Dane 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

Dane County, Wisconsin Facts

When was Dane County, WI Created?
Dane County was created on December 7, 1836 from Crawford County, Iowa County and Milwaukee County.

What is the County Seat of Dane County, WI?
The County Seat is located in Madison and the county government website is www.countyofdane.com/

What counties are adjacent to Dane County, WI?
Bordering Counties are Columbia County, Dodge County, Jefferson County, Rock County, Green County, Iowa County, Sauk County.

Dane County, WI Vital Records

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

Dane County, WI Census Records

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

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

Dane County, WI Courthouse and Government Records

Dane County Courthouse

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

Dane County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)

• Address: 215 S. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI 53703; Phone: 608.266.4121
• Dane County was attached to Iowa County, 1836–39. Some early records may be found there.

• Dane County Register of Deeds
  • Phone: 608-266-4141
  • Birth Records: 1860
  • Marriage Records: 1839
  • Death Records: 1876
  • Land Records: 1835
• Dane County Register in Probate Office
  • Phone: 608-267-4121
  • Probate Records: 1847
• Dane County Clerk of Court Office
  • Phone: (608) 266-4311
  • Court Records: 1841
• 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

Dane County, WI Societies and Family History Resources

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

•  Dane County Area Genealogical Society, PO Box 5652, Madison, WI 53705-0652
• 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 Dane County, WI Researchers through message boards and forums?

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

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

Dane 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 Argus (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• The Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Wisconsin Enquirer (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Wisconsin Express (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Madison Express (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Madison City Express (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Wisconsin Statesman (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Wiskonsan Enquirer (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Tri Weekly Argus (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• The Weekly Wisconsin Argus (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• The Suburban Post (Madison, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Dane County, Wisconsin Books (amazon.com)
• Dane County Wisconsin Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
• Search Wisconsin Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Dane Co. WI Church & Cemeteries

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

Dane 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)

Dane Co. WI General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Wisconsin
• Dane County, Wisconsin Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Madison, Dane County and surrounding towns : being a history and guide to places of scenic beauty and historical note found in (search.ancestry.com)
• The city of Madison (search.ancestry.com)
• The seventy-fifth anniversary celebration of the Borough of Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, October 8 to 13, 1962 (search.ancestry.com)
• Official program, Finnish Tercentenary Day (search.ancestry.com)
• Dane County, Wisconsin Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Dane Co. WI Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Dane County, Wisconsin (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Wisconsin – Counties – Dane (cyndislist.com)
• Dane County Wisconsin (genealogytrails.com)
• Dane Co. WIGenweb (wigenweb.org)
• Dane County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Dane Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Dane Co. WI Immigration & Naturalization

• Wisconsin, Dane County Naturalization Records, 1887-1945 (familysearch.org)

Dane Co. WI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

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

Dane Co. WI Schools & Directories

• University Of Wisconsin, Directory 1888-89 (search.ancestry.com)