriages, and Death Cards, 1850-1950 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1909-1989 Hawaii, Board of Health, Marriage Record Indexes, 1909-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1909-Onward Hawaii Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1841-1925 Hawaii, Death Records and Death Registers, 1841-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1841-1942 Hawaii, U.S., Death Certificates and Indexes, 1841-1942 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1850-1950 Hawaii, U.S., Births, Marriages, and Death Cards, 1850-1950 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1848-1892 Hawaii, U.S., Divorce Records, 1848-1892 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1849-1915 Hawaii, Various Islands, Circuit Court Divorce Records, 1849-1915 at FamilySearch — images - How to Use this Collection
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Kauai County. For state-wide facilities, see Hawaii Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Kauai County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Hawaii Societies.
Kaua‘i Historical Society
Historic County Building
4396 Rice Street
Suite 101
P.O. Box 1778
Lihu‘e, HI 96766
808 245-3373
Email: nfo@kauaihistoricalsociety.org
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Kauai HIGenWeb
- Kauai County, HI Linkpendium
- 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kauai County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kauai_County,_Hawaii
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kauai County, Hawaii . Page 170 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), 169.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kauai County, Hawaii," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kauai_County,_Hawaii, accessed 8 February 2019.
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