Vanderburgh County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Vanderburgh County, Indiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Vanderburgh County was named for Capt. Henry Vanderburgh (1760 - 1812), a Revolutionary War veteran and the judge for the Indiana Territory.[3] The county is located in the southwestern area of the state.[4]
County Courthouse
Vanderburgh County Courthouse
Circle Center Courts Bldg, Rm 216
PO Box 216
Evansville, IN 47732
Phone: 812-435-5160
County Website
Vanderburgh County Health Department
Oak Park Professional Building
420 Mulberry Street
Evansville, IN, 47713
Health Officer: Dr. Kenneth Spear
Phone: 812-435-2400
Fax: 812-435-5468
Health Department
County Clerk has marriage records from 1916, divorce records from 1969, probate records from 1850 and court records from 1877.
County Health Department has birth and death records from 1882.
County Recorder has land records from 1818 and military records from 1865.
Willard Library has many of the older records. [5]
Health Department has birth records and death records. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Vanderburgh County, Indiana 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 |
| 1882 | 1916 | 1882 | 1877 | 1818 | 1850 | 1807 |
Record Loss
|
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:[9]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
- Church Records - Family Bibles at Genealogy Trails
- Vanderburgh County, Indiana Bible Records, Biography, and Family History at Ancestry ($) - index & images
- Vanderburgh County, Indiana Bible Records, Biography, and Family History at Seeking My Roots; Also at: WorldCat
Biographies
- Biographical Cyclopedia of Vanderburgh County, Indiana. 1897. Evansville, Ind. : Keller. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- History of the City of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana. Vol 2 (Biographical). By Frank M. Gilbert. 1910. Chicago: Pioneer Pub. Company. FamilySearch Digital Library; Hathitrust; Internet Archive.
- Indiana Biography Index at Indiana State Library
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
For tips on accessing Vanderburgh County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 1,798 | — |
| 1830 | 2,611 | 45.2% |
| 1840 | 6,250 | 139.4% |
| 1850 | 11,414 | 82.6% |
| 1860 | 20,552 | 80.1% |
| 1870 | 33,145 | 61.3% |
| 1880 | 42,193 | 27.3% |
| 1890 | 59,809 | 41.8% |
| 1900 | 71,769 | 20.0% |
| 1910 | 77,438 | 7.9% |
| 1920 | 92,293 | 19.2% |
| 1930 | 113,320 | 22.8% |
| 1940 | 130,783 | 15.4% |
| 1950 | 160,422 | 22.7% |
| 1960 | 165,794 | 3.3% |
| 1970 | 168,772 | 1.8% |
| 1980 | 167,515 | −0.7% |
| 1990 | 165,058 | −1.5% |
| 2000 | 171,922 | 4.2% |
| 2010 | 179,703 | 4.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Vanderburgh County, Indiana (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Church Records
Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository.
For more information about these major repositories, see Indiana Church Records.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Catholic
Assumption Parish, Evansville
- 1837-1885 - Assumption Parish, Evansville, Baptism Index 1872-1944 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C537851 .[10]
- 1838-1895 - Assumption Parish, Evansville, Marriage Index 1838-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches M537851 and M537852 .[10]
Holy Trinity Parish, Evansville
- 1849-1880 - Holy Trinity Parish, Evansville, Baptism Index 1849-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C537861 .[10]
- 1887-1895 - Holy Trinity Parish, Evansville, Marriage Index 1887-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M537863 .[10]
St. Boniface Parish, Evansville
- 1881-1885 - St. Boniface Parish, Evansville, Baptism Index 1881-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C537941 .[10]
- 1881-1895 - St. Boniface Parish, Evansville, Marriage Index 1881-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M537942 .[10]
Church of Christ
St. Lucas United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1889-1956 - St. Lucas United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1889-1956 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728051 .[10]
- 1889-1956 - St. Lucas United Church of Christ, Marriage Index 1889-1956 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M728061 .[10]
St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1840-1966 - St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1840-1966 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728031 .[10]
- 1888-1986 - St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1888-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728032 .[10]
St. Peter's United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1885-1986 - St. Peter's United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1885-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728061 .[10]
- 1885-1986 - St. Peter's United Church of Christ, Marriage Index 1885-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M728051 .[10]
Salem United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1856-1947 - Salem United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1856-1947 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C541161 .[10]
- 1856-1947 - Salem United Church of Christ, Marriage Index 1856-1947 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M541161 .[10]
Zoar United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1858-1986 - Zoar United Church of Christ, Evansville, Baptism Index 1858-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728101 .[10]
- 1858-1986 - Zoar United Church of Christ, Evansville, Marriage Index 1858-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M728101 .[10]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Evansville
Methodist
Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Church, Evansville
- 1880-1921 - Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Church, Evansville, Baptism Index 1880-1921 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches C725261 and C725262 .[10]
- 1880-1921 - Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Church, Evansville, Marriage Index 1880-1921 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches M725261 and M725262 .[10]
Salem United Methodist Church, Evansville
- 1872-1944 - Salem United Methodist Church, Evansville, Baptism Index 1872-1944 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728041 .[10]
- 1872-1944 - Salem United Methodist Church, Evansville, Marriage Index 1872-1944 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M728041 .[10]
Court Records
- 1818-1954 Indiana Court Cases at MyHeritage — index ($)
Directories
- 1870 The Farmers' Record of Gibson, Vanderburgh, Posey, and Warrick Counties : Containing an Alphabetically Arranged List of the Land Owners, with a Description of Their Lands, and Number of Acres Owned by Each, With Other Valuable Statistics, 1870(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1888 Evansville, Indiana, City Directory, 1888 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 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
Funeral Homes
- Alexander Funeral Home-East Chapel in Evansville.
- Boone Funeral Home in Evansville.
- Browning Funeral Home in Evansville.
- Osborne Funeral Home in Evansville.
- Pierre Funeral Home in Evansville.
- R. Mason Brothers Memorial Chapel, LLC in Evansville.
- Simple Cremation Evansville in Evansville.
- Sunset Funeral Home, Cremation Center and Cemetery in Evansville.
- Titzer Family Funeral Homes in Evansville.
- Ziemer Funeral Homes in Evansville.
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 Indiana Land and Property for additional information about early Indiana land grants and patents.
After land was transferred from the government to private ownership, subsequent transactions were recorded at the Vanderburgh County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Vanderburgh County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.
- History of the City of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana. 2 volumes. 1910. By Frank M. Gilbert. Chicago : Pioneer Pub. Company. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vols. 1 & 2 - Hathitrust; At various libraries (WorldCat). Vol. 1 contains historical material; vol. 2 contains biographies.
- A History of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana. 1897. By Joseph P. Elliott. Evansville, Ind. : Keller Printing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
- History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, from the Earliest Times to the Present. 1889. Madison, Wisconsin : Brant & Fuller. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Local History Database from articles from 1850-2019 from Evansville Press clipping archive, Browning People Study, People of Evansville in WWII. Evansville, Indiana Local History Database.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana at Map of US.com
- Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
- African American Veterans in Vanderburgh County, Indiana (1890) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Civil War
Civil War service men from Vanderburgh County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Vanderburgh County.
- 1st Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company A and Reorganized Company A
- 4th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company F
- 8th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 10th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies A, B, G, and M
- 14th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
- 24th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 25th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, and C
- 30th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company A
- 42nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
- 65th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
- 91st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
- 120th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 136th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies A, B, and C
- 28th US Colored Troops, Company D, E, G, and Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
Civil War Books:
- History of the City of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana. Vol. 1 (History). By Frank M. Gilbert. 1910. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Hathitrust; Internet Archive.
- A History of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana. By Joseph P. Elliott. 1897. Evansville, Ind. : Keller Printing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
World War I
- 1919 Indiana, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship
- Naturalization Record Series (for this county) at Indiana Digital Archives. Search by names.
Newspapers
Indiana newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
For more Indiana newspaper information see the wiki page Indiana Newspapers.
- 1800s-Current Indiana, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1804-2010 Hoosier State Chronicles 1804-2010
- 1938-1943 Evansville Argus - African-American newspaper at USI David L. Rice Library
Obituaries
- Browning Genealogy Evansville, Indiana Area Obituary Search. Obituaries complied by Charles Browning, a funeral home owner. Includes Evansville newspapers.
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Indiana, probate records have been kept by the county clerk of the circuit court. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the Vanderburgh County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- 1821-1986 Will and Probate Records, 1821-1929, and Indexes, 1821-1986(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
- Central High School, Evansville, IN 1926 Girls basketball team at FamilyOldPhotos.com
- Directory of Teachers for Vanderburgh County (1936) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Early Teachers and School Officials of Evansville at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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
Indiana tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the wiki page Indiana Taxation.
- Taxpayers of Evansville (1837-1838) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Indiana law in 1882 required registration of births and deaths in counties. The Indiana Department of Health has birth records filed after October 1907 and death records filed after January 1900 for deaths. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Birth
Marriage
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1800-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 1802-1892 Indiana, Compiled Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry ($)
- 1811-1959 Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
- 1811-2007 Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Death
- Pre-1882 WEB: Indiana, Deaths, Pre-1882 at Ancestry - index, (Free collection)
- 1750-1993 Indiana Deaths and Burials, 1750-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1882-1920 Indiana, Death Index, 1882-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry ($)
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Vanderburgh County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Indiana 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
- Evansville Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Owensboro Kentucky FamilySearch Center
- Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Henderson County Kentucky Public Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Vanderburgh County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library
200 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Evansville, IN 47713
Phone: 812-428-8200
Website
Willard Public Library
21 First Ave
Evansville, IN 47710
Phone: 812-425-4309
Email: willard@willard.lib.in.us
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Vanderburgh County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Tri-State Genealogical Society
c/o Willard Library
21 First Ave
Evansville, IN 47710-1294
Phone: 812-425-4309
Email: tsgs.membership@yahoo.com
Website
Vanderburgh County Historical Society
PO Box 2821
Evansville, IN 47728-2821
Phone: 812-476-4529
Email: info@vchshistory.org
Website
Whitewater Valley Genealogical Association
PO Box 941
Connersville, IN 47331
Email: wvgenealogy@gmail.com
Website
Websites
- Vanderburgh County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Indiana Digital Archives Search by name in all records or specific collections
- Indiana Historical Society Digital Collections Extensive - keyword searches suggested
- Indiana Memory Click the map or select a statewide collection
- List of indexes and databases at Indiana State Library
- Indiana Genealogical Society Databases Select a county
- Every Name Index.com Online indexes for county histories. Select a county
- INGenWeb, Vanderburgh County
- USGenWeb, Vanderburgh County
- 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.
- Browning Genealogy and Local History - Online databases complied by funeral home in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana (including obituraries, local history, cemetery, veterans, nursing school archives, business records, DAR monuments, immigration, naturalization, marriage, engagement, birth, and newspapers).
Research Guides
References
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Vanderburgh County, Indiana Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ind/vanderburgh/ accessed 04/04/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Vanderburgh County, Indiana Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ind/vanderburgh/ accessed 04/04/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Vanderburgh County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderburgh_County,_Indiana accessed 04/04/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Vanderburgh County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderburgh_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Vanderburgh County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderburgh_County%2C_Indiana, accessed 13 January 2020.
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 10.17 10.18 10.19 Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/8d/Igiindianah.pdf.