Daviess County Genealogy Records Lookup

Daviess County genealogy records are maintained in Washington, the county seat, and at state agencies in Indianapolis. Family researchers can find birth and death records at the county health department, marriage and court records at the county clerk, and land records at the recorder's office. State archives and the Indiana State Library provide additional depth for ancestors who lived in Daviess County.

Daviess County Vital Records

The Daviess County Health Department holds birth and death records for events in the county from 1882 forward. Indiana counties began recording births and deaths that year under state mandate. If you need a record from before 1882, church records, cemetery transcriptions, and probate files are the best alternatives. Many of these have been transcribed by genealogical societies and are available in print at the Indiana State Library.

The Indiana Department of Health Vital Records Division at 2 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, holds statewide birth records from 1907 and death records from 1900. You can call toll-free at (866) 601-0891 at any hour to place a phone order. Online orders use VitalChek. Mail requests are also accepted using official IDOH forms. Genealogy requests require showing the person named on the record is deceased and was over 75 years old. The Indiana local health department map gives you the contact details for the Daviess County office.

Note: Bring a valid photo ID and any documentation showing your relationship to the person on the record when you visit the local health department in Washington.

Marriage and Court Records in Daviess County

The Daviess County Clerk holds marriage licenses, civil court records, and probate filings. Marriage records at the clerk's office go back to the county's formation in 1817, giving researchers access to nearly two centuries of marriage documentation. Indiana began a statewide marriage index only in 1958, so for marriages before that year, you must contact the clerk in Washington directly.

Probate records are a rich genealogy source. Wills and estate inventories name heirs, describe property, and often list ages and family relationships in detail. If a Daviess County ancestor died with property, there is likely a probate file that can help you identify children, siblings, and other relatives. The circuit court records held by the clerk also include guardianship papers, which can be useful for tracing minor children after a parent's death in a Daviess County family.

Indiana's Access to Public Records Act (IC 5-14-3) ensures that the public can inspect and copy these filings. Under IC 5-14-3-4, records that were once restricted become fully public 75 years after creation, which opens many older Daviess County documents to researchers today.

Daviess County Land Records

The Daviess County Recorder maintains deeds, mortgages, plats, and related land documents. Land records are especially valuable for genealogy because they trace property through multiple generations. A chain of title can show when an ancestor arrived in Daviess County, who they bought from, and who they sold to or left the land to when they died. Witnesses named in old deeds are often relatives or neighbors worth investigating.

Rural Daviess County has a long agricultural history, and many families farmed the same land for generations. If you can identify a farm or parcel, the recorder's deed books can help you follow that family line through successive owners. The Indiana Archives and Records Administration at (317) 591-5220 may hold microfilmed copies of older Daviess County land records, and their online catalog at researchIndiana.iara.in.gov is searchable before you visit.

Indiana State Library for Daviess County Research

The Indiana State Library at 315 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, is one of the Midwest's largest genealogy collections. It holds more than 40,000 items, including family histories, cemetery transcriptions, and record indexes. The library's reference desk is at 317-232-3689. Daviess County-specific research guides are on the Indiana County Research Guides page, which lists available record types and their locations.

DAR volunteers are on hand at the library on Wednesday afternoons and on the second Saturday of each month. They can help you navigate the collection and find Daviess County sources. The library also offers Second Saturday One-on-One Family History Consultations by appointment. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Additional Research Sources

The Indiana Historical Society at 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, has published research indexes and family history guides covering Daviess County. Their county resources page at indianahistory.org lists local history contacts and sources. You can reach the society at (317) 232-1882.

FamilySearch provides free access to many Indiana records, including Daviess County vital records, census records, and church registers. The site's Indiana genealogy wiki lists what is indexed and what is available on microfilm. For community-based help, the Indiana Genealogical Society connects researchers with local specialists and maintains county-level resource pages. Combining these online tools with direct requests to county offices in Washington will give you the most complete picture of a Daviess County family.

Cities in Daviess County

Washington is the county seat of Daviess County. No cities in Daviess County meet the 25,000 population threshold for a dedicated city page. All genealogy records for Daviess County residents are accessible through the Washington offices described on this page.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Daviess County. Ancestors who lived near a county line may have records in more than one county courthouse.