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Kent 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
Kent County, Michigan Facts
When was Kent County, MI Created?
Kent County was created on March 2, 1831 from Michilimackinac County and unorganized territory .
What is the County Seat of Kent County, MI?
The County Seat is located in Grand Rapids also, the county government website is www.accesskent.com/.
What counties are adjacent to Kent County, MI?
Bordering Counties are Newaygo County, Montcalm County, Muskegon County, Ionia County, Ottawa County, Allegan County, Barry County.
Kent County, MI Vital Records
Where can find Kent County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Kent 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 Kent 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
Kent County, MI Census Records
What Kent County, MI census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Kent 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.
Kent Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Kent Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Kent 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
Kent County, MI Courthouse and Government Records
What genealogical records can I find in the Kent County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Kent 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 Kent 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.
- Kent County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 300 Monroe N.W., Grand Rapids, MI 49503
- Kent County Clerk
- Phone: 616-632-7640
- Births & Deaths: 1867
- Marriage Records: 1845
- Kent County Register of Deeds
- Phone: (616) 632.7610
- Land Records: 1860
- Kent County Clerk of the Probate Court
- Address: 180 Ottawa Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
- Phone: (616) 632-5440
- Probate Records: 1898
- Kent County Clerk of the Circuit Court
- Address: 180 Ottawa Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
- Phone: (616) 632-5220
- Court Records: 1854
- Michigan Land Records
- Michigan Probate Records 1797-1973
- BLM Land Records
Kent County, MI Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Kent County, MI?
A list of Kent County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Michigan Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Western Michigan Genealogical Society c/o Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library Street NE Grand Rapids MI 49503-3268
- Algoma Township Historical Society 11731 Pine Island Dr Sparta 49345
- Alpine Historical Office 2015 7 Mile Rd. NW Comstock Park MI 49321; (616) 785-6024
- Bowne Township Historical Society 11735 92nd St. Se Alto 49302
- Byron Center Historical Society 2506 Prescott P.O. Box 20,Byron Center MI 49315
- Caledonia Historical Society P.O. Box 110 240 Emmonn Caledonia Michigan 49316
- Caledonia Township Historical Society 8573 84th St. Se Alto 49341
- Cascade Historical Society 2800 Orange Street SE Grand Rapids MI 49506
- Cedar Springs Historical Society 60 Cedar St. Cedar Springs MI 49319
- Fallasburg Historical Society 13944 Covered Bridge Road Lowell Michigan 49331
- Gaines Township Historical Society 421 68th St. Se Grand Rapids MI 49508
- Grand Rapids Historical Society c/o Grand Rapids Public Library Library Plaza Grand Rapids MI 49502
- Grand Rapids Historic Preservation 1120 Monroe Ave. NW Grand Rapids MI 49503
- Grandville Historical Association Contact address unknown.
- Lowell Area Historical Association 325 W. Main St. Lowell MI 49331
- Oakfield Pioneer Heritage Society 9751 15 Mile Rd Rockford MI 49341
- Polish Heritage Society P.O. Box 1844 Grand Rapids 49501
- Rockford Area Historical Society P.O. Box 781 140 East Bridge Rockford 49341-9112
- Wyoming Historical Commission c/o Wyoming Public Library 3350 Michael SW Wyoming MI 49509
- The Grand Rapids society blue book (search.ancestry.com)
- 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 Kent 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)
- Kent County Michigan Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Kent County
- Kent County, Michigan Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Kent County, MI?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Kent 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.
Kent 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)
- Kent County Michigan Books (amazon.com)
- Kent County Michgan Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
- Search Michigan Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
Kent Co. MI Cemeteries & Church Records
- Michigan Cemetery Research Guide
- Kent Co. Michigan Graves (findagrave.com)
- Kent County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Web: Michigan Find A Grave Index 1805-2011 (search.ancestry.com)
- Kent Co. Michigan Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Kent County Michigan
- Kent Co. Michigan Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Michigan Church & Bible Research Guide
- Topographic Church List and Map for Kent County Michigan
- Bible records Michigan (search.ancestry.com)
- Michigan Christenings 1775-1995 (familysearch.org)
- Kent County Michigan Church Books (amazon.com)
Kent 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)
Kent Co. MI General and History Websites
- Kent County Michigan Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- History of Kent County Michigan (search.ancestry.com)
- The City of Grand Rapids and Kent County Mich. up to date (search.ancestry.com)
- History of the city of Grand Rapids Michigan (search.ancestry.com)
- Grand Rapids: beautiful, industrial, commercial (search.ancestry.com)
- Grand Rapids as it is (search.ancestry.com)
- Kent County Michigan Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Kent Co. MI Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Kent County Michigan (linkpendium.com) Family History & Genealogy, Census, Birth, Marriage, Death Vital Records & More
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Michigan – Counties – Kent (cyndislist.com)
- Kent County Michigan (genealogytrails.com)
- Kent Co. MIGenweb (migenweb.net)
- Kent County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Kent Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Kent Co. MI Immigration & Naturalization
- See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for Michigan
- Michigan Eastern District Naturalizations (search.ancestry.com)
Kent Co. MI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Michigan Links and Information
- Kent Co. D.O.T. Base Maps (roads.michigan.gov)
- 1895 Kent County Map (livgenmi.com)
Kent 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 Kent County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.
- Michigan Military Records 1775-1836 (search.ancestry.com)
Kent Co. MI Schools & Directories
- Web: Kent County, Michigan School Census 1903-1925 (search.ancestry.com)
- Grand Rapids Michigan City Directories 1889-90 (search.ancestry.com)