Chicago Genealogy Records
Chicago genealogy records draw researchers from all over the world to trace family roots in one of the largest cities in the United States. With a population near 2.7 million, Chicago sits in Cook County and has some of the richest genealogy collections in the Midwest. Vital records go through the Cook County Clerk at 118 N. Clark Street. The city also has major research libraries like the Newberry Library and the Chicago Public Library system. You can search birth, death, marriage, land, and naturalization records through online databases and in-person visits. Chicago genealogy research often starts at the county clerk and branches out to these other sources.
Chicago Genealogy Quick Facts
Chicago Vital Records for Genealogy
Chicago defers to the Cook County Clerk for all vital records. That means birth, death, and marriage records for Chicago residents are kept at the Cook County Clerk Bureau of Vital Records at 118 N. Clark St., Room 120, Chicago, IL 60602. The phone number is (312) 603-5656. You can also make requests online. The city of Chicago has its own online genealogy request page where you can submit requests for genealogy copies of vital records.
Cook County birth and death records start from 1871 and 1872. The Great Chicago Fire destroyed most records before that date. Birth and marriage records cost $15 for the first copy and $4 for each extra. Death records cost $17 first and $6 each after that. Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), genealogical copies are available for births 75 or more years ago, deaths 20 or more years ago, and marriages 50 or more years ago.
Mail requests to Cook County take about 20 business days. Genealogy requests may take longer. Walk-in service at the Clark Street office is often the fastest way to get Chicago genealogy records.
Chicago Public Library Genealogy Resources
The Chicago Public Library has a strong genealogy collection at the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60605. The library provides free access to Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest, and the Chicago Tribune Historical Archive covering 1849 to 2015. You can also search the Chicago Defender from 1910 to 2010. These databases are free to use in the library.
The Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at the Woodson Regional Library is the largest African American history and literature collection in the Midwest. If you are tracing African American genealogy in Chicago, this is a key resource. It holds personal papers, photographs, oral histories, and records that cover the Great Migration era and beyond. Access is free with a library card.
Newberry Library Genealogy Collection
The Newberry Library at 60 W. Walton Street, Chicago, IL 60610 is one of the top genealogy research centers in the country. It holds more than 20,000 published genealogies along with Sanborn fire insurance maps, city directories, and Cook County vital record request forms. You can use Ancestry.com, American Ancestors, and Fold3 on-site. All of this is free with a reader's card. Call (312) 255-3506 for more info.
The Newberry is a private research library, not a public lending library. You do not need to live in Chicago to use it. Anyone can get a reader's card. The genealogy reading room staff can help you find the right records for your Chicago family history research. They also run workshops and classes on how to do genealogy research.
Chicago Court Records for Genealogy
The Circuit Court of Cook County archives hold over 500,000 naturalization petitions from 1871 to 1929. These are among the most valuable genealogy records in Chicago. A naturalization petition can tell you where your ancestor came from, when they arrived, and what they looked like. The archives are at 50 W. Washington, Room 1113, Chicago, IL 60602. Call (312) 603-6601 to check hours.
The court also holds probate records, which include wills, estate files, and guardianship records. Divorce records are in the system as well. The Cook County court portal lets you search some of these records online. Naturalization records from 1871 to 1929 are searchable on the court website. For older or more detailed records, an in-person visit works best for Chicago genealogy research.
Note: The Chicago Police Department Homicide Record from 1870 to 1930 is available through the Illinois State Archives databases if you need it for genealogy.
Chicago History Museum for Genealogy
The Chicago History Museum at 1601 N. Clark St. has a research center with materials that help with Chicago genealogy. The Abakanowicz Research Center holds complete city and telephone directories from 1839 to the present. Their collection includes 1.5 million photographs and 22,000 linear feet of archival material. City directories are especially helpful for genealogy because they list residents by name, address, and occupation year by year. You can trace when your ancestor moved to Chicago and where they lived.
The museum archives also include records from Chicago businesses, churches, and community groups. If your ancestor was active in a Chicago organization or worked for a major employer, the museum may have records tied to them. Research access requires an appointment.
Regional Archives for Chicago Genealogy
The IRAD depository for Cook County and Chicago is at Northeastern Illinois University, Ronald Williams Library, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. Call (773) 442-4506 for hours. IRAD holds historical local government records for Cook County including older vital records, land deeds, probate files, naturalization records, and court documents. Research is free. You can submit up to two names per mail or phone request. Under the Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205), these records are preserved for long-term research use.
Cook County Genealogy Records
Chicago is in Cook County, and all vital records go through the Cook County Clerk. The county handles birth, death, marriage, land, and court records for Chicago and more than 130 other municipalities. For full details on Cook County genealogy resources, fees, and contact info, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities and villages near Chicago also have genealogy resources and are served by Cook County or neighboring county clerks.