Clinton County Genealogy Records

Clinton County genealogy records are held at the county clerk and recorder office in Carlyle, a small city in southwestern Illinois. The clerk keeps marriage records from 1874, land records from 1818, and the usual range of birth and death files. Land records that start from 1818 are among the oldest in the state, since Illinois became a state that same year. Researchers can visit the Carlyle courthouse, send mail requests, or work with the IRAD depository at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale to access older Clinton County government documents. The county charges a $10 genealogy search fee, which makes it an affordable place to research your family roots.

Clinton County Clerk Vital Records

The Clinton County Clerk and Recorder is at 850 Fairfax St, Carlyle, IL 62231. The phone number is (618) 594-2464. This is the main office for birth, death, marriage, and land records in Clinton County. Marriage records go back to 1874. Birth and death records follow the typical Illinois start date in the late 1870s. But the real standout here is the land records. They begin in 1818, the year Illinois joined the union. If your ancestors were among the earliest settlers in this region, the Clinton County land files may have their name.

The genealogy search fee at Clinton County is $10. That covers the clerk staff searching the indexes for the name and date range you provide. If they find a match, you can order a copy. Walk-in visits give you the fastest results. You can sit with the staff and go through the volumes. Mail requests are fine too. Include the full name, dates, the record type, a $10 check for the search, and a copy of your photo ID. Make checks payable to the Clinton County Clerk. The Counties Code (55 ILCS 5) names the county clerk as the official custodian of vital records.

Clinton County Land and Property Records

Clinton County land records from 1818 are a major genealogy resource. That year matches Illinois statehood, so the land files cover the entire history of the organized state in this area. Deeds, mortgages, and property transfers all sit in these volumes. For families who farmed or owned land in Clinton County, the deed books can show when they arrived, how much land they held, and who they bought it from or sold it to. A single deed can place a person at a specific spot at a specific time, which is exactly what genealogy researchers need.

Property records do not have the same access restrictions as vital records. Under the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), land records are public and available without a waiting period. You can request a copy of a deed from any year without meeting the time thresholds that apply to birth, death, and marriage records. That makes Clinton County land files useful for tracing families before the vital records era began. If your ancestor lived in Clinton County in the 1820s or 1830s, a land record may be the only government document with their name on it.

The Freedom of Information Act shown above governs public records access across Illinois. Land and property records in Clinton County are available under this law without the age restrictions that apply to vital records.

Clinton County Genealogy at IRAD

The IRAD depository for Clinton County is at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Call (618) 453-3040 to ask about Clinton County holdings and check their hours. IRAD stores older government records that have been transferred from the courthouse in Carlyle. This can include historical vital records, court files, probate records, and naturalization papers. Research at IRAD is free. You can photograph documents at no charge during a visit. Mail and phone requests are accepted but limited to two names each.

The IRAD holdings database on the Illinois State Archives website lets you search what Clinton County records are stored in Carbondale. Check the inventory before you go. The Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205) created the IRAD system to protect county records from being lost or destroyed. This is the law that keeps old Clinton County files safe at the university archives.

Searching Clinton County Genealogy

Start with the Clinton County Clerk in Carlyle for local records. The $10 search fee covers the staff looking through the indexes for you. For records from 1916 onward, the Illinois Department of Public Health holds statewide birth and death files. IDPH genealogy requests go by mail and take about 12 weeks. The state fee is $10 per genealogy copy.

The Illinois State Archives offers free online databases that include Clinton County entries. The marriage index covers 1763 to 1900. Death indexes cover the pre-1916 era and 1916 to 1950. Use these free tools to search from home. The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) sets the genealogy thresholds: birth records open after 75 years, death after 20 years, and marriage after 50 years.

• Clinton County Clerk: marriage from 1874, land from 1818
• Genealogy search fee: $10 per search
• IRAD at SIU Carbondale: older county government records
• Illinois State Archives: free marriage and death indexes
• IDPH: birth and death from 1916, $10 by mail

Note: Land records from Clinton County are public and not subject to the time restrictions that apply to vital records.

Nearby Counties

These counties surround Clinton County in southwestern Illinois. If your ancestor lived near a county line, try these neighboring areas when a Clinton County search does not turn up what you need.