Kenosha County, Wisconsin Genealogy
Guide to Kenosha 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 the county seat, Kenosha. The county is located in the southeastern area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Kenosha County Courthouse
1010 56th Street
Kenosha, WI 53140
Phone: 262-653-2552
Kenosha County Website
County Clerk has marriage records from 1900.
Register of Deeds has land records.
Register in Probate has probate records. [3]
Kenosha 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 |
| 1876 | 1900 | 1876 | 1852 | 1838 | 1850 | 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 | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- Portrait and Biographical Album of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago, Illinois : Lake City Publishing Company, 1892. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Miscellaneous Kenosha County Biographies USGenWeb Archives
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 10,734 | — |
| 1860 | 13,900 | 29.5% |
| 1870 | 13,147 | −5.4% |
| 1880 | 13,550 | 3.1% |
| 1890 | 15,581 | 15.0% |
| 1900 | 21,707 | 39.3% |
| 1910 | 32,929 | 51.7% |
| 1920 | 51,284 | 55.7% |
| 1930 | 63,277 | 23.4% |
| 1940 | 63,505 | 0.4% |
| 1950 | 75,238 | 18.5% |
| 1960 | 100,615 | 33.7% |
| 1970 | 117,917 | 17.2% |
| 1980 | 123,137 | 4.4% |
| 1990 | 128,181 | 4.1% |
| 2000 | 149,577 | 16.7% |
| 2010 | 166,426 | 11.3% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Kenosha census records online, see: Wisconsin Census.
State 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
Federal Census
- 1920 1920 Federal Census, Juneau County USGenWeb Archives
- 1930 1930 Federal Census, Juneau County USGenWeb Archives
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.
- Kenosha County Churches and Temples WIGenWeb project
Lutheran
- Records of the American Lutheran Church, Salem, 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
- Kenosha, Wisconsin City Directories
- Kenosha County Directories WIGenWeb project
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.
- Wisconsin Land Patents Database, Kenosha County (USGenWeb Archives)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
- The History of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago, Illinois : Western Historical Company, 1879. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
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
- Kenosha County Military Information Information about Kenosha County from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War. WIGenWeb Project
Civil War
Regiments. Service men in Kenosha 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 Kenosha:
- - 1st Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Companies F and M
- - 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company G
- - 9th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company C
- 1883 list of Pensioners or dependents, Kenosha Co., WI USGenWeb Archives
World War I
- Kenosha County Army Casualties USGenWeb Archives
World War II
- Kenosha County Army Enlistees (USGenWeb Archives)
Naturalization and Citizenship
- Kenosha County Naturalization Records WIGenWeb Project
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Wisconsin, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Wisconsin Newspapers Online
- Wisconsin Digital Newspaper at Wisconsin State Historical Society
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Probate records are held by the Kenosha Clerk of Circuit Court and are housed at the Kenosha 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
- 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 ($)
- Kenosha County Birth Records WIGenWeb Project
Marriage
- 1836-1911 Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1836-1930 Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 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 $
- Kenosha County Marriages WIGenWeb Project
- Wisconsin Marriages at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death
- 1820-1907 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1835-1968 Wisconsin, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1907 Wisconsin, Death Records, 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 1959-1997 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Kenosha County Death Index WIGenWeb Project
- 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 Kenosha County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Wisconsin Archives and Libraries.
- Archives and Area Research Center
University of Wisconsin, Parkside Library
900 Wood Rd.
Kenosha, WI 53144
Telephone: 262-595-2411
Email: archives@uwp.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 Kenosha County. For state-wide library facilities, see Wisconsin Archives and Libraries.
- University of Wisconsin, Parkside Library
Archives and Area Research Center
900 Wood Rd.
Kenosha, WI 53144
Telephone: 262-595-2411
Email: archives@uwp.edu
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Kenosha County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Wisconsin Societies.
- Kenosha County Genealogical Society
PO Box 25
4902 52nd St
Kenosha, WI 53142
Facebook
Website - Kenosha County Historical Society, Kenosha History Center
220 51st Place
Kenosha, WI 53140
Phone: 262-654-5770
Email:kchs@kenoshahistorycenter.org
Facebook
Website - Pleasant Prairie Historical Society
PO Box 580866
3875 116th Street
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158
Phone 262-925-6718 or 262-577-5115
Email:HistoricalSociety@plprairie.org
Website - Western Kenosha Historical Society
PO Box 232
260th Ave
Trevor, WI 53179-0232
Phone: 262-857-7753
Facebook
Websites
- Kenosha County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Kenosha County, WIGenWeb Project
- Kenosha 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, "Kenosha County, Wisconsin " in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenosha_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), Kenosha 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, "Kenosha County, Wisconsin," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenosha_County,_Wisconsin, accessed 15 September 2018.
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