Brown 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

Brown County, Wisconsin Facts

When was Brown County, WI Created?
Brown County was created on October 26, 1818 from unorganized territory . The county was named in honor of Major General Jacob Brown (1775-1828), a commanding general of the United States Army during the War of 1812.

What is the County Seat of Brown County, WI?
The County Seat is located in Green Bay and the county government website is www.co.brown.wi.us/

What counties are adjacent to Brown County, WI?
Bordering Counties are Oconto County, Kewaunee County, Manitowoc County, Calumet County, Outagamie County, Shawano County.

Brown County, WI Vital Records

Where can find Brown County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Brown 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 Brown 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

Brown County, WI Census Records

What Brown County, WI census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Brown County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1820, 1830 (as Michigan Territory), 1840 (as Wisconsin Territory), 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940.

Brown Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Brown Co. Industry and Agriculture can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Brown 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
• Brown County, WI Census Records Links

Brown County, WI Courthouse and Government Records

Brown County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Brown County Courthouse?
The below facts shows exactly what death, marriage, birth, property, wills, and court records are typically in Brown 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.

• Brown County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 100 S. Jefferson Street; PO Box 23600, Green Bay, WI 54305-3600; Phone: 920.448.4000
• Brown County Register of Deeds
  • Phone: 920-448-4474
  • Birth Records: 1814
  • Marriage Records: 1823
  • Death Records: 1834
  • Land Records: 1820
• Brown County Register in Probate Office
  • Phone: 920-448-4275
  • Probate Records: 1824
• Brown County Clerk of Court Office
  • Phone: (920) 448-4155
  • Court Records: 1823
• 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

Brown County, WI Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Brown County Historical Society, PO Box 1411, Green Bay, WI 54305-1411Phone: 920-437-1840,
• Area Research Center – University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, Cofrin Library, 7th floor, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311-7001; Phone: 920/465-2539
• Ashwaubenon Historical Society, PO Box 28081, Green Bay, WI 54324; Phone: 920-336-9667,
• Bay Area Genealogical Society, PO Box 283, Green Bay, WI 54305
• DePere Historical Society, 403 N Broadway, DePere, WI 54115Phone: 920-336-3877,
• Pulaski Area Historical Society, 129 W Pulaski St, Pulaski, WI 54162; Phone: 920-822-3961,
• 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 Brown County, WI Researchers through message boards and forums?

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

What other genealogical resources are available in Brown County, WI?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Brown 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.

Brown 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)
• Wisconsin Democrat (Green Bay, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Green Bay Advocate (Green Bay, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Green Bay Republican (Green Bay, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Brown County, Wisconsin Books (amazon.com)
• Brown County Wisconsin Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
• Search Wisconsin Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Brown Co. WI Church & Cemeteries

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

Brown 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)

Brown Co. WI General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Wisconsin
• Brown County, Wisconsin Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Men and money : the urban frontier at Green Bay, 1815-1840 (search.ancestry.com)
• Brown County, Wisconsin Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Brown Co. WI Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Brown County, Wisconsin (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Wisconsin – Counties – Brown (cyndislist.com)
• Brown County Wisconsin (genealogytrails.com)
• Brown Co. WIGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
• Brown County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Brown Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Brown Co. WI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Brown 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 Brown County genealogists, researchers, historians and much more.

Brown Co. WI Schools & Directories

• Green Bay, Wisconsin Directory, 1872-1873 (search.ancestry.com)