Linn County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Linn County, Iowa ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Linn County was named for Lewis Fields Linn and is located in eastern Iowa.[3]
County Courthouse
Linn County Courthouse
51 Third Avenue Bridge
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Phone: 319-398-3411
Linn County Website
Linn County, Iowa 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 |
| 1880 | 1840 | 1880 | 1860 | 1841 | 1860 | 1847 |
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:[8]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Townships | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Listed below are resources for Bible records specific to Linn County. To find more resources, go to the Iowa Bible Records page.
- Family Bible Records, Linn County, Iowa(*); at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- Linn County Family Bible Records at USGenNet - transcriptions
- Linn County Iowa Bibles at USGenWeb Iowa Archives - transcriptions
Biographies
- Biographical Record of Linn County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1901. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
- The History of Linn County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, its Cities, Towns, a Biographical Directory of its Citizens. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Company, 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
- Portrait and Biographical Album of Linn County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Chapman Brothers, 1887. Online at: Vol. I -FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. II - HathiTrust.
- Linn County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- Iowa, State Employees at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
Cemeteries
Census Records
Iowa recorded not only federal, but state censuses for several in-between years as well. For more information, see the very informative Iowa Census article.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 5,444 | — |
| 1860 | 18,947 | 248.0% |
| 1870 | 31,080 | 64.0% |
| 1880 | 37,237 | 19.8% |
| 1890 | 45,303 | 21.7% |
| 1900 | 55,392 | 22.3% |
| 1910 | 60,720 | 9.6% |
| 1920 | 74,004 | 21.9% |
| 1930 | 82,336 | 11.3% |
| 1940 | 89,142 | 8.3% |
| 1950 | 104,274 | 17.0% |
| 1960 | 136,899 | 31.3% |
| 1970 | 163,213 | 19.2% |
| 1980 | 169,775 | 4.0% |
| 1990 | 168,767 | −0.6% |
| 2000 | 191,701 | 13.6% |
| 2010 | 211,226 | 10.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1885 Iowa State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1895 Iowa State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1905 Iowa State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images (individual cards, not family context)
- 1915 Iowa State Census, 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1925 Iowa State Census, 1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Church Records
Most church records are held by individual churches. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Iowa Church Records.
- 1845-1987 Iowa, Church and Civil Deaths, 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
- FamilySearch Places
Court Records
- 1840-1845 Court Records, 1840-1845(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1843-1902 Justice Docket, 1843-1902(*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1855-1860 Complete Record, vol. 1, 1855-1860(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1904-1973 Change of Name Records, v. 1, 1904-1973(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories
- 1749-1990 United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1878 The History of Linn County, Iowa : Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of the Northwest, History of Iowa, Map of Linn County(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- County Farm Directory and Automobile Guide of Linn County, Iowa. 1916. Springfield, IL: F.A. Moore Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids
- Cedar Memorial in Cedar Rapids
- Legacy Center at Murdoch-Linwood in Cedar Rapids
- Murdoch Funeral Homes and Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids, Center Point, Central City and Marion
- Teahen Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Cedar Rapids
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. They include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Iowa Land and Property for information about early Iowa land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, transactions were usually recorded and housed at the county courthouse.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1841-1886 Deeds - Lands, 1841-1886; indexes, 1841-1907 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1848-1857 Bill of sale book, 1848-1857 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1855-1933 Town lot deeds, 1855-1933; indexes, 1855-2003 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1858-1990 Transfer books, 1858-1990 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Linn County, which may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Iowa Local Histories.
- The History of Linn County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Company, 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
- History of Linn County, Iowa: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time. By Luther A. Brewer and Barthinius L. Wick. Chicago, IL: Pioneer, 1911. Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
- Linn County: a Brief Review of Its History From 1838 to 1923. By Fred J. Lazell. Cedar Rapids, IA: Linn County Board of Supervisors, 1923. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
Maps and Gazetteers
County and state maps, historical and more current, are valuable research tools. For online maps and collections in libraries and societies, see Iowa Maps. Historical maps may be especially useful.
for more resources
- 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Linn County at Ancestry ($) - index.
- 1875-2007 Linn County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
- 1883-1949 Fire Insurance Maps for Linn County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1883 and 1949.
- Atlas of Linn County, Iowa(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- IAGenWeb - Linn County.
- Iowa Digital Library, Linn County at Iowa University Libraries.
- Linn County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Linn County at State Library of Iowa.
- Township Map of 1875 Linn County, Iowa at My Genealogy Hound; with enlarged views of each township.
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.
Migration
Military Records
- Linn County (Iowa) Soldiers and Sailors Serving Our Flag at FamilySearch Digital Library.
Multiple Wars
- 1835-1998 Iowa, Armed Forces Grave Registrations, ca. 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
- 1862-1910 Iowa, Records of Persons Subject to Military Duty, 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Civil War
- 1861-1949 Iowa, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Civil War service men in Linn County 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 here:
- - 1st Regiment, Iowa Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company K
- - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company H and K
- - 6th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
- - 9th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
- - 11th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
- - 12th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D and H
- - 13th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A and F
- - 16th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
- - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
- - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F, G, and H
- - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company E
Naturalization and Citizenship
Please see the Iowa Naturalization and Citizenship page for state-wide information.
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1856-1924 Naturalization Records, 1856-1924(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1859-1990 United States, Iowa Naturalization Records, 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1861-1869 County Court Records, 1861-1869(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Iowa, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1896-1973 The Coe College Cosmos. 1896, 1899-1910, 1912-44, 1948-51, 1969-71, and 1973. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1898-1912 Cosmos. 1898-1903 and 1909-12. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1899 Coe College Cosmos. 1899. Coe College, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1913-1916 The Evening Gazette. 1913 and 1915-16. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1922 The Republican And Times. 1922. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1925-1926 Cedar Rapids Republican. 1925-26. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1939-1977 Coe Cosmos. 1939-44, 1946, 1948-67, 1969-73, and 1975-77. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1976-1977 The New Cosmos. 1976-77. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- Cedar Rapids Library Archives, Linn County has a large number of Cedar Rapids and Marion newspapers available free online.
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Iowa, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1840-1924 Probate Case Files, 1840-1924(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1840-1944 Probate Records, 1840-1941; Index, 1840-1944(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1861-1883 Probate Record, vol. 3, 7, 1861-1883(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1871-1887 Probate Fee Book, vol. 2, 1871-1887(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Iowa tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. Iowa's unique Old Age Assistance tax gives names, addresses and birth years. There may be gaps of several years. For more information, see the wiki page Iowa Taxation.
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- 1934-1958 Iowa, Old Age Tax Assistance Records, 1934-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded by civil officials on registers, certificates, and other documents. Copies or extracts may be purchased from the Iowa Department of Public Health or the County Clerk's office. See also Iowa Vital Records.
Birth
- 1850-1939 Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1850-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1880-1935 Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1921-1942 Iowa, Birth Records, 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1921-1947 Iowa, Birth and Stillbirth Records, 1921-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images, coverage may vary
Marriage
- 1518-1996 Iowa, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1838-1934 Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1941-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Death
- 1845-1987 Iowa, Church and Civil Deaths, 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
- 1850-1990 Iowa Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images; Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1880-1992 Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1888-1904 Iowa, Death Records, 1888-1904 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images, coverage may vary
- 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1904-1951 Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Divorce
- 1906-1950 Record of Divorces, 1906-1950(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Linn County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa 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
- Belle Plaine Iowa FamilySearch Center
- Cedar Rapids Iowa FamilySearch Center
- Iowa City Iowa FamilySearch Center
- African American Museum Of Iowa - an affiliate library
- Genealogical Society of Linn County Iowa dba Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Linn County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
The Genealogical Society of Linn County Library
813 1st Avenue SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
Phone: 319-369-0022
Website
Cedar Rapids Public Library
Downtown Library
450 5th Avenue SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Phone: 319-261-7323
Email: info@crlibrary.org
Website
Museums
African American Museum of Iowa
55 12th Avenue SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Phone: 319-862-2101
Website
The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library
1400 Inspiration Place SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone: 319-362-8500
Website
The History Center
Linn County Historical Society
800 Second Avenue SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
Phone: 319-362-1501
Email: office@historycenter.org
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Linn County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.
Genealogical Society of Linn County
813 1st Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA, 52406-0175
Phone: 319-369-0022
Website
Springville Area Historical Society
304 Broadway Ave
P.O. Box 382
Springville, IA 52336
Email: SAHSinfo@gmail.com
Facebook
Websites
- Linn County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
- Linn County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
- Linn County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
- Linn County at Iowa USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
- State Historical Society of Iowa — select from research collection topics
- State Library of Iowa — electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions
- 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
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Linn, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linn_County,_Iowa."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Linn County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linn_County,_Iowa#Communities, accessed 2 October 2019.