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Winnebago County, Illinois Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Rockford
Organized: January 16, 1836
Parent County(s): Jo Daviess
Neighboring Counties
Boone • DeKalb • Green (WI) • Ogle • Rock (WI) • Stephenson
See County Maps
Courthouse
Illinois, Winnebago County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Winnebago County Illinois.png

County Information

Description

Winnebago County was named for the Winnebago Native American tribe who once occupied that part of northern Illinois. The Native American word Winnebago translates to "fish eater." The county seat is Rockford and the county was organized on January 16, 1836.[1] The county is located on the northern border of the state.[2]

County Courthouse

Winnebago County Courthouse
400 West State St
Rockford, IL 61101
Phone: 815-319-4806
Winnebago County Courthouse

County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Winnebago County are kept, see the Winnebago County Courthouse page.

Winnebago County, Illinois 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[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1876 1839 1876 1836 1836 1837 1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started 1916. General compliance by 1922.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this 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:[5]

Cities
Villages
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places
Townships


History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

  • The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Winnebago County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Winnebago County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Winnebago County, Illinois online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Illinois Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1850 11,773 —
1860 24,491 108.0%
1870 29,301 19.6%
1880 30,505 4.1%
1890 39,938 30.9%
1900 47,845 19.8%
1910 63,153 32.0%
1920 90,929 44.0%
1930 117,373 29.1%
1940 121,178 3.2%
1950 152,385 25.8%
1960 209,765 37.7%
1970 246,623 17.6%
1980 250,884 1.7%
1990 252,913 0.8%
2000 278,418 10.1%
2010 295,266 6.1%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

Church records may give birth, death and marriage information. It is usually best to locate church records with a search at a local level such as the city, town, or village.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Original court records are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Court Records for more information about using court records.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at Northern Illinois University - search for Winnebago County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the NIU IRAD Wiki page.

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Handcock, Nora I. Allenheads Lead Miners in America. History with the names of Miners that went to America in 1849, on the ship The Guy Mannering. Picture of the ship included. Many headed for Galena, or Rockford Illinois, Jamestown, San Francisco, Irish Hollow, one family moving on to Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Names of Miners, Samuel and Maria Vickers, Jacob Nattrass, Joseph & Phoebe Reed, John and Hannah Graham, Thomas and Maria Chatt, the Reed and Lee families, John & Ann (followed later) Hewitson, Thomas Foster, George Philipson, William Dawson, Thomas Noble, Jacob Peart, Henry Bell, Andrew Muir, John and Ann Lee, John Stevenson. Dates 1832-1870 and is found in the Northumberland & Durham Family History Society Journal, vol.37 no.4, pages 28-30, FamilySearch Library Ref. 942.8 B2jo, vol. 37 no.4

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

Original land records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records.

Local Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Green CountyRock CountyStephenson CountyBoone CountyDeKalb CountyOgle CountyIL WINNEBAGO.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources


Migration

Military Records

Civil War
Regiments. Civil War service men from Winnebago County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Winnebago County.

- 8th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies L and M
- 11th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company D
- 11th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company D
- 11th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D
- 12th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company A
- 15th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company M
- 15th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C
- 17th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company K
- 44th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G
- 45th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies F and G
- 52nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E
- 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C
- 65th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Scotch Regiment), Company K
- 90th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A
- 132nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company K
- 141st Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company E
- 146th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B and C
- 147th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A
- 153rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Company G

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers

Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has Freeport City newspapers from the late 1800's and early 1900's that covered local news on residents from Winnebago County. The Rock Island Public Library provides free access to this database at its library.

Obituaries

Other Records

Almshouse Records

Criminal and Punishments

Public Records

Voting Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

Original estates and wills are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Probate Records for more information about using probate records.

School Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

Vital Records

Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Winnebago County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health with a copy to the County Clerk. Original divorce records are generally in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. Winnebago County uses an outside service to fulfill internet requests for copies of birth, marriage and death records.For more information, see the Winnebago County Clerk's web page for information on Ordering Copies.

See the on-line Genealogy Indexes of Winnebago County records:

Birth

Marriage

Death

Divorce

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Winnebago County. For state-wide facilities, see Illinois Archives and Libraries.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
The Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD), managed by the Illinois State Archives, houses the archival records of local Illinois counties, townships, municipalities and school districts. The seven Regional Depositories are housed on state university campuses scattered throughout Illinois.

The Northern Illinois University (IRAD-NIU) holds the records for Winnebago County. Learn more about finding and using their records.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository
c/o Regional History Center
Founders Memorial Library, Room 400
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115
Telephone: (815) 753-1807

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 Winnebago County. For state-wide library facilities, see Illinois Archives and Libraries.

Rockford Public Library
215 N. Wyman St.
Rockford, IL 61101
Telephone: (815) 965-6731
Their Local History Room includes materials for Winnebago county as well as neighboring counties.
Website

Museums

Societies

Listed below are societies in Winnebago County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Illinois Societies.

Rockford Historical Society
211 N. Main Street
Rockford, IL 61101
Phone 815-969-1999
Email:rockfordhistoricalsocietyil@gmail.com
Facebook
Website

Rockton Township Historical Society
529 Green Street
Rockton, IL 61072
Phone 815-624-8200
Facebook
Website

Winnebago/Boone Counties Genealogical Society
PO Box 10166
Loves Park, IL 61131
Email:wbcgensociety@gmail.com
Facebook
Website

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Winnebago County, Illinois Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ill/winnebago/ accessed 04/20/2017.
  2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Winnebago County, Illinois" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnebago_County,_Illinois 04/20/2017.
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Winnebago County, Illinois. Page 192-199 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), 194-197.
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Winnebago County, Illinois," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnebago_County,_Illinois, accessed 9 March 2020.
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