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Bay County, Michigan
Genealogy, History & Facts
County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links
Bay County, Michigan Facts
When was Bay County, MI Created?
Bay County was created on April 20 1857 from Midland County, Saginaw County and Arenac County.
What is the County Seat of Bay County, MI?
The County Seat is located in Bay City also, the county government website is www.baycounty-mi.gov/.
What counties are adjacent to Bay County, MI?
Bordering Counties are Arenac County, Gladwin County, Tuscola County, Midland County, Saginaw County.
Bay County, MI Vital Records
Where can find Bay County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Bay County vital records can be found at the Michigan Office of Vital Records has copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death records since 1867. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Michigan for current fees and application process.
You can search online for Bay County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Michigan Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- Social Security Death Index
- USGenweb Archives Michigan Marriage Project
- Michigan Births and Christenings, 1775-1995
- Michigan Births and Christenings Index, 1867-1911
- Michigan Births, 1867-1902
- Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925
- Michigan Marriage Records, 1867-1952
- Michigan, County Marriages, 1820-1935
- Michigan Marriages to 1850
- Michigan Marriages, 1822-1995
- Michigan Marriages, 1851-1875
- Michigan Divorce Records, 1897-1952
- Michigan Deaths and Burials Index, 1867-1995
- Michigan Deaths and Burials 1800-1995
- Michigan Deaths, 1971-1996
- Michigan Death Records, 1897-1920
- Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952
- Michigan Death Index, 1971-1996
- Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897
Bay County, MI Census Records
What Bay County, MI census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Bay County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Bay Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Bay Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Bay Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. One can find free online and printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Michigan Census Records Research Guide
Bay County, MI Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Bay County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Bay County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Michigan courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Michigan residents.
The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Bay County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also Michigan Corthouse Records Research Guide.
- Bay County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 515 Center Avenue Bay City MI 48708-5122
- Bay County Clerk
- Phone: 989-895-4280
- Births & Deaths: 1867
- Marriage Records: 1867
- Bay County Register of Deeds
- Phone: (989) 895-4228
- Land Records: 1835
- Bay County Clerk of the Probate Court
- Address: 1230 Washington Ave. Bay City MI 48708
- Phone: (989) 895-4205
- Probate Records: 1857
- Bay County Clerk of the Circuit Court
- Address: 1230 Washington Ave. Bay City MI 48708
- Phone: (989) 895-4265
- Court Records: 1883
- Michigan Land Records
- Michigan Probate Records 1797-1973
- BLM Land Records
Bay County, MI Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Bay County, MI?
A list of Bay County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Michigan Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Bay County Genealogical Society PO Box 1366 Bay City MI 48706-0366
- Bay County Historical Society – Museum 321 Washington Avenue Bay City Michigan 48708; (517) 893-5733
- Saginaw River Marine Historical Society Dept. W Box 2051 Bay City MI 48707-2051
- Bay Journal (bay-journal.com)
- Saginaw River Marine Historical Society Dept. W Box 2051 Bay City MI 48707-2051
- State Archives of Michigan, 702 W Kalamazoo Str, P.O. Box 30738, Lansing, MI 48909-8238; (517) 373-1408
- Library of Michigan, 702 W. Kalamazoo St, Lansing, MI 48909
- Historical Society of Michigan, 1305 Abbott Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823; (517) 324-1828
Where can I connect with other Bay County, MI Researchers through message boards and forums?
- https://www.archives.gov/research/census
- Michigan Genealogy Network Community (plus.google.com)
- State of Michigan Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Bay County Michigan Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Bay County
- Bay County, Michigan Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Bay County, MI?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Bay County. Most of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a fee. This is just a list that has been compiled or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another.
Bay Co. MI Books, Newspapers & Publications
- Michigan Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- Michigan historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from Michigan (1837 – 1995) (genealogybank.com)
- Bay County Michigan Books (amazon.com)
- Bay County Michgan Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
- Search Michigan Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
Bay Co. MI Cemeteries & Church Records
- Michigan Cemetery Research Guide
- Bay Co. Michigan Graves (findagrave.com)
- Bay County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Web: Michigan Find A Grave Index 1805-2011 (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay Co. Michigan Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Bay County Michigan
- Bay Co. Michigan Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Michigan Church & Bible Research Guide
- Topographic Church List and Map for Bay County Michigan
- Bible records Michigan (search.ancestry.com)
- Michigan Christenings 1775-1995 (familysearch.org)
- Bay County Michigan Church Books (amazon.com)
Bay Co. MI Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- Michigan Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)
- Nichols and Related Families (nicholsgenealogy.com)
Bay Co. MI General and History Websites
- Bay County Michigan Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Portrait and biographical record of Saginaw and Bay Counties Michigan : containing biographical sketches of prominent and repr (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Tuscola and Bay Counties Mich. : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pi (search.ancestry.com)
- The History commercial advantages and future prospects of Bay City Michigan (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay County Michigan Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Bay Co. MI Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Bay County Michigan (linkpendium.com) Family History & Genealogy, Census, Birth, Marriage, Death Vital Records & More
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Michigan – Counties – Bay (cyndislist.com)
- Bay County Michigan (genealogytrails.com)
- Bay Co. MIGenweb (migenweb.net)
- Bay County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Bay Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Bay Co. MI Immigration & Naturalization
- See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for Michigan
- Michigan Eastern District Naturalizations (search.ancestry.com)
Bay Co. MI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Michigan Links and Information
- Bay Co. D.O.T. Base Maps (roads.michigan.gov)
- 1895 Bay County Map (livgenmi.com)
Bay Co. MI Military Records
- Michigan Military Records Research Guide
- Michigan Military Records (fold3.com) provides you with access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the Michigan both males and females that served. Just the thing for Bay County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.
- Michigan Military Records 1775-1836 (search.ancestry.com)
Bay Co. MI Schools & Directories
- West Bay City Michigan Directory 1889-90 (search.ancestry.com)
- R.L. Polk & Co.’s Bay City Directory 1909 (search.ancestry.com)
- Polk’s 1911 Bay City directory (search.ancestry.com)
- R.L. Polk & Co.’s 1910 Bay City Directory (search.ancestry.com)
- R.L. Polk & Co.’s Bay City Directory 1908 (search.ancestry.com)
- R.L. Polk & Co.’s Bay City directory year ending November 1st 1907 (search.ancestry.com)
- Polk’s Bay City directory year ending October 15th 1906 (search.ancestry.com)
- Polk’s 1913 Bay City directory (search.ancestry.com)
- Polk’s 1914-15 Bay City directory : embracing a complete alphabetical list of business firms and private citizens in Bay City (search.ancestry.com)
- R.L. Polk & Co.’s Bay City directory 1916-1917 (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay City directory for 1902-1903 (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay City directory for 1884-5 (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay City directory for 1884-5 (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay City directory for 1899-1900 (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay City directory for 1897 (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay City directory for 1890-91 : embracing a complete alphabetical list of business firms and private citizens a classified li (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay City directory 1873-74 (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay City directory 1881-1882 (search.ancestry.com)
- Bay City directory 1877-8 : embracing a complete alphabetical list of business firms and private citizens a directory of city (search.ancestry.com)
- Brown’s general directory of Bay City Portsmouth Wenona Essexville Banks and Salzburg : exhibiting at a glance the names (search.ancestry.com)
- West Bay City directory for 1902-1903 (search.ancestry.com)
- West Bay City directory for 1896 (search.ancestry.com)
- West Bay City directory for 1890-91 (search.ancestry.com)
- West Bay City directory for 1889-90 : embracing a complete alphabetical list of business firms and private citizens a classifi (search.ancestry.com)