Lafayette 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

Lafayette County, Wisconsin Facts

When was Lafayette County, WI Created?
Lafayette County was created on January 31, 1846 from Iowa County. The county was named in honor of Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (1757-1834), a French general in the American Revolutionary War.

What is the County Seat of Lafayette County, WI?
The County Seat is located in Darlington and the county government website is www.co.lafayette.wi.gov/

What counties are adjacent to Lafayette County, WI?
Bordering Counties are Grant County, Iowa County, Green County, Stephenson County, Illinois, Jo Daviess County, Illinois.

Lafayette County, WI Vital Records

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

Lafayette County, WI Census Records

What Lafayette County, WI census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Lafayette 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.

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

Lafayette County, WI Courthouse and Government Records

Lafayette County Courthouse

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

• Lafayette County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 626 Main Street, Darlington, WI 53530; Phone: 608.776.4850
  • County was attached to Iowa County for county and judicial purposes from 1846–47. Some early records may be found there.
• Lafayette County Register of Deeds
  • Phone: 608-776-4838
  • Birth Records: 1854
  • Marriage Records: 1847
  • Death Records: 1847
  • Land Records: 1836
• Lafayette County Register in Probate Office
  • Phone: 608-776-4811
  • Probate Records: 1847
• Lafayette County Clerk of Court Office
  • Phone: (608) 776-4832
  • Court Records: 1847
• 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

Lafayette County, WI Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Badger Historical Society, PO Box 186, Shullsburg, WI 53586; Phone: 608-965-3474
• Lafayette County Genealogical Society, PO Box 183, Darlington, WI 53530; Phone: 608-776-2755
• Lafayette County Historical Society, 525 Main St, Darlington, WI 53530; Phone: 608-776-8340
• Area Research Center – University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Southwest Wisconsin Room-Karrmann Library, Platteville, WI 53818-3099; Phone: 608/342-1719
• 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 Lafayette County, WI Researchers through message boards and forums?

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

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

Lafayette 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)
• The Republican Farmer (Darlington, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Belmont Gazette (Belmont, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• The Benton Advocate (Benton, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Lafayette County, Wisconsin Books (amazon.com)
• Lafayette County Wisconsin Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
• Search Wisconsin Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Lafayette Co. WI Church & Cemeteries

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

Lafayette 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)

Lafayette Co. WI General and History Websites

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

Lafayette Co. WI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

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