Wisconsin Vital Records

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U.S. Vital Records

Wisconsin

Vital Records

Vital Records Reference Dates Births Marriages Deaths Earliest 1852 1848 1848 Statewide Registration 1907 1907 1907 General Compliance 1917 - 1908 The registration of vital records began at different dates in each of Wisconsin's counties.

Wisconsin Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online

Birth

• Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Birth Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - index
• 1801-1928 Wisconsin Births and Christenings Index, 1801-1928 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1808-1920 Wisconsin Birth Index, 1808-1920 at MyHeritage — index ($)
• 1820-1907 Wisconsin Birth Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry($); MyHeritage ($)
• 1826-1926 Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Marriage

• Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Marriage Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - index
• 1600s-1900s US Marriages - Wisconsin, 1600's to 1900's at Findmypast — index ($)
• 1808-1907 Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1808-1907 at MyHeritage - index ($)
• 1820-1907 Wisconsin Marriage Index, 1820-1907 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1830-1979 United States Marriages – Wisconsin, 1830-1979 at Findmypast - ($); index & images
• 1835-1900 Wisconsin Marriages, 1835-1900 at Ancestry - $; Incomplete; for Grant, Jackson, and Monroe Counties
• 1836-1911 Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1836-1930 Wisconsin Marriages, 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1899-1980 Wisconsin Fond du Lac Public Library Records, 1899-1980 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
• 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriage Index, 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry($)
• Wisconsin Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Deaths

• Pre-1907 Wisconsin Pre-1907 Death Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - index
• 1808-1909 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1808-1909 at MyHeritage - index ($)
• 1820-1907 Wisconsin Death Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry($)
• 1835-1968 Wisconsin Deaths and Burials, 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1867-1907 Wisconsin Death Records, 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1959-1997 Wisconsin Death Index, 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry($)
• Wisconsin Deaths at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Divorce

• 1907-2015 Wisconsin, U.S., Divorce Records, 1907-2015 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1965-1984 Wisconsin Divorce Index, 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry($)
• 1985-Onward Wisconsin Divorces at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Order Certificates

• Vital Records Application Forms

Introduction to Vital Records

Vital records in Wisconsin are maintained at both the state and the county level. The Wisconsin Vital Records Office in Madison maintains a centralized registry of vital records. County registrars also maintain copies of vital records. Copies may be obtained from either the Wisconsin Vital Records Office or the Register of Deeds office in the county where the event occurred.

Wisconsin Pre 1907 Vital records Indexes Collections on fiche:

• Birth FS Library fiche 6331478
• Marriages FS Library fiche 6331479
• Deaths FS Library fiche 6331472

Birth Records

Birth Records Before 1907

A few counties began keeping birth records in the 1850s, but most records date from the 1870s or later. Search the Wisconsin Genealogy Index for pre-1907 births, deaths, and marriages.

Microfilms of the records through 1907 have been deposited at the at Wisconsin Historical Society and the area research centers listed on the "Archives and Libraries" page.

The FamilySearch Library has microfilm copies of the Registrations of Births, ca. 1852 to 1907. Consult the county pages for the records FS Catalog Collection. Most counties begin in the 1870s. These are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under:

WISCONSIN - VITAL RECORDS

Birth certificates generally give both parents' names and their places of birth.

There are three indexes to these records. Copies of these indexes are at the Wisconsin Historical Society, the area research centers, and the FamilySearch Library. These are:

• Unedited Index to Registrations of Births, 1852–1907, arranged alphabetically by surname FS Catalog Collection 6331478. This gives the date of birth, the county, and the volume and page number of the original record.
• Index to Registrations of Births, 1852–1907, arranged chronologically by the date of birth. 41 fiche, FS Library fiche FS Catalog Collection 6331476. Use this if you know the approximate date of birth or if the name is not found in the alphabetical index mentioned above.

The FamilySearch Library also has a large set of birth and death records from the Register of Deeds in Milwaukee County. In the FamilySearch Catalog these are listed under:

WISCONSIN, MILWAUKEE COUNTY, MILWAUKEE - VITAL RECORDS:

• Births, 1854–1911 and index, 1854–1932. 194 films beginning with film FS Catalog Collection 1011972.

Birth Records Since 1907

Statewide registration of births began in 1907. The FamilySearch Library does not have copies of these records, although it does have several indexes. Copies can be obtained by writing to:

Wisconsin Vital Records Office
1 West Wilson St.
P. O. Box 309
Madison, WI 53701-0309
Telephone: 608-266-1373
Internet: Wisconsin Department of Health Services: Vital Records

Delayed Birth Records

Delayed registrations of births began in 1937. These are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog as Delayed Births, ca. 1937–1941; Affidavit Delayed Births, ca. 1940–1942. Records to 1942 are located at the Wisconsin Vital Records Office. Later records are at the county courthouses.

Many of the delayed registrations have been included in Unedited index to registrations of births, 1852-1907 because the births occurred before statewide registration began.

Marriage Records

Marriage Records Before 1907

Before statewide registration, individual counties recorded marriages. Copies can be obtained by writing to the Wisconsin Vital Records Office or to the Register of Deeds in the appropriate county. Some records, particularly those from Brown, Crawford, Dodge, and Jefferson counties, begin as early as the 1820s. Search the Wisconsin Historical Society's Find Your Ancestors site for pre-1907 birth, marriage, and death indexes.

The FamilySearch Library has microfilm copies of many of the pre-1907 marriage records. Some counties have early marriage records that are not on microfilm. For example, Crawford County has marriage records that begin in 1816. The marriage records are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the name of the county. Copies are also available at the Wisconsin Historical Society and its area research centers.

Beginning about 1852, marriage records generally give the names of the parents of the bride and groom. By 1881 the form asked for the parents' places of birth. These are indexed in Index to Registrations of Marriages, 1852–1907 (microfiche), which lists names alphabetically for Adams through Racine counties. The counties of Richland through Wood are not included in the index. Another collection is Indexes for Wisconsin Marriage Records, 1973–1984" (microfiche).

The FamilySearch Library has three sets of marriage records for Milwaukee County:

• Marriage records, 1838-1911; index, 1838-1918, Milwaukee County, Register of Deeds
• Marriage certificates 1836-1876, Milwaukee County, Register of Deeds
• "Milwaukee County registration of marriages, 1837-1907; index to marriages, 1852-1907", Wisconsin Bureau of Vital Statistics

Marriage Records Since 1907

Marriage records created since 1907 in all counties can be obtained from the Wisconsin Vital Records Office (address above) or from the Register of Deeds of the appropriate county.

Death Records

Death Records Before 1907

A few counties began keeping death records in the 1850s, but most records date from the 1870s or later. These documents often give excellent genealogical information. Search the Wisconsin Genealogy Index for pre-1907 death references.

Microfilms of the records through 1907 have been deposited at the at the Wisconsin Historical Society and the area research centers listed on the Wisconsin Archives and Libraries page.

Consult the county pages for the records, and the Registration of Deaths, ca. 1862–1907 FS Catalog Collection. Most counties begin in the 1870s. These are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under:

WISCONSIN - VITAL RECORDS

Death certificates usually give birth date and place, death date and place, name of spouse, names of the person's parents, burial place, and residence. After mid-July, 1897, they also give the birth place of the person's father and mother.

There are three indexes to these records. Copies of these indexes are at the Wisconsin Historical Society, its area research centers, and the FamilySearch Library. These are:

• The Pre-1907 Death Index by Name, alphabetically arranged for the entire state. 29 fiche, FS Library fiche FS Catalog Collection 6331472. Be sure to search for spelling variations of the surname. Also available is the Death Records Index, 1959–1984. FS Catalog Collection 6334350–51.

The FamilySearch Library also has a large set of death records from the Register of Deeds in Milwaukee County. In the FamilySearch Catalog these are listed under:

WISCONSIN, MILWAUKEE COUNTY, MILWAUKEE - VITAL RECORDS:

• Deaths, 1852–1912, and index, 1872–1916. 109 films {{FSC|384199|item}.

Death Records Since 1907

Statewide registration of;deaths began in 1907. The FamilySearch Library does not have copies of these records, although it does have several indexes. You can obtain copies by writing to the Wisconsin Vital Records Office at the address above.

State your relationship to the individual for whom you want information and the reason you want the information. Death records can also be obtained from the Register of Deeds in the county where the event took place.

Cause of Death

• Causes of Death - use this resource when trying to interpret a disease or medical condition listed on a death record or certificate

Vital Records Reference Dates

Information about the earliest vital records registration in each county can be found at the Wisconsin Vital Records Office website.

Divorce Records

Divorce proceedings are usually kept by the circuit court judges or local or regional archives. Contact the clerk of circuit court for information. The FamilySearch Library does not have copies of these records.

Additional Help

• Information listed on vital records is given by an informant. Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record.The closer the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) and whether or not the informant was present at the time of the event can help determine the accuracy of the information found on the record.
• If you are unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search for church records of christening, marriage, death or burial. A family Bible may have been used to record births, marriages and deaths. Other substitute records.
• Privacy laws may restrict your access to some vital records. Copies of some vital records recorded in the last 100 years may be unavailable to anyone except a direct relative.

Substitute Records

These links will take you to wiki pages describing alternate sources for birth, marriage and death records.

• Church Records: Depending on the denomination, church records may contain information about birth, marriage and death.

• Cemetery Records: Cemetery records are a rich source of birth and death information. These records may also reveal family relationships.

• Census Records: Census records are a valuable source for birth and marriage information. You may also determine approximate time of death when the individual disappear from the census. This is a good place to begin a search.

• Newspapers: Besides obituaries, local newspapers may contain birth and marriage announcements and death notices.Also check newspaper social columns for additional information.

• Obituaries: Obituaries found in newspapers can list the age of the deceased, birth date and place, death date and place, and names of living relatives and their residences.

• Periodicals: Local genealogical and historical societies often publish periodicals which may contain abstracted early birth, marriage and death information.

• Military Records: Military pension records can give birth, marriage and death information, In addition, soldiers' homes records can included this same information.

• Probate Records: If no death record exists, probate records may be helpful in estimating when an individual has died. Probate records in the 20th Century often contain the exact death date.

• History: Local histories, family histories and biographies can all be sources of birth, marriage and death information. Often this information is found in county-level records or in surname searches of the FamilySearch Catalog.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

FamilySearch Center (FSC); formerly called, Family History Center (FHC)