Wisconsin Genealogy

This guide contains a sample of The Newberry's resources on this topic. To locate additional resources, please check our catalog or consult a reference librarian.

Guides and Bibliographies

Davies, Phillips G. Welsh In Wisconsin. Madison, WI : Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2006. Call # F590.W4 D33 2006

Hale, Frederick. Danes In Wisconsin. Madison : Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2005. Call # F590.S19 H34 2005

Ryan, Carol Ward. Searching for your Wisconsin ancestors in the Wisconsin libraries. 2nd ed. Green Bay, Wis.: Ability Printing, 1988. Call #: folio oF580 .R93 1988.

The following works by Victoria Wilson (Grawn, Mich.: Kinseeker Publications, 1987) include vital records locations, libraries, genealogical societies, historical societies and museums, newspapers, and books and pamphlets for each county in the region.

  • Genealogist's guide to east central Wisconsin. Call #: folio F580 .W55 1987 (2nd floor open shelf).
  • Genealogist's guide to northeastern Wisconsin. Call #: folio F580 .W554 1987 (2nd floor open shelf).
  • Genealogist's guide to northwestern Wisconsin. Call #: folio F580 .W5695 1987(2nd floor open shelf).
  • Genealogist's guide to southeastern Wisconsin. Call #: folio F580 .W57 1987 (2nd floor open shelf).
  • Genealogist's guide to southwestern Wisconsin. Call #: folio F580 .W58 1987 (2nd floor open shelf).
  • Genealogist's guide to west central Wisconsin. Call #: folio F580 .W556 1987 (2nd floor open shelf).

Atlases

Atlas of historical county boundaries. Wisconsin. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1997. Call #: Local History Ref. G1201 .F7 A8 1993, Wis (2nd floor open shelf).

Historical atlas of Wisconsin: embracing complete state and county maps, city & village plats, together with separate state and county histories.... Milwaukee: Snyder, Van Vechten & Co., 1878. Call #: oversize F90201.4

Census

Holdings complete for 1840-1880. Published statewide indexes for 1840-1850. 1860 statewide index on CD-ROM. Soundex index for 1880. Mortality schedules index for 1850. All other years available on-line. All available on 2nd floor; ask at reference desk. State censuses: 1855 (Call # microfilm 1240) 1875 (Call # microfilm 1241) and 1905 (Call # microfilm 435). See census holdings guide for reel listing.

Military

Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865. 2 vol. Madison, Wis.: Democrat Printing Co, State Printers, 1886. Call #: Local History Ref. E537.3 1886 (2nd floor open shelf). Includes annotations made by a previous owner with additional information and/or citations to other sources for some individuals.

Source Materials and Local Histories

Dictionary of Wisconsin biography. Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1960. Call #: folio E4902 .978.

The following three indexes are published by the State of Wisconsin, Department of Health and Social Services:

  • Pre-1907 birth index. Call # Microfiche 959 (2nd floor open shelf).
  • Pre-1907 death index by name. Call #: Microfiche 960. (2nd floor open shelf).
  • Pre-1907 marriages. Call #: Microfiche 964. (2nd floor open shelf).

Some pioneer families of Wisconsin: an index. 2 volumes. Call #: folio oF580 .P37. A bicentennial project of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin to index pioneer families arriving by 1850.

Wisconsin necrology index. 4 volumes. Ashland, WI: Northwest Library System, n.d. Call #: folio oF580 .N65. An index to the obituaries on file at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin divided into sections covering short spans of years from 1856-1944.