Washtenaw County, Michigan Genealogy
Guide to Washtenaw County, Michigan ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Washtenaw is a variant of the Ojibwa word: "Wash-ten-ong," meaning what is now called the "Grand River". The County is located in the southeast area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Washtenaw County Courthouse
200 N Main Street, Suite 120
P. O. Box 8645
Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8645
Phone: 734-222-6700
Washtenaw County Website
County Clerk has birth, marriage and death records from 1867, divorce, court and land records, naturalization records and supervisors records from 1835. [3]
A Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County volunteer is at Vital Records Office every Thursday (except holidays) between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to assist people using death and marriage records.
Washtenaw County, Michigan Record Dates[edit | edit source]
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 |
| 1867 | 1867 | 1867 | 1835 | 1835 | 1837 | 1820 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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 | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Additional Information
Washtenaw County is directly west of Detroit, and is situated on the old 'Chicago Road' which today is US Highway 12. One of the first things that took place after the town of Ann Arbor was formed was to start the University of Michigan, which is today one of the largest in the United States. It contains a significant collection of historical documents in its library given the nearly 200 years it has been in existence, having been formed in the 1820s.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 4,042 | — |
| 1840 | 23,571 | 483.2% |
| 1850 | 28,567 | 21.2% |
| 1860 | 35,686 | 24.9% |
| 1870 | 41,434 | 16.1% |
| 1880 | 41,848 | 1.0% |
| 1890 | 42,210 | 0.9% |
| 1900 | 47,761 | 13.2% |
| 1910 | 44,714 | −6.4% |
| 1920 | 49,520 | 10.7% |
| 1930 | 65,530 | 32.3% |
| 1940 | 80,810 | 23.3% |
| 1950 | 134,606 | 66.6% |
| 1960 | 172,440 | 28.1% |
| 1970 | 234,103 | 35.8% |
| 1980 | 264,748 | 13.1% |
| 1990 | 282,937 | 6.9% |
| 2000 | 322,895 | 14.1% |
| 2010 | 344,791 | 6.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Federal Census
- 1820 Census - 1820 Federal Population Census for Michigan for the Territory of Michigan. MiGenWeb Project
- 1830 Census - 1830 Census of Michigan Territory: Washtenaw County. MiGenWeb Project
- 1840 Census - 1840 Superior Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan Census, Page 1, Page 2. MiGenWeb Project
- 1860 Census - Washtenaw, MI 1860 Federal Census, Freedom Township, Sylvan Township. MiGenWeb Project
- 1870 Census - City of Ann Arbor. MiGenWeb Project
State Census
- 1894 Michigan State Census, 1894 at FamilySearch -How to Use this Collection This is one of 16 counties that have a full, searchable census with links to images.
- 1894 - Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
Church Records[edit | edit source]
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 Michigan denominations, view the Michigan Church Records wiki page.
- 1819-1991 - Michigan, Church Records, 1819-1991 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Ann Arbor
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- 1929-1966 Michigan, Crew Lists for various ports, 1929-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
American Indian[edit | edit source]
The Indians of Washtenaw County, Michigan. By Wilbert B. Hinsdale. FHL| 45162 | FHL book 970.1 H596i WorldCat
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
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 Michigan Land and Property for additional information about early Michigan land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the Washtenaw County courthouse and where records are currently housed.
- Self Service Washtenaw County Clerk/Register of Deeds
200 North Main Street, Suite 110
Ann Arbor, MI 48107
Phone: 734-222-6710
website
- Historical Indexes for Grantor and Grantee names for documents recorded between 1824 - 1968.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Washtenaw County. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Michigan Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
- Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
Civil War service men from Washtenaw County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Washtenaw County.
- -1st Regiment, Michigan Cavalry, Company E
- -14th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Company H
- -17th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Companies B and E
Online Indexes and Records
- 1876-1945 - Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1876-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1894 Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
- Michigan, Civil War Centennial Observance Commission, Committee on Civil War Grave Registration, Burial Records at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Spanish American War
- Washtenaw Volunteers in the Spanish American War. Michigan Family History Network.
World War I
- 1917-1919 - Michigan, Census of World War I Veterans with Card Index, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1837-1993 - Michigan, Eastern and Western Districts, Naturalization Records, 1837-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Ann Arbor Argus - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1889-1896
- Ann Arbor Argus-Democrat - Google News Archive; covers 1902-1906
- Ann Arbor Journal - Google News Archive; covers 1855-1863
- Ann Arbor Record - Google News Archive; covers 1902-1903
- Ann Arbor Register - Google News Archive; 1875-1897
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1820-2006 Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Michigan, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate packets, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Older probate records are located at the Archives of Michigan in Lansing.Website
Online Indexes and Records
- 1784-1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry $
- 1797-1973 Michigan Probate Records 1797-1973 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 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.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Michigan tax records complement land records and can be used 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, Michigan Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
- Birth Records and Death Records from 1867 can be obtained from the Michigan Department of Community Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.
- Marriage Records from 1867 and Divorce Records from 1897 can be obtained from the County Clerk.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1867-1917 - Michigan, County Births, 1867-1917 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1902 - Michigan Births, 1867-1902 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1585-1945 - Michigan, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
- 1820-1937 - Michigan, County Marriages Index, 1820-1937 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1820-1940 - Michigan, County Marriages, 1820-1940 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1868-1925 - Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1880 - Michigan Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch -How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1897 - Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1897-1952 - Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index and images, organized by county and then last name.
- Washtenaw County Death Resources. MiGenWeb Project
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Washtenaw County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History 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 family history center.
Local Centers and Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Washtenaw County. For state-wide library facilities, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
1150 Beal Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Phone: 734-764-3482
website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Washtenaw County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Michigan Societies.
Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Inc.
PO Box 7155
Ann Arbor, MI 48107-7155
E-mail:info@washtenawgenealogy.org
Website
Washtenaw County Historical Society
PO Box 3336
Ann Arbor MI 48106-3336
Phone: 734-662-9092
website Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
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- Washtenaw County, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
- USGenWeb Michigan: May have maps, name indexes, history or other information
- Washtenaw County Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com): Links to online records
- Finding Your Washtenaw County Ancestors (on the Website of the Genealogical Society of Washtenaw 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.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Washtenaw County, Georgia" in wikipedia accessed 8 Nov 2018
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, " Washtenaw County, Michigan," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia accessed 16 November 2019.
