Researching ancestors from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin? Here's where the records are — the free path first, then how to get the whole family history traced and written.
Milwaukee County's seat is Milwaukee. Look up your surname among the deceased residents of Wisconsin in our public-record database.
Search Wisconsin records →Where Milwaukee County records are kept
Original Milwaukee County vital, probate, and land records are held at the county courthouse in Milwaukee — the county recorder or clerk's office. Statewide death registration in Wisconsin began around October 1907 (pre-1907 registration is spotty), so for earlier Milwaukee County deaths you'll rely on the county courthouse, church registers, and cemetery transcriptions. The Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison holds the broader historical and microfilmed county records.
The free records for Milwaukee County
- Census — every federal census through 1950 is free and places your family in Milwaukee County by household every ten years.
- Death records — search our Wisconsin database and the state death index for the death year and place.
- Obituaries — the Library of Congress's Chronicling America has free Wisconsin newspapers, including Milwaukee-area papers.
- Cemeteries — Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee County, Wisconsin?
Start with the free federal census (public through 1950) and our free Wisconsin database, then check the county courthouse in Milwaukee for vital, probate, and land records, plus obituaries and cemetery transcriptions.
Where is the Milwaukee County, Wisconsin courthouse?
The Milwaukee County seat is Milwaukee, where the county recorder or clerk holds original vital, probate, and land records.