Researching ancestors from Lake County, Indiana? Here's where the records are — the free path first, then how to get the whole family history traced and written.
Lake County's seat is Crown Point. Look up your surname among the deceased residents of Indiana in our public-record database.
Search Indiana records →Where Lake County records are kept
Original Lake County vital, probate, and land records are held at the county courthouse in Crown Point — the county recorder or clerk's office. Statewide death registration in Indiana began around 1900 (earlier at the county health office or clerk), so for earlier Lake County deaths you'll rely on the county courthouse, church registers, and cemetery transcriptions. The Indiana State Archives & Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis holds the broader historical and microfilmed county records.
The free records for Lake County
- Census — every federal census through 1950 is free and places your family in Lake County by household every ten years.
- Death records — search our Indiana database and the state death index for the death year and place.
- Obituaries — the Library of Congress's Chronicling America has free Indiana newspapers, including Crown Point-area papers.
- Cemeteries — Lake 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 Lake County, Indiana?
Start with the free federal census (public through 1950) and our free Indiana database, then check the county courthouse in Crown Point for vital, probate, and land records, plus obituaries and cemetery transcriptions.
Where is the Lake County, Indiana courthouse?
The Lake County seat is Crown Point, where the county recorder or clerk holds original vital, probate, and land records.