Racine County, Wisconsin Genealogy
Guide to Racine 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 is located in the southeastern area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Racine County Courthouse
730 Wisconsin Avenue
Racine, WI 53403
Phone: 262-636-3121
Racine County Website
Register of Deeds has birth records from 1876, marriage and land records from 1837, death records from 1853 and veterans records from 1918.
Family Court has divorce records from 1940.
Probate Court has probate records 1846.
Clerk of Court has court records from 1970. [3]
Racine 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 | 1837 | 1853 | 1970 | 1837 | 1846 | 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 | ||
| 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.
- Biographical Sketches WIGenWeb project
- Biographical Sketches of Racine County USGenWeb Archives
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
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Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 3,475 | — |
| 1850 | 14,973 | 330.9% |
| 1860 | 21,360 | 42.7% |
| 1870 | 26,740 | 25.2% |
| 1880 | 30,922 | 15.6% |
| 1890 | 36,268 | 17.3% |
| 1900 | 45,644 | 25.9% |
| 1910 | 57,424 | 25.8% |
| 1920 | 78,961 | 37.5% |
| 1930 | 90,217 | 14.3% |
| 1940 | 94,047 | 4.2% |
| 1950 | 109,585 | 16.5% |
| 1960 | 141,781 | 29.4% |
| 1970 | 170,838 | 20.5% |
| 1980 | 173,132 | 1.3% |
| 1990 | 175,034 | 1.1% |
| 2000 | 188,831 | 7.9% |
| 2010 | 195,408 | 3.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Racine 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 at FamilySearch — 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 at FamilySearch — index & images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical. - How to Use this Collection
- 1905 Wisconsin State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — Name index & images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants. - How to Use this Collection
Federal Census
- 1850, 1900 USGenWeb Archives Link to 1850 Census; Links to 1900 Census by District
- 1850 Mortality Schedule from the 1850 Federal Census, City of Racine, District 1 - Partial WIGenWeb project
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.
- Church History and Records - Churches of Racine County with links. WIGenWeb project
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Racine
Lutheran
- Records of United Evangelical Lutheran Church, Racine, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Germans
- The Center for Volga German Studies at Concordia University includes information about the origins of the Volga Germans who settled in the Racine area.
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Wisconsin Land and Property for additional information about early Wisconsin land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Wisconsin Land Patents Database, Racine County (USGenWeb Archives)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
- The History of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago, Illinois : Western Historical Company, 1879. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Racine, Belle city of the lakes and Racine County, Wisconsin, by Fanny S. Stone. Chicago, Illinois : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1916. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Wisconsin
- Family Maps of Racine County, Wisconsin (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
Migration
Military Records
- Racine County National Guard - lists from 1838 to 1892. USGenWeb Archives
Civil War
Regiments. Service men in Racine 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 Racine:
- - 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company G
- - 5th Independent Battery, Wisconsin Light Artillery
- - 8th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company K
- - 9th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company E
- - 15th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company C
- Racine County Civil War Dead USGenWeb Archives
Spanish-American War
- Racine county - Roster USGenWeb Archives
World War I
- Racine County in the World War; Died in Service, 1917-1919 USGenWeb Archives
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Wisconsin, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Racine County Newspapers Wisconsin Genealogy
- Wisconsin Digital Newspaper at Wisconsin State Historical Society
Obituaries
- Specific Racine County Obituaries - Scroll down on page to Obits. USGenWeb Archives
- Racine County Obituaries Wisconsin Genealogy
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Probate records are held by the Racine Clerk of Circuit Court and are housed at the Racine 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 Probate Indexes and 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 ($)
- Racine County Births WIGenWeb project
- Racine County Birth Records Wisconsin Genealogy
Marriage
- 1836-1911 Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1836-1930 Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 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 $
- Racine County Marriages WIGenWeb project
- Racine County Marriage Records Wisconsin Genealogy
- 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
- Racine County Deaths WIGenWeb project
- Racine County Death Records Wisconsin Genealogy
- 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 Racine 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
Phone: 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
- Kenosha Wisconsin FamilySearch Center
- Milwaukee Wisconsin FamilySearch Center
- Zion Benton Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Racine 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
Phone: 262-595-2411
Email: archives@uwp.edu
Website
Museums
The Racine Historical Society and Museum, Inc.
701 S Main St
Racine, WI 53403-1211
Phone: 262-636-3926
Email: inquire@racineheritagemuseum.org
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Racine County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Wisconsin Societies.
Burlington Historical Society
232 N Perkins Blvd
Burlington, WI 53105
Phone: 262-767-2884
Email: burlingtonhistory@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
Caledonia Historical Society
5043 Chester Lane
Racine, WI 53402
Email: caledoniahistoricalvillage@gmail.com
Website
Racine County & Burlington Genealogical Society
PO Box 593
Burlington, WI 53105-0593
Website
Racine County Historical Society
701 S Main St
Racine, WI 53403-1211
Phone: 262-636-3926
Website
The Racine Historical Society and Museum, Inc.
701 S Main St
Racine, WI 53403-1211
Phone: 262-636-3926
Email: inquire@racineheritagemuseum.org
Website
Websites
- Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Racine County Archives USGenWeb Archives
- Racine County WIGenWeb
- 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, "Racine County, Wisconsin " in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racine_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), Racine 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, "Racine County, Wisconsin," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racine_County,_Wisconsin#Communities, accessed 30 Dec 2018.
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