Will County, Illinois genealogy and family history research. Find links to record collections, history, and genealogy resources to help you trace your Will Co., ancestors. Get started by
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Will County Quick Facts
- Government Website: www.willcountyillinois.com/
- Created Date / Origin: January 12, 1836 from Cook County and Iroquois County
- County Seat: Joliet
- Named After: Conrad Will (1779-1835), physician, local businessman and longtime member of the state legislature
- Bordering Counties: Cook County (north), DuPage County (north), Lake County, IN (east), Kankakee County (south), Grundy County (southwest), Kendall County (west), Kane County (northwest)
- Cities, Towns & Villages: Aurora, Beecher, Bolingbrook, Braidwood, Channahon, Coal City, Crest Hill, Crete, Diamond, Elwood, Frankfort, Godley, Homer Glen, Joliet, Lemont, Lockport, Manhattan, Minooka, Mokena, Monee, Naperville, New Lenox, Orland Park, Park Forest, Peotone, Plainfield, Rockdale, Romeoville, Sauk Village, Shorewood, Steger, Symerton, Tinley Park, University Park, Wilmington, Woodridge
- Townships: Lockport, Joliet, Homer, Jackson, Florence, Frankfort, Green Garden, Channahon, Custer, Crete, DuPage, Peotone, Plainfield, Manhattan, Monee, New Lenox, Reed, Troy, Wheatland, Washington, Wesley, Will, Wilmington, Wilton
Will County Genealogical & Historical Societies and Family History Resources
A list of Will County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives. See Also Illinois Archives, Genealogical and Historical Societies for statewide Addresses and links.
- Illinois State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Fox Valley Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 5435, Naperville, IL ; 60567-5435
- Lockport Area Genealogical & Historical Society, 222 E. 9th Street, Lockport, IL 60441
- Northern Will County Genealogical Society, 603 Derbyshire Lane, Bolingbrook, IL 60440; Phone: (630) 739-7924
- Will/Grundy Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 24, Wilmington, IL 60481-0024
- Northern Illinois University (NIU), Illinois Regional Archives Depository, c/o Regional History Center, Founders Memorial Library, Rm. 400, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115; 815-753-1807
- Will County, Illinois Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Will County
- Will County, Illinois Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com) read and post messages with other genealogy researchers for Will County
- USGenWeb Archives for Will County
Will County Courthouse and Government Records
Genealogist frequently fail to notice the significance of Will County court, probate, and land records data as a resource of family history and genealogy details. Buried away in Illinois courthouses and archives everywhere are the dreams and worries of the many Illinois people.
The chances are very good that your forefathers have left a detailed record of at least quite a few facets of their lives in the Will County court records. Even if your forefathers is not referred to in a Court case, take into account all of the other procedures which may have lead to her or him showing up in court records.
Remember to contact the clerk's office to determine hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics 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 readily available to interested parties, barring private issues. Most staff will help people in finding the materials, but it's up to the person to perform the researching.
The below information and facts denotes whatever death, marriage, birth, land, wills, and legal records will be in Will County. The dates stated listed below tend to be the first noted documents for this particular county.
- Will County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 14 W. Jefferson St., Joliet, IL 60432
- Will County Clerk maintains records and issues certificates of vital statistics (birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates) for the entire County.
- Address: 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432
- Phone: 815-740-4615
- Marriage Records: 1836
- Birth & Death Records: 1877
- Will County Recorder of Deeds serves the people of County by receiving, filing and maintaining all records related to real property in our county. These documents range from all types of conveyance deeds, mortgages, releases and assignments, property liens, as well as, assorted federal, state and local liens. The Recorder’s office is responsible for the recordation and storage of plats of subdivision, land surveys and monument records. Many other types of miscellaneous documents are recorded, such as; foreign birth certificates, foreign marriage licenses, and military discharge paperwork to name a few.
- Address: 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432
- Phone: 815-740-4637
- Land Records:1835
- Will County Clerk of the Circuit Court, commonly known as the Circuit Clerk, is the keeper of the files and records of the Circuit Court. The Circuit Clerk's Office retains documents some of which include criminal law, chancery, support, probate, adoption, ect....
- Phone: 815-727-8592
- Probate Records: 1837
- Court Records: 1836
- Will County Treasurer's Office is responsible for the statutory duties required as County Treasurer and as Ex-Officio County Collector of Real Estate Property Taxes and Drainage District Taxes for the entire county.
- Illinois Office of Vital Records has copies of birth and death records reported from January 1, 1916 and Marriage & Divorces since January 1 1962. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Illinois for current fees and application process.
Illinois Historical Records - Databases include Illinois Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Illinois Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Illinois Voter Lists & Census Records; Illinois Immigration & Emigration Records; Illinois Obituary Records; Illinois Military Records; Illinois Family Tree Records; Illinois Pictures; Illinois Stories, Memories & Histories; Illinois Directories & Member Lists and much more....
Will County Genealogy Links
The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources associated to Will County. These genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a cost. This is simply a collection that has been gathered or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site over another. Feel free to provide your own preferred Will County genealogy or family history affiliated sites.
Will Co. IL Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
Will Co. IL Books, Newspapers & Publications
Will Co. IL Birth, Marriage & Death Records
Will Co. IL Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
Will Co. IL Census Records
Will Co. IL Cemeteries & Graveyards
Will Co. IL Church & Bible Records
Will Co. IL Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
Will Co. IL General and History Websites
- Will County, Illinois Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Will County Fact Sheet (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- History of Will County, Illinois (search.ancestry.com)
- The History of Will County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a directory of its real esta (search.ancestry.com)
- Will County, Illinois History (search.ancestry.com)
- Past and present of Will County, Illinois (search.ancestry.com)
- Portrait and biographical album of Will County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominen (search.ancestry.com)
- Will County, Illinois Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Will Co. IL Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Will County, Illinois (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi's List - United States - Illinois - Counties - Will (cyndislist.com)
- Will County Illinois (genealogytrails.com)
- Will Co. ILGenweb (ilgenweb.net)
- Will County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Will Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Will Co. IL Military Records
Will Co. IL Schools & Directories