IL RESOURCES
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Cook County, Illinois
Genealogy, History & Facts
County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links
Cook County, Illinois Facts
When was Cook County, IL Created?
Cook County was established on January 15, 1831.
What is the County Seat of Cook County, IL?
The County Seat is located in Chicago also, the county government website is blog.cookcountygov.com/ .
What counties are adjacent to Cook County, IL?
Bordering Counties are Lake County, Berrien County, Michigan, Porter County, Indiana, Lake County, Indiana, Will County, DuPage County, Kane County, McHenry County
Cook County, IL Vital Records
Where can find Cook County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Cook County vital records can be found at the Illinois Department of Public Health has copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death records. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Illinois for current fees and application process.
You can search online for Cook County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Illinois Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.
- Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878-1922
- Illinois, Cook County Birth Registers, 1871-1915
- Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1922
- Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920
- Cook County, Illinois Death Index, 1908-1988
- Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922
- Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index, 1930-1960
- Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920
- Cook County, Illinois, Deaths Index, 1878-1922
- Cook County, Illinois Birth Index, 1916-1935
- Cook County, Illinois Marriage Indexes, 1912-1924
- Cook County, Illinois, Marriage and Death Indexes, 1833-1889
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- Social Security Death Index
- Order Hard Copies of Vital Records
- USGenweb Archives Illinois Marriage Project
- Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878-1922
- Cook County Birth Registers, 1871-1915
- Illinois Marriage Records, 1860 – 1905
- Illinois County Marriages, 1810-1934
- Cook County, Illinois, Marriage and Death Indexes, 1833-1889
- Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920
- Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900
- Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
- Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860
- Illinois Marriages to 1850
- Cook County Deaths, 1878-1922
- Illinois Death Certificates, 1916–1950
- Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947
- Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947
Cook County, IL Census Records
What Cook County, IL census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Cook County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Cook Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Cook Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Cook 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 Illinois Census Records Research Guide
Cook County, IL Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Cook County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Cook County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Illinois courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Illinois 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 Cook 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 Illinois Corthouse Records Research Guide.
- Cook County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: County Building, 118 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60602
- Cook County Clerk
- Phone: 312-603-5656
- Marriage Records: 1856
- Birth & Death Records: 1871
- Cook County Recorder of Deeds
- Phone: 312-603-5050
- Land Records:1871 see above
- Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court
- Address: Archives Department, Rm. 1113, Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago, IL 60602
- Phone: 312-603-6601 or 312-603-6628
- Probate Records: 1871 see above
- Court Records: 1871
- Chicago Voter Registration, 1892
- Chicago Voter Registration, 1888
- Chicago Voter Registration, 1890
- Northeast Illinois genealogical source materials
- The county archives of the state of Illinois
- BLM Land Records
Cook County, IL Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Cook County, IL?
A list of Cook County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Illinois Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Chicago Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 1160, Chicago, IL 60690-1160
- Chicago Historical Society, Clark Street at North Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60614-6071; Phone 312.642.4600
- Chicago & North Western Historical Society,PO Box 1068 North Riverside, IL 60546;(815) 301-3241
- Des Plaines Genealogical Questers, 789 Pearson Street, Des Plaines, IL 60016
- Dunton Genealogical Society, 500 N Dunton, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
- Evanston History Center, 225 Greenwood Street, Evanston, IL 60201; Telephone: (847) 475-3410
- Northwest Suburban Council of Genealogists, PO Box 148, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056-9019
- Schaumburg Genealogical Society, 32 W. Library Lane, Schaumburg, IL 60194-3421
- Shore Line Interurban Historical Society, PO Box 425, Lake Forest IL 60045-0425
- Sons of the American Revolution, Fort Dearborn-Chicago Chapter
- South Suburban Genealogical & Historical Society, 3000 West 170th Place, Hazel Crest, IL. 60429-1174; Telephone: (708) 335-3340
- Tinley Moraine Genealogists, P.O. Box 521, Tinley Park, Illinois 60477-0521
- Tinley Park Historical Society (formerly/a.k.a. Bremen Historical Society of Tinley Park), Mail Address: PO Box 325, Tinley Park, IL 60477, (708) 429-4210; Physical Address: 6727 W. 174th St
- Wilmette Historical Museum & Wilmette Historical Society, 609 Ridge Road, Wilmette, IL 6009; Telephone: (847) 853-7666
- Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), Illinois Regional Archives Depository, Ronald Williams Library, Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 N. St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625-4699773-442-4506; (773) 442-4506
- Illinois State Archives, Norton Building, Capitol Complex, Springfield, IL 62756; (217) 782-4682
- National Archives – Great Lakes Region (Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898; 773-948-9001
- Illinois State Historical Society 210 1/2 S. Sixth, Springfield, IL 62701-1503; Phone: (217)525-2781
- Illinois State Library, 300 South 2nd Street, Springfield, IL 62701-1796; Phone: (217) 785-5600
- Illinois State Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 10195, Springfield, IL 62791; Phone: (217) 789-1968
Where can I connect with other Cook County, IL Researchers through message boards and forums?
- Illinois Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
- Illinois State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Cook County, Illinois Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Cook County
- Cook County, Illinois Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Cook County, IL?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Cook County. These genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a cost. This is simply a collection that has been gathered or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site over another.
Cook Co. IL Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Illinois Links and Information
- Cook Co. D.O.T. Map
- Map of Cook County and its civil and congressional townships
- Cook Federal Township Plats of Illinois (1804-1891) (landplats.ilsos.net)
- 1892 Cook Co., IL Railroad Map (usgwarchives.net)
- 1895 Cook County Map (livgenmi.com)
Cook Co. IL Books, Newspapers & Publications
- Illinois Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- Illinois historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from Illinois (1808 – 1922) (genealogybank.com)
- The Daily Herald (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Suburbanite Economist (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- News Journal (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- World (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Star Publications (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Southeast Economist (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Cook County Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Journal (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Blue Island Sun Standard (Blue Island, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- The Pointer (Riverdale, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Southend Reporter (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- News Journal World (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago Heights Star (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Southtown Economist (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Englewood Economist (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Austin News (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Northwest Journal (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Economist (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- News (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Sun Standard (Blue Island, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- DuPage County Register (Bensenville, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago Heights Star Sports (Chicago Heights, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago Daily News (Chicago, Illinois) (search.ancestry.com)
- Cook County, Illinois Books (amazon.com)
- Chicago Tribune, Obituary Index, 1988-1997 (search.ancestry.com)
- Elmhurst Press (Elmhurst, Illinois) Obituaries, 1988-98 (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago Sun-Times Obituaries, 1988-95 (search.ancestry.com)
- Search Illinois Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
Cook Co. IL Cemeteries & Church Records
- Wunders Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois (search.ancestry.com)
- Cook Co., Illinois Graves (findagrave.com)
- Cook County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Cook Co., Illinois Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Cook Co., Illinois Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Illinois, Chicago, Catholic Church Records, 1833-1925 (familysearch.org)
- Illinois Quaker Records (search.ancestry.com)
- Cook County, Illinois Church Books (amazon.com)
Cook Co. IL Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- Chicago Irish Families, 1875-1925 (search.ancestry.com)
- Biographical sketches of the leading men of Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- Notable men of Chicago and their city (search.ancestry.com)
- Biographical sketches of some of the early settlers of the city of Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- Index to names in twenty-six volumes of Illinois records (search.ancestry.com)
- The Illinois Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)
Cook Co. IL General and History Websites
- See Also State History for Illinois
- Cook County, Illinois Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Cook County Fact Sheet (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- History of Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Cook County, Illinois : from the earliest period to the present time (search.ancestry.com)
- Early Chicago and Illinois (search.ancestry.com)
- Cook County, Illinois History and Biography (search.ancestry.com)
- Cook County, Illinois History (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago antiquities : comprising original items and relations, letters, extracts, and notes pertaining to early Chicago, embell (search.ancestry.com)
- Cook County, Illinois Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Cook Co. IL Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Cook County, Illinois (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Illinois – Counties – Cook (cyndislist.com)
- Cook County Illinois (genealogytrails.com)
- Cook Co. ILGenweb (ilgenweb.net)
- Cook County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Chicago and Cook County, A Guide to Research (search.ancestry.com)
- Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Cook County Edition (search.ancestry.com)
- Official reference book, Press Club of Chicago … (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago, its history and its builders : a century of marvelous growth (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Cook County, Illinois : being a general survey of Cook County history including a condensed history of Chicago and s (search.ancestry.com)
- Historical review of Chicago and Cook County and selected biography (search.ancestry.com)
- The story of Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- The Chicago blue book of selected names of Chicago and suburban towns : containing the names and addresses of prominent residen (search.ancestry.com)
- The Negro in Chicago : a study of race relations and a race riot (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago, Illinois and Iowa Biographical Dictionary (search.ancestry.com)
- The World’s Fair City and her enterprising sons (search.ancestry.com)
- A Biographical history, with portraits, of prominent men of the great West (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago and the Old Northwest, 1673-1835 : a study of the evolution of the northwestern frontier, together with a history of Fo (search.ancestry.com)
- Bygone days in Chicago : recollections of the “Garden City” of the sixties (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago and its suburbs (search.ancestry.com)
- The Hand-book of Chicago biography : a compendium of useful biographical information for reference and study (search.ancestry.com)
- A classic town : the story of Evanston (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago, the Wonder City (search.ancestry.com)
- Reminiscences of early Chicago and vicinity (search.ancestry.com)
- The great conflagration : Chicago, its past, present and future : embracing a detailed narrative of the great conflagration in (search.ancestry.com)
- Herringshaw’s city blue book of biography (search.ancestry.com)
- Early Illinois (search.ancestry.com)
- The political history of Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- Lest we forget : Chicago’s awful theater horror (search.ancestry.com)
- The great Chicago theater disaster (search.ancestry.com)
- Worthies and workers, both ministers and laymen, of the Rock River Conference (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago yesterdays : a sheaf of reminiscences (search.ancestry.com)
- The lost city! Drama of the fire fiend, or, Chicago, as it was, and as it is! And its glorious future! : a vivid and truthful p (search.ancestry.com)
- The development of Chicago, 1674-1914 : shown in a series of contemporary original narratives (search.ancestry.com)
- The story of Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- The great revolution : a history of the rise and progress of the People’s Party in the city of Chicago and county of Cook, wit (search.ancestry.com)
- Evanston’s yesterdays (search.ancestry.com)
- Checagou : from Indian wigwam to modern city, 1673-1835 (search.ancestry.com)
- My Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago River-and-Harbor convention (search.ancestry.com)
- The Chicago massacre of 1812 : a historical and biographical narrative of Fort Dearborn (now Chicago) : how the fort and city w (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago’s first half century : the city as it was fifty years ago, and as it is today : the trade, commerce, manufactories, ra (search.ancestry.com)
- Civil government of Illinois and the U.S. : special chapters on Chicago and Cook County : brief historical sketches (search.ancestry.com)
- Stories and sketches of Chicago : an interesting, entertaining, and instructive sketch history of the wonderful city “by the se (search.ancestry.com)
- Stories and sketches of Chicago : an interesting, entertaining, and instructive sketch history of the wonderful city “by the se (search.ancestry.com)
- Men who have made the Fifth Ward : being a collection of biographical sketches of the prominent men who have materially aided i (search.ancestry.com)
- Historical fragments of early Chicagoland (search.ancestry.com)
- Reminiscences of Chicago during the great fire (search.ancestry.com)
- The location of the Chicago portage route of the seventeenth century : a paper (search.ancestry.com)
- Reminiscences of Chicago during the forties and fifties (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago, the great industrial and commercial center of the Mississippi Valley : an area with an annual tonnage of twenty-two bi (search.ancestry.com)
- The Fort Dearborn massacre (search.ancestry.com)
- The development of Chicago and vicinity as a manufacturing center prior to 1880 (search.ancestry.com)
- The Sentinel presents 100 years of Chicago Jewry (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- Early Illinois (search.ancestry.com)
- Early Chicago, Fort Dearborn : an address (search.ancestry.com)
- Centi-quad-o-rama (search.ancestry.com)
- Chicago Bar Association lectures. (search.ancestry.com)
- Early Chicago : reception to the settlers of Chicago prior to 1840, by the Calumet Club, of Chicago, Tuesday evening, May 27, 1 (search.ancestry.com)
- Early medical Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- William B. Ogden and early days in Chicago : a paper (search.ancestry.com)
- Proceedings of a memorial meeting of the City Council of the city of Chicago, held Thursday, November 16th, 1893 (search.ancestry.com)
- Narrative of the massacre at Chicago, (Saturday), August 15, 1812, and of some preceding events (search.ancestry.com)
- Early Chicago : a lecture (search.ancestry.com)
- Early-Chicago reminiscences (search.ancestry.com)
- Addresses delivered at the annual meeting of the Chicago Historical Society, November 19th, 1868 (search.ancestry.com)
- The present and future prospects of Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- The annals of Chicago : a lecture (search.ancestry.com)
- Seventy five years in Chicago (search.ancestry.com)
- Father Pierre François Pinet, S.J., and his Mission of the Guardian Angel of Chicago (l’Ange Gardien) A.D. 1696-1699 (search.ancestry.com)
- Friendly libels (search.ancestry.com)
- Rock River Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois (search.ancestry.com)
- Cook Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Cook Co. IL Military Records
- Illinois Military Records Research Guide
- Reminiscences of Chicago during the Civil War (search.ancestry.com)
- Heroes and heroines of the Fort Dearborn massacre (search.ancestry.com)
- Illinois Military Records (fold3.com) gives easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the Illinois both males and females that served. Suitable for Cook County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.
Cook Co. IL Schools & Directories
- Evanston, Illinois Directories, 1890-93 (search.ancestry.com)
- Prairie Farmer’s Reliable Directory: Will and Southern Cook County, Illinois, 1918 (search.ancestry.com)
- Colored people’s blue-book and business directory of Chicago, Ill., 1905 (search.ancestry.com)
- Directory of the city of Chicago, Illinois for 1843 (search.ancestry.com)
- Fergus’ directory of the city of Chicago, 1839 (search.ancestry.com)
- Norris’ business directory and statistics of the city of Chicago for 1846 (search.ancestry.com)