Maxwell Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Maxwell Family

6,914 Maxwell 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).

6,914Records in our database

1799Earliest birth

3Documented families

3Biographies

See the Maxwell family trees →366 Maxwell families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

6,914 Maxwell 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 (1,593 of 6,914)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: Philip Maxwell, born 1799, Wisconsin

Most common first names

John194 William185 James179 Robert174 Mary157 Charles103 George103 Ruth77 Margaret69 Thomas67 Helen61 Richard61

Documented families

Maxwell 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 (2)

The Maxwell family of Muscatine CountyIowaStarts: Thomas J. MaxwellMost recent: William Maxwell (b. 1873)The Maxwell family of Washington CountyIowaStarts: Thomas Maxwell and his wifeMost recent: J. G. Maxwell (b. 1861)

Family records from county histories (1)

Jackson Maxwell 1842 to 1919Morgan County, IndianaStarts: Jackson Maxwell (b. 1842)Most recent: B. F. Maxwell

The earliest Maxwells in the county histories

Robert M. MaxwellBorn 1777Johnson County, Missouri William MaxwellBorn 1819Jasper County, Missouri A. G. MaxwellBorn 1824, Rockingham countyJohnson County, Missouri Samuel Wallace MaxwellBorn 1826, Madison countyChild of John Maxwell and Jane MaxwellBoone County, Missouri Thomas J. MaxwellBorn 1828Child of Elijah Maxwell and Margaret MaxwellMuscatine County, Iowa Joseph MaxwellBorn 1829, Cumberland CountyChild of George Maxwell and Mary (Fulton) MaxwellWyandot County, Ohio

Family trees from the public record

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

In old newspapers

33 Maxwell 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

40 Maxwell people in 33 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (3)

Thomas J. MaxwellBorn 1832 · Muscatine County, Iowa Thomas H. MaxwellBorn 1834 · Washington County, Iowa Thomas MaxwellBorn 1862 · Muscatine County, Iowa

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Maxwell family

Found your Maxwell? 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

Maxwell genealogy: FAQ

Where were Maxwell ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 6,914 Maxwell records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (1,593), then Ohio (1,347) and Illinois (879).

How far back does the Maxwell family tree go?

The earliest Maxwell birth in our database is 1799: Philip Maxwell, Wisconsin. We have pieced together 366 Maxwell family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Maxwell 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 Maxwell 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.