Researching ancestors from Winnebago County, Wisconsin? Here's where the records are — the free path first, then how to get the whole family history traced and written.
Winnebago County's seat is Oshkosh. Look up your surname among the deceased residents of Wisconsin in our public-record database.
Search Wisconsin records →Where Winnebago County records are kept
Original Winnebago County vital, probate, and land records are held at the county courthouse in Oshkosh — the county recorder or clerk's office. Statewide death registration in Wisconsin began around October 1907 (pre-1907 registration is spotty), so for earlier Winnebago 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 Winnebago County
- Census — every federal census through 1950 is free and places your family in Winnebago 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 Oshkosh-area papers.
- Cemeteries — Winnebago 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 Winnebago County, Wisconsin?
Start with the free federal census (public through 1950) and our free Wisconsin database, then check the county courthouse in Oshkosh for vital, probate, and land records, plus obituaries and cemetery transcriptions.
Where is the Winnebago County, Wisconsin courthouse?
The Winnebago County seat is Oshkosh, where the county recorder or clerk holds original vital, probate, and land records.