Howard County Genealogy

Howard County genealogy records go back to 1875 at the local health department in Kokomo, Indiana. Birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and court documents held by county offices give researchers a wide range of sources for tracing family history in Howard County. The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library and the Howard County Memory Project add digital and local history resources that complement official government records.

Howard County Health Department Vital Records

Call the Howard County Health Department at 765-456-2403 for birth and death records in Kokomo. Howard County records go back to 1875, which predates the state's standard 1882 start date for county vital records. Note that records from 1875 through approximately 1920 can be sketchy or incomplete, as registration was not strictly enforced in many Indiana counties during that period.

Certificate fees at the Howard County Health Department are $10 per copy. Birth certificates cost $10 and death certificates cost $10. This is consistent with standard Indiana IDOH rates. Genealogy requests follow Indiana Department of Health rules requiring that the person on the certificate be over 75 years old and deceased. You must provide proof of death, such as an obituary or a separate death certificate.

If you cannot visit Kokomo, order through VitalChek online or by calling the IDOH toll-free at (866) 601-0891. The Indiana Department of Health at (317) 233-2700 handles statewide requests and has birth records from 1907 and death records from 1900. For current Howard County health department hours and contact details, check the Indiana health department map.

Howard County Memory Project

The Howard County Memory Project is an online digital history resource with materials specific to Howard County. This kind of project typically includes digitized photographs, newspaper clippings, local history documents, and sometimes indexed records that help genealogy researchers find connections between family members and places in Kokomo and Howard County. Digital local history projects are often maintained by the public library or historical society.

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library supports local genealogy research through its collections, which may include obituary files, local newspaper archives, and access to subscription databases. Libraries in Indiana's mid-sized cities often maintain strong local history rooms with materials specific to their county. If you are researching Howard County families, the Kokomo library is worth visiting for its local holdings alongside the county health department and clerk.

The Indiana State Library's county research guides at in.gov county research guides describe what record types exist for Howard County and where to find them. These guides are free and are a solid planning tool before you contact county offices.

Howard County Marriage and Court Records

The Howard County Clerk in Kokomo holds marriage records, civil court filings, and probate documents. Marriage records go back to the county's founding. Prior to 1958, marriage records are only at the county level since statewide indexing began that year. For older Howard County marriage research, the clerk's office is the only option.

Probate records in Howard County can be especially useful given the county's age. When someone died in Howard County, probate files listed all heirs by name and relationship. Estate inventories sometimes named surviving siblings, children, and grandchildren. For researchers tracing Howard County families from the 1800s, these documents can reveal relatives who do not appear in other record types.

Under IC 5-14-3, most Howard County clerk and court records are public. Records older than 75 years are broadly accessible under IC 5-14-3-4. The clerk can advise on specific records with access restrictions.

State Resources for Howard County Genealogy

The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division maintains one of the Midwest's largest family history collections. Their holdings include more than 40,000 print items, covering family histories and cemetery transcriptions for Howard County. Staff offer Second Saturday one-on-one genealogy consultations and DAR volunteers are on hand Wednesday afternoons to assist with lineage research.

The state library also holds county research guides for Howard County, which list repositories and record types for family history research in Kokomo and across the county.

The Indiana Archives and Records Administration holds older county records sent for long-term preservation. Some Howard County court and administrative records from many decades ago may be at IARA. Call (317) 591-5220 or search their online catalog. IARA preserves records using microfilm standards ensuring readability for up to 500 years.

FamilySearch at familysearch.org provides free access to many Indiana records including census data and early probate indexes for Howard County. The Indiana Historical Society also maintains Howard County resources at their county resources page.

Cities in Howard County

Kokomo is the county seat and largest city in Howard County. All Howard County genealogy records, including vital records and court files, are held at county offices in Kokomo.

Other communities in Howard County include Greentown, Russiaville, and Sharpsville. Records for all Howard County communities are maintained at county offices in Kokomo.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Howard County in north-central Indiana. Family members who lived near county lines may have records at these neighboring offices.