Lake County, Indiana Genealogy
Lake County, Indiana family history and genealogy research page. Locate links to record collections, history, and genealogy sources to aid you track your own Lake Co., ancestors. Start now by building a Free Family Tree.
Lake County Quick Facts
- Government Website: www.lakecountyin.org/
- Created Date / Origin: February 15, 1837 from Porter County and Newton County
- County Seat: Crown Point
- Named After: Its location on Lake Michigan
- Bordering Counties: Cook County, IL (west and north, in Lake Michigan), Porter County (east), Jasper County (southeast), Newton County (south), Kankakee County, IL (southwest), Will County, IL (west)
- Cities, Towns & Communities: Crown Point, East Chicago, Gary, Hammond, Hobart, Lake Station, Whiting, Cedar Lake, Dyer, Griffith, Highland, Lowell, Merrillville, Munster, New Chicago, Schererville, Schneider, St. John , Winfield
- Townships: Calumet, Cedar Creek, Center, Eagle Creek, Hanover, Hobart, North, Ross, St. John, West Creek, Winfield
Lake County Genealogical & Historical Societies and Family History Resources
A list of Lake County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives. See Also Indiana Archives, Genealogical and Historical Societies for statewide Addresses and links.
- Indiana State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Lake County Historian, Bruce L. Woods, LCHS, Courthouse Square, Suite 202, Crown Point, IN 46307; Work Phone: (219) 662-3975
- Lake County Historical Society and Museum, Courthouse Square, Suite 202, Crown Point, IN 46307; Phone: (219) 662-3975
- Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society, PO BOX 595,
GRIFFITH , IN 46319
- Buckley Homestead County Park, 3606 Belshaw Road, Lowell, IN 46356-9536; Phone: (219) 696-0769
- Dyer Historical Society, 1 Town Sq, Dyer, IN 46311-1719; Phone: (219) 865-6108
- East Chicago Historical Society, 2401 E. Columbus Drive, East Chicago, IN 46312-2936; Phone: (219) 397-2453
- Gary Historical & Cultural Society, P.O. Box 64-603, Gary, IN 46401; Phone: (219) 886-1812
- Griffith Historical Society, P.O. Box 678, Griffith, IN 46319-0678; Phone: (219) 924-9701
- Hammond Historical Society, 564 State St., Hammond, IN 46320-1532; Phone: (219) 931-5100
- Hammond Public Library, 564 State St., Hammond, IN 46320-1532; Phone: (219) 931-5100
- Hessville Historical Society, 7205 Kennedy Ave., Hammond, IN 46323-2228
- Highland Historical Society, 2450 Lincoln St., Highland, IN 46322-1822; Phone: (219) 838-7861
- Hobart Historical Society, P.O. Box 24, Hobart, IN 46342-0024; Phone: (219) 942-0970
- Lake of the Red Cedars Museum, P.O. Box 421, Cedar Lake, IN 46303-0421; Phone: (219) 374-7434
- Lake Station Historical Society, 2400 Central Ave., Lake Station, IN 46405; Phone: (219) 962-4163
- Merrillville-Ross Township Historical Society, 13 W. 73rd Ave., Merrillville, IN 46410-3801; Phone: (219) 756-2042
- Munster Historical Society, 1005 Ridge Road, Munster, IN 46321-1849; Phone: (219) 836-6930
- Schererville Historical Society, 10 E. Joliet St., Schererville, IN 46375-2011; Phone: (219) 322-1699
- South Lake County Agricultural Historical Society, P.O. Box 847, Crown Point, IN 46308-0847
- Three Creeks Historical Association, 1505 E. Commercial Ave., Lowell, IN 46356-2107; Phone: (219) 696-9336
- Whiting-Robertsdale Historical Society, 1610 119th St., Whiting, IN 46394-1702; Phone: (219) 659-1432
- Lake County, Indiana Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Lake County
- Lake County, Indiana Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com) read and post messages with other genealogy researchers for Lake County
- USGenWeb Archives for Lake County
Lake County Courthouse and Government Records
Genealogist typically overlook the importance of Lake County court, probate, and land records data as a resource of genealogical information and facts. Buried away in Indiana courthouses and archives just about everywhere tend to be the desires and frustrations of many Indiana inhabitants.
The odds are great that your chosen ancestors have left a comprehensive record of at least quite a few facets of their lives in the Lake County court records. Even if your forefathers is not brought up in a Court case, consider all of the other methods which may have lead to him or her appearing in court records.
You need to speak to the clerk's department to determine hours, mailing address, fees and other facts in advance of visiting or asking for information because of in some cases changing contact info. The Department Offices DO NOT DO RESEARCH. The records and documents are accessible to interested parties, barring private issues. The majority of staff will assist people in obtaining the materials, but it is up to the person to do the research.
The below details shows what birth, death, marriage, land, wills, and legal records are typically in Lake County. The dates indicated listed below are the first widely known records for this particular county.
- Lake County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 2293 N Main Street, Crown Point 46307
- Lake County Clerk responsiblities include administering Court Records of all Court Cases, prepares the Court's permanent historical record, performs marriage ceremonies, process marriage applications and issue marriage licenses,
processes and distributes documents for court cases, and keeps a record of all wills and matters of trust in probate proceedings. The County Clerk's Office DOES NOT DO RESEARCH. The documents are available to interested parties, barring confidential issues. The staff will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the individual to do the research.
- Phone: 219-755-3465
- Marriage Records: 1837
- Probate Records: 1837
- Court Records: 1837
- Lake County Recorder maintains, preserves and Records Deeds, Mortgages, Assignments, Releases, Powers of Attorney, Real Estate Contracts, Annexations, Trustee Elections, Affidavits, Final Decrees, Surveys, Federal Tax Liens, Mechanics Liens, Military Discharges, Articles of Incorporation, Cemetery Deeds, Bonds, Plats, Condominiums, Firms Doing Business Under Assumed Names, Delinquent Sewer Liens, and Miscellaneous Instruments.
- Phone: 219-755-3730
- Land Records: 1837
- Lake County Treasurer's Office is responsible for collecting taxes. The treasurer also receives distributions of local income and other taxes that are collected by the state such as real estate tax, personal property tax, mobile home tax, state assessed tax, and the following miscellaneous taxes: auto excise tax, inheritance tax, and innkeeper's tax.
- Lake County Department of Health maintains and provides Certified Birth and Death Records
Indiana Historical Records - Databases include Indiana Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Indiana Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Indiana Voter Lists & Census Records; Indiana Immigration & Emigration Records; Indiana Obituary Records; Indiana Military Records; Indiana Family Tree Records; Indiana Pictures; Indiana Stories, Memories & Histories; Indiana Directories & Member Lists and much more....
Lake County Genealogy Links
The following are links to Genealogy and family history, Records and Resources relevant to Lake County. A lot of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a cost. This is simply a directory which has been collected or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site over another. Feel free to provide your own most liked Lake County genealogy or family history related sites.
Lake Co. IN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
Lake Co. IN Books, Newspapers & Publications
Lake Co. IN Birth, Marriage & Death Records
- See Also Statewide Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records in Indiana
- Lake County, Indiana Index to Birth Records, 1882-1920 (search.ancestry.com)
- Hammond, Lake County, Indiana Index to Death Records, 1882-1920 (search.ancestry.com)
- Gary, Lake County, Indiana Index to Death Records, 1908-1920 (search.ancestry.com)
- Lake County and Crown Point, Indiana Index to Birth Records, 1921-1941 (search.ancestry.com)
- Whiting, Lake County, Indiana Index to Birth Records, 1899-1920 (search.ancestry.com)
- Order Hard Copies of Vital Records (archives.com)
- Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com)
Lake Co. IN Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
Lake Co. IN Census Records
Lake Co. IN Cemeteries & Graveyards
Lake Co. IN Church & Bible Records
Lake Co. IN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
Lake Co. IN General and History Websites
- Lake County, Indiana Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Encyclopedia of genealogy and biography of Lake County, Indiana : with a compendium of history, 1834-1904 : a record of the ach (search.ancestry.com)
- Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical : illustrated (search.ancestry.com)
- Lake County, Indiana, 1884 : an account of the semi-centennial celebration of Lake County, September 3 and 4, with historical p (search.ancestry.com)
- The first hundred years of Lake County, Indiana (search.ancestry.com)
- Lake County, Indiana : from 1834 to 1872 (search.ancestry.com)
- History of Lake County (search.ancestry.com)
- Early Indiana History for Lake County (countyhistory.com)
- Map of Lake Co. Historical Markers (in.gov)
- Lake County, Indiana Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Lake Co. IN Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Lake County, Indiana (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi's List - United States - Indiana - Counties - Lake (cyndislist.com)
- Lake County Indiana (genealogytrails.com)
- Lake Co. INGenweb (genwebsite.org)
- Lake County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Lake Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Lake Co. IN Military Records
Lake Co. IN Schools & Directories