Researching ancestors from Codington County, South Dakota? Here's where the records are — the free path first, then how to get the whole family history traced and written.
Codington County's seat is Watertown. Look up your surname among the deceased residents of South Dakota in our public-record database.
Search South Dakota records →Where Codington County records are kept
Original Codington County vital, probate, and land records are held at the county courthouse in Watertown — the county recorder or clerk's office. Statewide death registration in South Dakota began around July 1905, so for earlier Codington County deaths you'll rely on the county courthouse, church registers, and cemetery transcriptions. The South Dakota State Historical Society in Pierre holds the broader historical and microfilmed county records.
The free records for Codington County
- Census — every federal census through 1950 is free and places your family in Codington County by household every ten years.
- Death records — search our South Dakota database and the state death index for the death year and place.
- Obituaries — the Library of Congress's Chronicling America has free South Dakota newspapers, including Watertown-area papers.
- Cemeteries — Codington County cemetery and tombstone transcriptions, many public domain, fill gaps where a certificate doesn't exist.
We trace both sides back to the documented wall and deliver a written book + interactive family site — flat rate, no DNA test.
See how it works →Frequently asked questions
How do I find genealogy records in Codington County, South Dakota?
Start with the free federal census (public through 1950) and our free South Dakota database, then check the county courthouse in Watertown for vital, probate, and land records, plus obituaries and cemetery transcriptions.
Where is the Codington County, South Dakota courthouse?
The Codington County seat is Watertown, where the county recorder or clerk holds original vital, probate, and land records.