Lake County, Montana

Societies and Family History Resources ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣ County Genealogy Links

Lake County was created on May 11, 1923 from Flathead County and Missoula County.

Currently the Lake County Seat is located in Polson additionally, the county government website is http://www.lakecounty-mt.org/

Areas surrounding Lake County are Flathead County, Missoula County, Sanders County.

Lake County includes Federal Census Schedules to guide in exploring your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are present for 1930, 1940. There are free online and printable census forms to aid with your research.

Lake County Society and Family History Resources

A list of Lake County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives.

• https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• Montana State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Polson Flathead Historical Society, 708 Main Street, PO Box 206 Polson Montana 59860; (406) 883-3049
• Lake County, Montana Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Lake County, Montana Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Lake County (usgwarchives.net)

Lake County Courthouse and Government Records

Researchers frequently fail to notice the value of Lake County court, probate, and land documents as a source of ancestry and genealogy information and facts. Hidden away in Montana courthouses and archives just about everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of many Montana men and women.

The odds are excellent that your potential forefathers have left a in-depth document of at least a few factors of their lives in the Lake County court records. Even if your forebears is not discussed in a Court case, consider all of the other methods which could have lead to him or her to appear in court records.

• Lake County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 106 4th Ave E, Polson, MT 59860
  • Phone: (406) 883-5237
• Lake County Clerk and Recorder
  • Bierh / Death Records: 1923
  • Land Records: 1923
• Lake County Clerk of District Court
  • Marriage / Divorce Records: 1923
  • Probate Records: 1923
  • Court Records: 1923
• Montana Office of Vital Records 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 Montana for current fees and application process. Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events.
  • Ordering Vital Records – You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Montana Birth Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.

Lake County Links

The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Lake County. A lot of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some call for a payment. This is merely a directory that has been collected or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to furnish your own favorite Lake County genealogy or family history related sites.

Lake Co. MT Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Montana Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Montana historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Montana (1866–1922) (genealogybank.com)
• Lake County, Montana Books (amazon.com)
• Search Montana Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Lake County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Lake Co. MT Birth, Marriage & Death Records

• Montana Vital Records Research Guide
• Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com)

Lake Co. MT Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

• Montana Court Records Research Guide
•  Lake County Records, 1857-2010 (familysearch.org) Deeds, school census, mining, vital records, probate, and divorce records located at the county courthouse in Polson.
• BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)

Lake Co. MT Census Records

• Montana Census Records Research Guide
• Lake County, MT Census Records Links
• Lake County, MT Census QuickFacts

Lake Co. MT Cemeteries & Church Records

• Montana Cemetery Research Guide
• Lake Co., Montana Graves (findagrave.com)
• Lake County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Lake Co., Montana Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Lake County, Montana
• Lake Co., Montana Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Montana Church & Bible Research Guide
• Topographic Church List and Map for Lake County, Montana
• Lake County, Montana Church Books (amazon.com)

Lake Co. MT Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

•  Montana Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

Lake Co. MT General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Montana
• Lake County, Montana Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Lake County, Montana Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Lake Co. MT Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Lake County, Montana (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Montana – Counties – Lake (cyndislist.com)
• Lake County Montana (genealogytrails.com)
• Lake Co. MTGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
• Lake County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Lake Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Lake Co. MT Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Montana Links and Information
• 1895 Lake County Map (livgenmi.com)

Lake Co. MT Military Records

• Montana Military Records Research Guide
• Montana Military Records (fold3.com) gives you easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the Montana individuals that served. Excellent for Lake County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.