Butler Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Butler Family

17,193 Butler records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

17,193Records in our database

1815Earliest birth

4Documented families

1Biographies

See the Butler family trees →752 Butler families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

17,193 Butler records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Missouri (4,172 of 17,193)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: James Davie Butler, born 1815, Wisconsin

Most common first names

William482 John438 James428 Mary397 Robert359 Charles309 George208 Margaret169 Richard165 Thomas157 Helen142 Dorothy133

Documented families

Butler families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family histories, generation by generation (1)

The Butler family of Linn CountyIowaStarts: Colonel Isaac ButlerMost recent: Charles F. Butler (b. 1857)

Family records from county histories (3)

John D. Butler b. 1794O Brien County, IowaStarts: John D. Butler (b. 1794), from New York stateMost recent: J. D. Butler J. D. Butler 1820 to 1889O Brien County, IowaStarts: John D. Butler & Deborah JenningsMost recent: John H. Butler, Mary O. Butler, Harriet A. Butler John Butler d. 1870Monona County, IowaStarts: John ButlerMost recent: Richard J. Butler, John M. Butler

The earliest Butlers in the county histories

L. W. ButlerBorn 1797Stark County, Ohio Luther ButlerBorn 1801Child of David Butler and Betsey ButlerPortage County, Ohio Felix ButlerBorn 1810, New Castle .townshipCoshocton County, Ohio William ButlerBorn 1819Morrow County, Ohio John ButlerBorn 1825Child of John Butler and Mary ButlerBoone County, Missouri Henry ButlerBorn 1825Child of Thomas ButlerDelaware County, Ohio

Family trees from the public record

752 Butler families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

57 Butler death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

53 Butler people in 38 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (1)

Charles F. ButlerBorn 1857 · Linn County, Iowa

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Butler family

Found your Butler? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Butler genealogy: FAQ

Where were Butler ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 17,193 Butler records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (4,172), then Ohio (3,066) and Illinois (2,530).

How far back does the Butler family tree go?

The earliest Butler birth in our database is 1815: James Davie Butler, Wisconsin. We have pieced together 752 Butler family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Butler family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Butler family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.