Yankton County, South Dakota

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

Yankton County was established on April 10, 1862 from Unorganized territory.

Currently the Yankton County Seat is located in Yankton and the county government website is http://www.co.yankton.sd.us/

Locations adjacent to Yankton County are Turner County, Clay County, Cedar County, Nebraska, Knox County, Nebraska, Bon Homme County, Hutchinson County.

Yankton County has Federal Census Schedules to help in researching your family tree. Federal government Population Schedules are present for 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Yankton Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1870 and 1880. Yankton Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1870 and 1880. Yankton Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. There are free down-loadable not to mention printable census forms to help with your research.

Yankton County Society and Family History Resources

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

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• South Dakota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Yankton Genealogical Society, Yankton Community Library, 515 Walnut St., Yankton, SD 57078
• Yankton County Historical Society 610 Summit, Yankton, SD 57078; (605) 665-3898
• Yankton County, South Dakota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Yankton County, South Dakota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Yankton County (usgwarchives.net)

Yankton County Courthouse and Government Records

Genealogist often overlook the benefits of Yankton 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 Yankton 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.

The following indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Yankton county. The dates indicated below are the first known records for this county which may include records of land, estates, taxes, vital records, divorces, naturalizations, voter registration, court records, and so forth. The state archives has probate records (1877—1909); wills (1870—1909); notary records (1877—1909); and judgment books (1898—1907).

• Haakon County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 321 W 3rd St, Yankton, SD 57078
  • Phone: (605) 260-4400
• Yankton County Register of Deeds
  • Marriage Records: 1889
  • Land Records: 1862?
• Yankton County Clerk of Court.
  • Probate Records: 1862?
  • Court Records: 1862?
• 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.

Yankton County Links

The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Yankton 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 Yankton County genealogy or family history associated sites.

Yankton 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!
• Yankton County, South Dakota Books (amazon.com)
• Search South Dakota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Yankton County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Yankton Co. SD Birth, Marriage & Death Records

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

Yankton Co. SD Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

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

Yankton Co. SD Census Records

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

Yankton Co. SD Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Yankton Co. SD Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Yankton Co. SD General and History Websites

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

Yankton Co. SD Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Yankton 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 Yankton County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.