Rock 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

Rock County, Wisconsin Facts

When was Rock County, WI Created?
Rock County was created on December 7, 1836 from Milwaukee County.

What is the County Seat of Rock County, WI?
The County Seat is located in Janesville and the county government website is www.co.rock.wi.us/

What counties are adjacent to Rock County, WI?
Bordering Counties are Green County, Dane County, Jefferson County, Walworth County, Boone County, Illinois, Winnebago County, Illinois.

Rock County, WI Vital Records

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

Rock County, WI Census Records

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

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

Rock County, WI Courthouse and Government Records

Rock County Courthouse

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

PLEASE READ FIRST!!! Please call the clerk’s department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. The Department Offices DO NOT DO RESEARCH. The files are available to interested parties, barring private issues. Many staff will guide individuals in locating the materials, however it’s up to the person to carry out the research. Rock County Courthouse was built in 1841 and was destroyed by fire in 1859.

• Rock County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 51 South Main Street, Janesville, WI 53545; Phone: 608.757.5660
  • County was attached to Racine County for county and judicial purposes from 1836–39. Some early records may be found there.
• Rock County Register of Deeds
  • Phone: 608-757-5650
  • Birth Records: 1856
  • Marriage Records: 1840
  • Death Records: 1860
  • Land Records: 1839
• Rock County Register in Probate Office
  • Phone: 608-757-5637
  • Probate Records: 1850
• Rock County Clerk of Court Office
  • Phone: (608) 743-2200
  • Court Records: 1840
• 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

Rock County, WI Societies and Family History Resources

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

•  Rock County Genealogical Society, PO Box 711, Janesville, WI 53547-0711; Phone: 608-752-5891
•  Rock County Historical Society, PO Box 8096, Janesville, WI 53547-8096; Phone: 608-756-4509
• Area Research Center – University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, Harold Andersen Library, 800 West Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190; Phone: 262/472-5520
• Beloit Historical Society, 845 Hackett St, Beloit, WI 53511; Phone: 608-365-7835
•  Clinton Community Historical Society, PO Box 606, Clinton, WI 53525; Phone: 608-676-4940
•  Evansville Grove Society, PO Box 234, Evansville, WI 53536; Phone: 608-882-6939
•  Milton Historical Society, PO Box 245, Milton, WI 53563; Phone: 608-868-2930
•  Sterling North Society, 409 W Rollin St, Edgerton, WI 53534; Phone: 608-884-7589 Or: 608-884-3731
• 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 Rock County, WI Researchers through message boards and forums?

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

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

Rock 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)
• Janesville Daily Gazette (Janesville, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Janesville Gazette (Janesville, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Weekly Gazette And Free Press (Janesville, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Janesville Morning Gazette (Janesville, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Janesville Weekly Gazette (Janesville, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Beloit Journal, of Politics, Literature, and General Intelligence (Beloit, Wisconsin) (search.ancestry.com)
• Rock County, Wisconsin Books (amazon.com)
• Rock County Wisconsin Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
• Search Wisconsin Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Rock Co. WI Church & Cemeteries

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

Rock 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)

Rock Co. WI General and History Websites

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

Rock Co. WI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

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

Rock Co. WI Schools & Directories

• Janesville, Rock County, Wisconsin Directory, 1931 (search.ancestry.com)