Sedgwick County genealogy

Sedgwick County, Kansas Genealogy: Records & How to Trace Your Ancestors

Researching ancestors from Sedgwick County, Kansas? Here's where the records are — the free path first, then how to get the whole family history traced and written.

Search Kansas ancestors free

Sedgwick County's seat is Wichita. Look up your surname among the deceased residents of Kansas in our public-record database.

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Where Sedgwick County records are kept

Original Sedgwick County vital, probate, and land records are held at the county courthouse in Wichita — the county recorder or clerk's office. Statewide death registration in Kansas began around July 1911 (earlier vital records are sparse), so for earlier Sedgwick County deaths you'll rely on the county courthouse, church registers, and cemetery transcriptions. The Kansas Historical Society in Topeka holds the broader historical and microfilmed county records.

The free records for Sedgwick County

  1. Census — every federal census through 1950 is free and places your family in Sedgwick County by household every ten years.
  2. Death records — search our Kansas database and the state death index for the death year and place.
  3. Obituaries — the Library of Congress's Chronicling America has free Kansas newspapers, including Wichita-area papers.
  4. Cemeteries — Sedgwick County cemetery and tombstone transcriptions, many public domain, fill gaps where a certificate doesn't exist.
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Frequently asked questions

How do I find genealogy records in Sedgwick County, Kansas?

Start with the free federal census (public through 1950) and our free Kansas database, then check the county courthouse in Wichita for vital, probate, and land records, plus obituaries and cemetery transcriptions.

Where is the Sedgwick County, Kansas courthouse?

The Sedgwick County seat is Wichita, where the county recorder or clerk holds original vital, probate, and land records.