Where to Start
Many of the following records are available through the . Not only do they provide extensive , but individuals can search 3,000,000 records, including , and record indexes; ; ; and from the National Register and State Register of Historic Places and the Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) databases.
Census Records
The has federal, state, and territorial censuses dating from 1790. The has federal censuses of Wisconsin and some other states. Wisconsin state censuses from 1855 to 1905 can also be accessed online for free at . With FamilySearch, you may be prompted to sign in before you are able to view the available records. If you do not have a FamilySearch account, you can .
Civil War Military Records
Descriptive rolls and muster rolls are at the The has an index of personal names.
Local and County Histories
The holds histories for nearly all 72 Wisconsin counties. Most are several hundred pages long and include detailed accounts of individual cities, townships and villages, as well as biographical stories of prominent residents.
Maps
For worldwide maps, as well as Sanborn maps and some plat maps, visit the American Geographical Society Library in the 51ÁÔÆæ Libraries (third floor, east wing). The , the , and the also have Sanborn maps and a variety of local and state plat maps.
Milwaukee City Directories
City directories are available in the general stacks of the Golda Meir Library (call number: ), as well as at the , the , the , and the .
Naturalization Records
Naturalization records for Milwaukee County are at the . Federal naturalization records covering the State of Wisconsin are available at the
Some naturalization records for Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha Counties are also available online through . With FamilySearch, you may be prompted to sign in before you are able to view the available records. If you do not have a FamilySearch account, you can .
Passenger Lists
The has passenger lists for the major east coast and gulf ports for most of the 19th century.
Selected passenger and crew lists, including Wisconsin ports, are available at . With FamilySearch, you may be prompted to sign in before you are able to view the available records. If you do not have a FamilySearch account, you can .
Post-1907 Vital Records
Contact the county registers of deeds or the .
Property Records
The Wisconsin Historical Society’s is a digital source of information on more than 133,000 historic buildings, structures and objects throughout Wisconsin. It provides basic property information and often includes an exterior image.
Transcripts
Contact the for the location of transcripts for defunct colleges.