Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Genealogy, History & Facts

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

Bayfield County, Wisconsin Facts

When was Bayfield County, WI Created?
Bayfield County was created on February 19, 1845 from St. Croix County (originally named La Pointe County, renamed on April 12, 1866).

What is the County Seat of Bayfield County, WI?
The County Seat is located in Washburn and the county government website is www.bayfieldcounty.org/

What counties are adjacent to Bayfield County, WI?
Bordering Counties are Ashland County, Sawyer County, Washburn County, Douglas County.

Bayfield County, WI Vital Records

Where can find Bayfield County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Bayfield County vital records can be found at the Wisconsin Office of Vital Records has copies of Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Records reported since 1907. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Wisconsin for current fees and application process..

You can search online for Bayfield County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Wisconsin Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• Social Security Death Index
• USGenweb Archives Wisconsin Marriage Project
• Earliest Registration Dates by County
• Pre-1907 Birth Index
• Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
• Wisconsin, Divorce Index, 1965-1984
• Wisconsin Marriage Index 1852-1907
• Wisconsin Marriage Index (selected entries pre-1907)
• Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1973-1997
• Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930
• Pre-1892 Wisconsin Brides and/or Grooms from Maine State Archives Cards
• Wisconsin, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1968
• Pre-1907 Death Index
• 1959-1979 Death Index
• 1979-1984 Death Index

Bayfield County, WI Census Records

What Bayfield County, WI census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Bayfield County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940.

Bayfield Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Bayfield Co. Industry and Agriculture can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Bayfield Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. One can find free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research.

There are Wisconsin State censuses from 1895 and 1905. Also the Wisconsin Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index for 1820-1890. You can find free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Wisconsin Census Records Research Guide

• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection
• Bayfield County, WI Census Records Links

Bayfield County, WI Courthouse and Government Records

Bayfield County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Bayfield County Courthouse?
The below facts shows exactly what death, marriage, birth, property, wills, and court records are typically in Bayfield County.The date listed for each category of record is usually the earliest registration filed. The earliest date does not indicate that there are numerous records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually registered.

See Also Wisconsin Courthouse Records Research Guide.

Old Bayfield County Courthouse

• Bayfield County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 117 E. 5th Street, Washburn, WI 54891; Phone: 715.373.6138
  • County was attached to Crawford County for judicial purposes in 1845 & St. Croix County for judicial purposes from 1849–50. Some early records may be found there.
• Bayfield County Register of Deeds
  • Phone: 715-373-6119
  • Birth Records: 1879
  • Marriage Records: 1869
  • Death Records: 1870
  • Land Records: 1850
• Bayfield County Register in Probate Office
  • Phone: 715-373-6108
  • Probate Records: 1857
• Bayfield County Clerk of Court Office
  • Phone: (715) 373-6108
  • Court Records: 1859
• Public Records of the Consolidated Court Automation Programs provides access to certain public records of the circuit courts of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin, Probate Estate Files, 1848-1935
• U.S., Indexed Early Land Ownership and Township Plats, 1785-1898
• BLM Land Records

Bayfield County, WI Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Bayfield County, WI?
A list of Bayfield County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Wisconsin Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.

• Ashland/ Bayfield County Tree Climbers, Rt 1, Box 139, Mason, WI 54856
•  Bayfield County Historical Society, PO Box 272, Washburn, WI 54891; Phone: 715-373-5868
•  Bayfield Heritage Association, PO Box 137, Bayfield, WI 54814; Phone: 715-779-5958
•  Moquah Heritage Society, Route 1, Box 35-B, Washburn, WI 54891; Phone: 715-373-5868
• Area Research Center – Wisconsin Historical Society History Center and Archives , 29270 County Highway G, Ashland, WI 54806-9339; Phone: (715) 685-2647
• Wisconsin Area Research Center Network
• State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706-1488
• Wisconsin State Genealogical Society, PO Box 5106, Madison, WI 53705
• Wisconsin Genealogy Index (wisconsinhistory.org) Search for pre-1907 Vital Records, as well as for 150,000 Wisconsin Name Index (WNI) records, including biographical sketches, obituaries, and newspaper articles published before 2000.

Where can I connect with other Bayfield County, WI Researchers through message boards and forums?

• Wisconsin State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Bayfield County, Wisconsin Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Bayfield County
• Bayfield County, Wisconsin Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Bayfield County, WI?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Bayfield County. Many of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a cost. This is just a listing which has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another.

Bayfield Co. WI Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Wisconsin Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Wisconsin historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Wisconsin (1837 – 1992) (genealogybank.com)
• Bayfield County, Wisconsin Books (amazon.com)
• Bayfield County Wisconsin Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
• Search Wisconsin Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Bayfield Co. WI Church & Cemeteries

• Wisconsin Church & Cemetery Research Guide
• Bayfield Co., Wisconsin Graves (findagrave.com)
• Bayfield County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Bayfield Co., Wisconsin Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Bayfield Co., Wisconsin Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Bayfield County, Wisconsin Church Books (amazon.com)

Bayfield Co. WI Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
• Historical Image Collections (wisconsinhistory.org)
• Local History & Biography Articles (wisconsinhistory.org) thousands of historical newspaper articles on Wisconsin people and communities
• The Wisconsin Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

Bayfield Co. WI General and History Websites

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

Bayfield Co. WI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Wisconsin Links and Information
• Bayfield Co. D.O.T. Road and Highway Maps (dot.wisconsin.gov)
• Wisconsin Public Land Survey Records: Original Field Notes & Plat Maps for Bayfield County
• 1895 Bayfield County Map (livgenmi.com)

Bayfield Co. WI Military Records

• Wisconsin Military Records Research Guide
• Wisconsin Military Records (fold3.com) gives you easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Wisconsin both women and men which served. Just the thing for Bayfield County genealogists, researchers, historians and much more.