Where to Find Genealogy Information in Chicago

Chicago has many free resources for family history researchers. Databases and records are available for searching online or for viewing in person. Here is a list of the best Chicago genealogy resources:

Chicago's County Clerk office has a searchable online database for older genealogy records. Birth and death records from 75 years ago or older are available and marriage records from any year are open to the public. The site is free; users just need to create an account. Please note that records are only available from the year 1872, older records were destroyed in the Chicago Fire.

If you can't find your record in the Cook County Clerk's online database, you can request a manual records search. The fee for the search is $15 and if the record is not found you will be issued a no record certificate. The manual search request form is available online and inquires can be mailed to this address:

Cook County Clerk
Bureau of Vital Records - Genealogy
P.O. Box 642570
Chicago, IL 60664-2570

A list and map of Chicago area cemeteries is available from GraveYards.com.

The Illinois State Archives located in Springfield has Chicago census records dating back to 1820. You can search the archives in person or submit a records request online, over the phone or via the Internet. Contact Info:

Illinois State Archives
Reference Unit, Norton Building
Springfield, Illinois 62756
Telephone: (217) 782-3553. Fax: (217) 524-3930

Search Cook County Court naturalization records online at the court's archives. The online records online contain an overview, to see the full records researchers must contact the archive staff at:

Archives
Richard J. Daley Center
Room 1113
Chicago, IL
Phone 312-603-6601 or Fax 312-603-4974

The Chicago Public Library offers online searchable databases for old Chicago-area maps and newspapers. You will need a Chicago library card to access these resources.

Chicago's Newberry Library has a large collection of Chicago genealogical records. The collection holdings can be searched online but to view the entire record, researchers need to visit the library in person. Contact info:

Newberry Library
Reference Department
60 West Walton Street
Chicago, Il 60610

Newberry Library Local and Family History Reference Questions
Phone: (312) 255-3512 (brief questions)
Email: genealogy@newberry.org (detailed questions)
www.newberry.org/genealogy/collections.html

Resource Links

Chicago Public Library Databases

http://www.chipublib.org/cplbooksmovies/poptopics/chicagohistory.php

Cook County Clerk Office's Genealogy Online

http://www.cookcountygenealogy.com/

Cook County Clerk Office's Manual Search Request Form

http://www.cookcountygenealogy.com/pdf/Genealogy_Birth_Death_Marriage.pdf

Cook County Court Naturalization Records

http://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/?section=RecArchivePage&RecArchivePage=6000

Cook County Court Archives
http://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/?section=RecArchivePage&RecArchivePage=6000

GraveYards.com list of Chicago cemeteries.

http://www.graveyards.com/bin/grave?county=Cook,IL

Illinois State Archives

http://www.library.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/research_series/rseries5.html

Illinois State Archives Online Request Form

https://www.ilsos.gov/GenealogyMWeb/refform.html

Chicago Newberry Library Genealogical Websitehttp://www.newberry.org/genealogy/collections.html