Buffalo 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

Buffalo County, Wisconsin Facts

When was Buffalo County, WI Created?
Buffalo County was created on July 6, 1853 from Jackson County.

What is the County Seat of Buffalo County, WI?
The County Seat is located in Alma and the county government website is www.buffalocounty.com/

What counties are adjacent to Buffalo County, WI?
Bordering Counties are Pepin County, Eau Claire County, Trempealeau County, Winona County, Minnesota, Wabasha County, Minnesota.

Buffalo County, WI Vital Records

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

Buffalo County, WI Census Records

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

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

Buffalo County, WI Courthouse and Government Records

Buffalo County Courthouse

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

• Buffalo County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 407 S. 2nd Street, Alma, WI 54610; Phone: 608.685.6234
• Buffalo County Register of Deeds
  • Phone: 608-685-6230
  • Birth Records: 1855
  • Marriage Records: 1856
  • Death Records: 1873
  • Land Records: 1854
• Buffalo County Register in Probate Office
  • Phone: 608-685-6202
  • Probate Records: 1854
• Buffalo County Clerk of Court Office
  • Phone: (608) 685-6212
  • Court Records: 1853
• 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

Buffalo County, WI Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Alma Historical Society, 505 S 2nd St, Alma, WI 54610; Phone: 608-685-4975
• Buffalo County Historical Society, PO Box 87, Alma, WI 54610-0087; Phone: 608-685-6290
• Fountain City Area Historical Society, PO Box 114, Fountain City, WI 54629; Phone: 608-687-4500
• Mondovi Area Historical Society, 250 S Washington St, Mondovi, WI 54755; Phone: 715-826-5377
• Area Research Center – University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire, Special Collections Department, William D. McIntyre Library, Eau Claire, WI 54702-5010; Phone: 715/836-2739
• Inventory of the county archives of Wisconsin: Buffalo County (search.ancestry.com)
• 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 Buffalo County, WI Researchers through message boards and forums?

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

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

Buffalo 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)
• Buffalo County, Wisconsin Books (amazon.com)
• Buffalo County Wisconsin Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
• Search Wisconsin Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Buffalo Co. WI Church & Cemeteries

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

Buffalo 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)

Buffalo Co. WI General and History Websites

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

Buffalo Co. WI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

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