Sioux County, Iowa Genealogy

United States

Iowa

Sioux County

Guide to Sioux County, Iowa ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Iowa Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Orange City Organized: January 1, 1860 Parent County(s): Unorganized territory Neighboring Counties Cherokee • Lyon • O'Brien • Osceola • Plymouth • Lincoln (SD) • Union (SD) See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

Sioux County was named for the Sioux people and is located in northwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse

Sioux County Courthouse
210 Central Ave SW
Orange City, IA 51041
Phone: 712-737-2286
Sioux County Website

Sioux 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.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
Birth	Marriage	Death	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1880	1870	1880	1870	1856	1870	1847
* Statewide registration started for births in July 1880 and for deaths January 1891. General compliance by 1924.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

1851--Sioux County was created 15 January 1851 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Woodbury County prior to organization 1 January 1860. County seat: Orange City Iowa Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Iowa Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Iowa county boundary changes

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:

Cities
Alton Boyden Chatsworth Granville Hawarden	Hospers Hull Ireton Matlock Maurice	Orange City Rock Valley Sheldon Sioux Center
Townships
Buncombe Capel Center Eagle East Orange Floyd Garfield Grant	Holland Lincoln Logan Lynn Nassua Plato Reading Rock	Settlers Sheridan Sherman Sioux Washington Welcome West Branch

Resources

Bible Records

Listed below are resources for Bible records specific to Sioux County. To find more resources, go to the Iowa Bible Records page.

Biographies

• Sioux County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
  

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

• Iowa, State Employees at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Sioux County, Iowa online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	BillionGraves Find a Grave IAGenWeb Iowa Gravestones WPA 1930's Graves Registration Survey Iowa, Church and Civil Deaths (cemetery records), incomplete
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find a Grave FamilySearch Places
See Iowa Cemeteries for more information.

 

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.	%±
1860	10	—
1870	576	5660.0%
1880	5,426	842.0%
1890	18,370	238.6%
1900	23,337	27.0%
1910	25,248	8.2%
1920	26,458	4.8%
1930	26,806	1.3%
1940	27,209	1.5%
1950	26,381	−3.0%
1960	26,375	−0.0%
1970	27,996	6.1%
1980	30,813	10.1%
1990	29,903	−3.0%
2000	31,589	5.6%
2010	33,704	6.7%
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

Lutheran

• 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Directories

• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Funeral Homes

• Memorial Funeral Home in Sioux Center
  
• Oolman Funeral Homes in Hospers, Hull and Orange City
  
• Porter Funeral Homes in Hawarden, Ireton and Rock Valley
  

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

• 1857-1919 Land transfer books, 1857-1919 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
• 1894 Deed records, 1856-1900 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 Sioux County, which may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Iowa Local Histories.

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.

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Sioux County at Ancestry ($) - index.
• 1884-1926 Fire Insurance Maps for Sioux County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1884 and 1926.
• 1904-2007 Sioux County 1904-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
• IAGenWeb - Sioux County.
• Iowa Digital Library, Sioux County at Iowa University Libraries.
• Sioux County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
• Standard Historical Atlas of Sioux County, Iowa(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
• The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Sioux County at State Library of Iowa.
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.

Military Records

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

Naturalization and Citizenship

Please see the Iowa Naturalization and Citizenship page for state-wide information.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

• 1859-1990 United States, Iowa Naturalization Records, 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1871-1951 Naturalization Records, 1871-1951(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — part index, images

Newspapers

• 1800s-Current Iowa, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1872-2007 Sioux County Newspaper Archives (1872-2007)
• 1885, 1912-1913, 1916-1961, 1963-1971 — Alton Democrat at Ancestry.com ($) — Alton, Iowa, United States Of America
• 1897-1943, 1947-1954, 1956-1961 — Boyden Reporter at Ancestry.com ($) — Boyden, Iowa, United States Of America
• 1935-1952, 1959-1967, 1969-1970 — Sioux County Capital at Ancestry.com ($) — Orange City, Iowa
• 1896-1900, 1902-1903, 1930-1955, 1957-1958, 1961-1966, 1969-1971 — Sioux Center News at Ancestry.com ($) — Sioux Center, Iowa
• 1913-1941, 1943-1948, 1953, 1955, 1957-1967 — Sioux County Index at Ancestry.com ($) — Hull, Iowa, United States Of America
• 1951-1967 — The Hawarden Independent at Ancestry.com ($) — Hawarden, IA, USA
• 1911-1912, 1915, 1917, 1920, 1927, 1928-1931, 1933, 1935-1937, 1941-1942 — Ireton Ledger at Ancestry.com ($) — Ireton, Iowa, United States Of America
• 1899-1918 — Bayard Advocate at Ancestry.com ($) — Bayard, Iowa, United States Of America
• 1908, 1911, 1913-1916, 1920, 1922-1923, 1933, 1938, 1941 — Hospers Tribune at Ancestry.com ($) — Hospers, Iowa, United States Of America
• 1968-1971 — The Independent at Ancestry.com ($) — Hawarden, IA, USA
• 1916-1920, 1924, 1928-1929 — Maurice Times at Ancestry.com ($) — Maurice, Iowa, United States Of America
• 1954 — The Sheldon Mail at Ancestry.com ($) — Sheldon, IA, USA

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 ($)
• 1870-1984 Probate Records, 1870-1963 ; Probate Index, 1870-1984(*); District 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

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 ($)

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Sioux 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

• Sioux City Iowa FamilySearch Center
• Sioux Falls South Dakota FamilySearch Center
• Spencer Iowa FamilySearch Center
• Vermillion South Dakota FamilySearch Center
• South Dakota Community Library - an affiliate library

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Sioux County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.

Alton Public Library
605 10th Street
Alton, IA 51003
Phone: 712-756-4516
Email: cherylhoekstra@alton.lib.ia.us
Website

Sioux Center Public Library
102 S. Main Avenue
Sioux Center, IA 51250
Phone: 712-722-2138
Email: support@siouxcenterlibrary.org
Website

Hospers Public Library
213 Main Street
P.O. Box 6
Hospers, IA 51238
Phone: 712-752-8400
Website

Hull Public Library
1408 Main Street
Hull, IA 51239
Phone: 712-439-1321
Email: hulllib@premieronline.net
Website

Museums

Sioux City Public Museum
607 4th Street
Sioux City, IA 51101
Phone: 712-279-6174
Email: scpm@sioux-city.org
Webiste

Dutch American Heritage Museum
120 3rd Street SW
Orange City, IA 51041
Phone: 712-707-4510
Email: dutchamericanheritagemuseum@gmail.com
Facebook

Societies

Listed below are societies in Sioux County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.

Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society
c/o Sioux Center Public Library
102 So. Main Ave
Sioux Center, IA 51250
Website

Hawarden Historical Society
PO Box 68
Hawarden, IA 51023
Phone: 712-551-4433
Email: bsrvhs79@gmail.com
Website

Websites

• Sioux County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
• Sioux County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
• Sioux County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
• Sioux County at Iowa USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
• Sioux County at Linkpendium - genealogy and family history
• 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.