Researching ancestors from Marion County, Indiana? Here's where the records are — the free path first, then how to get the whole family history traced and written.
Marion County's seat is Indianapolis. Look up your surname among the deceased residents of Indiana in our public-record database.
Search Indiana records →Where Marion County records are kept
Original Marion County vital, probate, and land records are held at the county courthouse in Indianapolis — 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 Marion 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 Marion County
- Census — every federal census through 1950 is free and places your family in Marion 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 Indianapolis-area papers.
- Cemeteries — Marion 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 Marion County, Indiana?
Start with the free federal census (public through 1950) and our free Indiana database, then check the county courthouse in Indianapolis for vital, probate, and land records, plus obituaries and cemetery transcriptions.
Where is the Marion County, Indiana courthouse?
The Marion County seat is Indianapolis, where the county recorder or clerk holds original vital, probate, and land records.