Hammond Genealogy Records

Hammond genealogy records are kept at both the city and county level, giving researchers two separate entry points for birth, death, and vital history in Lake County. The Hammond City Health Department maintains its own vital records office, a rare setup in Indiana, while the Lake County Health Department and local public library round out the resources available for family history work in this northwest corner of the state.

Hammond City Health Department Records

Hammond is among only three cities in Indiana that maintain a municipal-level health department rather than relying solely on county-level agencies. The other two are East Chicago and Fishers. This means that if a person was born or died within Hammond's city limits, the record may be held at the city office rather than the county health department. This distinction matters a great deal for genealogy research, and many researchers miss it.

The Hammond City Health Department is located at 649 Conkey Street, Hammond, IN 46324. The phone number is 219-853-6366. Staff can assist with birth and death certificate requests, and the office also accepts genealogy search requests. The fee for a birth certificate is $12, death certificates are also $12, and a genealogy search costs $15. Come with as much information as you can, including full names, approximate dates, and any known addresses in Hammond at the time of the event.

Because Hammond is a city department and not a county agency, you will want to confirm which office issued the original record before you visit. If the event occurred inside Hammond, start here. If the person lived in Lake County but outside Hammond's city limits, the Lake County Health Department is the right place to go. For older records predating the city's municipal department, the county office may also hold duplicates or original filings.

The Lake County Health Department Vital Records Division maintains copies of many records from across the county and can help fill gaps in city-level holdings.

This page from the Lake County Health Department outlines the process for requesting vital records and provides fee schedules for both certified copies and genealogy searches.

Lake County Library Genealogy Resources

The Lake County Public Library system is a strong resource for Hammond family history research. The library holds regional newspapers on microfilm, local history collections, and access to online databases that can be used on-site at no charge. Staff in the genealogy and local history departments are familiar with northwest Indiana families and can point you toward the right collections for your search.

The library's genealogy collections include city directories, funeral home records, and digitized local newspapers that can help you place an ancestor in Hammond at a specific point in time.

City directories are particularly useful for Hammond research because the area experienced heavy industrial growth in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These directories list residents by name and address and often include occupations. If you are trying to find out when a family arrived in Hammond or track them through multiple decades, the directories can close gaps that vital records alone cannot fill. The library also provides access to Ancestry and HeritageQuest, two large genealogy databases that include census records, passenger lists, and digitized vital records from across the country.

Note: Lake County Public Library cardholders can access many online genealogy databases from home using their library card number.

Lake County Clerk and Court Records

The Lake County Clerk's Office in Lake County holds court-generated records that are valuable for genealogy research, including marriage licenses, divorce decrees, probate files, and naturalization records. These records go back to the county's founding and can document family relationships, property transfers, and legal name changes that vital records do not capture.

Marriage licenses are among the most searched records in the Clerk's collection. They typically include the full names of both parties, their ages or birth dates, residences, and the names of their parents or witnesses. For Hammond families from the early 1900s, marriage records can help establish maiden names and link generations together. Divorce files often contain even more detail, including children's names, property descriptions, and sometimes testimony about the marriage history.

Probate records in the Clerk's office can be especially rich for genealogy. Wills, estate inventories, and guardianship files name heirs, describe family relationships, and sometimes list real property held in Lake County. If an ancestor owned a home or business in Hammond and died in the county, the probate file is worth looking for. You can search court records through the Indiana Courts public access portal at mycase.in.gov.

Note: Naturalization records from the late 1800s through the 1940s are another overlooked source; they often include the applicant's country of birth, arrival date, and the names of witnesses who vouched for their character.

Indiana State Resources for Hammond Research

Several statewide agencies hold records relevant to Hammond genealogy research. The Indiana State Department of Health Vital Records office at 2 N. Meridian Street in Indianapolis maintains statewide birth and death records and can issue certified copies when city or county offices cannot. The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division at 315 W. Ohio Street in Indianapolis holds one of the best public genealogy collections in the Midwest, including Indiana-specific databases, microfilm, and manuscript collections.

The Indiana Archives and Records Administration (IARA) at 6440 E. 30th Street in Indianapolis holds older state records and can be searched for Hammond ancestors who interacted with state agencies. The Indiana Historical Society also holds manuscript collections, photographs, and family papers that may include Hammond families. Their William Henry Smith Memorial Library is open to the public for research.

For online searching, FamilySearch Indiana provides free access to digitized Indiana records including census data, vital records indexes, and church records. The Indiana Genealogical Society publishes research guides and maintains databases that can help you navigate the state's records landscape. VitalChek at vitalchek.com allows you to order certified vital records online from many Indiana county and city offices.

Privacy Rules for Hammond Vital Records

Indiana law limits access to birth and death records that are less than 75 years old. Under IC 5-14-3-4, records for persons who could still be alive are considered confidential. In practical terms, this means a birth record for someone born after 1951 is restricted unless the requester can show they are the person named on the record, an immediate family member, or a legal representative. Death records fall under the same framework.

Older records are generally open to the public for genealogy research. If the person was born or died more than 75 years ago, you can request the record without proving a family relationship. For Hammond records specifically, this covers most of the city's industrial-era population from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Hammond City Health Department can advise you on what documentation is needed when you call ahead.

Indiana vital records law is governed by IC 16-37, which sets out registration requirements and access rules for birth and death certificates statewide. Both city-level and county-level offices follow the same statutory framework, even though they operate independently. If you are unsure whether a record is open or restricted, the safest approach is to call the office and describe the person and the approximate year of the event before making a trip.

Nearby Cities with Genealogy Records

Hammond is part of a dense urban corridor in Lake County. Several nearby cities also have genealogy records worth checking if your ancestors moved between communities.

• Gary - Lake County, municipal health department with records from 1910
• Portage - Portage Township, Lake County records
• Hobart - Lake County circuit court and health department
• Crown Point - Lake County seat with oldest county records
• Schererville - Lake County, near Hammond border
• East Chicago - Lake County, municipal health department

Crown Point, as the Lake County seat, holds the oldest courthouse records in the county. If your Hammond ancestor had any legal dealings, the records may be filed there rather than in Hammond itself. The Lake County Clerk's office in Crown Point is the place to start for court documents, wills, and early marriage licenses predating the city's own record-keeping.