Hand County, South Dakota

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

Hand County was established on January 08, 1873 (organized in 1882) from Buffalo County.

Currently the Hand County Seat is located in Miller and the county government website is http://www.hand.sdcounties.org/

Locations adjacent to Hand County are Faulk County, Spink County, Beadle County, Jerauld County, Buffalo County, Hyde County.

Hand County has Federal Census Schedules to help in researching your family tree. Federal government Population Schedules are present for 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Hand Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1880. Hand Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1880. Hand Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. There are free down-loadable not to mention printable census forms to help with your research.

Hand County Society and Family History Resources

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

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• South Dakota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Hand County, South Dakota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Hand County, South Dakota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Hand County (usgwarchives.net)

Hand County Courthouse and Government Records

Genealogist often overlook the benefits of Hand County court, probate, and land files as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy details. Hidden away in South Dakota courthouses and archives just about everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of the many South Dakota residents.

The odds are very good that your potential forefathers have left a comprehensive record of at least quite a few elements of their lives in the Hand County court records. Even if your forefathers is not referred to in a Court case, take into consideration all of the other procedures which could have lead to him or her to appear in court records.

• Haakon County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 415 W 1st Ave, Miller, SD 57362
  • Phone: (605) 853-3337
• Hand County Register of Deeds
  • Marriage Records: 1883
  • Land Records: 1873
• Hand County Clerk of Court.
  • Probate Records: 1873
  • Court Records: 1873
• South Dakota 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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.

Hand County Links

The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Hand County. Each of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a payment. This is simply a directory which has been gathered or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to furnish your own most liked Hand County genealogy or family history associated sites.

Hand Co. SD Books, Newspapers & Publications

• South Dakota Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• South Dakota historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from South Dakota (1861–2002) (genealogybank.com) Immediately discover names and keywords / phrases in over 450 million publications, obituaries, marriage announcements, birth notices and other items written in over 2,800 old U.S. newspapers. All new content and articles added monthly!
• Hand County, South Dakota Books (amazon.com)
• Search South Dakota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Hand County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Hand Co. SD Birth, Marriage & Death Records

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

Hand Co. SD Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

• South Dakota Court Records Research Guide
• BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)

Hand Co. SD Census Records

• South Dakota Census Records Research Guide
• Hand County, SD Census Records Links
• Hand County, SD Census QuickFacts

Hand Co. SD Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Hand Co. SD Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Hand Co. SD General and History Websites

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

Hand Co. SD Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of South Dakota Links and Information
• 1895 Hand County Map (livgenmi.com)

Hand Co. SD Military Records

• South Dakota Military Records Research Guide
• South Dakota Military Records (fold3.com) delivers easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the South Dakota women and men that served. Just the thing for Hand County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.