IL RESOURCES
STATE QUICKLINKS
OTHER GENEALOGY RESOURCES
Kankakee 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
Kankakee County, Illinois Facts
When was Kankakee County, IL Created?
Kankakee County was established on February 11, 1853.
What is the County Seat of Kankakee County, IL?
The County Seat is located in Kankakee (Name changed from Kankakee Depot in 1855) also, the county government website is www.co.kankakee.il.us .
What counties are adjacent to Kankakee County, IL?
Bordering Counties are Will County, Lake County, Indiana, Newton County, Indiana, Iroquois County, Ford County, Livingston County, Grundy County
Kankakee County, IL Vital Records
Where can find Kankakee County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Kankakee 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 Kankakee 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.
- 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
Kankakee County, IL Census Records
What Kankakee County, IL census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Kankakee 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.
Kankakee Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Kankakee Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Kankakee 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
Kankakee County, IL Courthouse and Government Records
Kankakee County CourthouseWhat genealogical records can I find in the Kankakee County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Kankakee 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 Kankakee 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.
- Kankakee County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 189 E. Court St., Kankakee, IL 60901
- Kankakee County Clerk
- Phone: 815-937-2990
- Marriage Records: 1853
- Birth & Death Records: 1877
- Kankakee County Recorder of Deeds
- Phone: 815-937-2980
- Land Records:1832
- Kankakee County Clerk of the Circuit Court,
- Phone: 815-937-2905
- Probate Records: 1853
- Court Records: 1853
- The county archives of the state of Illinois
- BLM Land Records
Kankakee County, IL Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Kankakee County, IL?
A list of Kankakee County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Illinois Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Kankakee Valley Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 442, Bourbonnais, Illinois 60914
- Kankakee County Historical Museum, 801 S 8th Avenue, Kankakee, Illinois; Phone: 815-932-5279
- Illinois State University, Campus Box 5500, Normal, IL 61790-5500; (309) 452-6027
- 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 Kankakee County, IL Researchers through message boards and forums?
- Illinois Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
- Illinois State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Kankakee County, Illinois Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Kankakee County
- Kankakee County, Illinois Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Kankakee County, IL?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Kankakee 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.
Kankakee Co. IL Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Illinois Links and Information
- Kankakee Co. D.O.T. Map
- Map of Kankakee County and its civil and congressional townships
- Kankakee Federal Township Plats of Illinois (1804-1891) (landplats.ilsos.net)
- 1892 Kankakee Co., IL Railroad Map (usgwarchives.net)
- 1895 Kankakee County Map (livgenmi.com)
Kankakee 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) Quickly identify names and keywords and phrases in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and also other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. Unique articles and other content added each and every month!
- Kankakee County, Illinois Books (amazon.com)
- Search Illinois Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
Kankakee Co. IL Cemeteries & Church Records
- Kankakee Co., Illinois Graves (findagrave.com)
- Kankakee County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Kankakee Co., Illinois Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Kankakee Co., Illinois Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Kankakee County, Illinois Church Books (amazon.com)
Kankakee Co. IL Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- Index to names in twenty-six volumes of Illinois records (search.ancestry.com)
- The Illinois Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)
Kankakee Co. IL General and History Websites
- See Also State History for Illinois
- Kankakee County, Illinois Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Kankakee County Fact Sheet (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Tales of an old “border town” and along the Kankakee : a collection of historical facts and intimate personal sketches of the d (search.ancestry.com)
- Kankakee County, Illinois Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Kankakee Co. IL Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Kankakee County, Illinois (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Illinois – Counties – Kankakee (cyndislist.com)
- Kankakee County Illinois (genealogytrails.com)
- Kankakee Co. ILGenweb (ilgenweb.net)
- Kankakee County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Kankakee Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Kankakee Co. IL Military Records
- Illinois Military Records Research Guide
- 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 Kankakee County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.
Kankakee Co. IL Schools & Directories
- Kankakee City, Illinois Directory, 1876 (search.ancestry.com)