Madison County Genealogy Records
Madison County genealogy records are kept at the county health department and the clerk's office in Anderson, Indiana. Birth records at the county level go back to 1891, and death records start from 1895. The Anderson Public Library's Indiana Room holds a substantial local genealogy collection including obituaries, funeral home records, and cemetery records that make it one of the better-equipped research environments for Madison County family history in central Indiana.
Madison County Quick Facts
Madison County Health Department Vital Records
The Madison County Health Department at 206 East 9th Street in Anderson is the local source for certified birth and death records. Birth certificates are available starting from 1891 and death certificates from 1895. The fee for each certificate is $15. For genealogy searches specifically, the office charges $5 per visit with a limit of 5 requests per visit. You can reach the health department at 765-641-9523.
Indiana state rules apply here. To make a genealogy request, the individual named on the certificate must be deceased and over 75 years old. If you have a direct family relationship, you can request records regardless of that age rule by providing supporting documentation. Staff at the Anderson office can help you figure out which records are available and what is needed to process your request.
The Madison County Health Department vital records page is shown below:
The Madison County Health Department Vital Records page provides details on how to request birth and death certificates for genealogy research in Anderson and throughout the county.
The health department in Anderson processes genealogy requests during regular business hours, and the $5 genealogy search fee allows up to 5 record requests per visit.
| Address | 206 East 9th Street, Anderson, IN 46016 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 765-641-9523 |
| Birth Records From | 1891 |
| Death Records From | 1895 |
| Certificate Fee | $15 each |
| Genealogy Search Fee | $5 per visit (up to 5 requests) |
| Website | madcohealth.org/vital-records/ |
Note: The genealogy search fee of $5 per visit is separate from the $15 certificate fee and is charged for the search itself, not for each individual certificate.
Madison County Clerk Records
The Madison County Clerk's Office at 765-641-9457 holds marriage records, civil court filings, and probate records for genealogy research. Marriage licenses go back to the county's founding in 1823, giving researchers access to nearly two centuries of marriage data. Probate records are among the richest genealogy sources because they name multiple family members, describe estates, and can confirm family relationships that vital records alone do not capture.
Court records at the clerk's office include civil cases, guardianship filings, and naturalization papers from before federal courts took over naturalization in the early 20th century. If an ancestor emigrated to Madison County and was naturalized here, those papers may include names, birthplaces, and arrival dates that are invaluable for genealogy research. The recorder's office handles land and property records that can track when and where ancestors lived in Madison County.
Under Indiana Code 5-14-3, court and land records are generally public documents available for inspection. Under IC 5-14-3-4, records that were once restricted become open 75 years after they were created, making older Madison County records accessible to today's researchers.
Anderson Public Library Indiana Room
The Anderson Public Library at 111 East 12th Street in Anderson, phone 765-641-2456, maintains a strong genealogy collection in its Indiana Room. The collection includes Madison County obituaries, death certificates, funeral home records, coroner's reports, and cemetery records. These materials can fill gaps in official records and provide biographical details not found anywhere else. For obituary requests, the library charges $1 to mail a copy or provides them free by email, with a limit of 10 requests per week.
The Indiana Room is a strong starting point for Madison County genealogy before making requests at the health department or clerk's office. If you can find an ancestor's obituary or funeral home record at the library, you often get exact dates, family member names, and burial location that help you know exactly which official records to request. The library website at and.lib.in.us/genealogy-and-local-history describes the collection and how to submit research requests remotely.
The Anderson Public Library's genealogy and local history page is shown below:
The Anderson Public Library Indiana Room holds obituary collections, death certificates, funeral home records, and cemetery records for Madison County genealogy research.
Obituary requests are available by email at no cost, making the library's Indiana Room a remote-accessible first step for Madison County family history research.
State Resources for Madison County Genealogy
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. For Madison County events, the state is a secondary source alongside the local health department. Reach the state office at (317) 233-2700 or toll-free at (866) 601-0891. Online ordering is through VitalChek. The state charges $10 for birth certificates and $8 for death certificates.
The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division at 315 W. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, phone 317-232-3689, holds more than 40,000 family history items. Their Indiana County Research Guides include a guide specific to Madison County. The Indiana Archives and Records Administration (IARA) at (317) 591-5220 holds older transferred court records, and the Indiana Historical Society at (317) 232-1882 holds photographs and manuscripts related to central Indiana counties including Madison.
The Indiana Genealogical Society at indgensoc.org/county/madison/ and FamilySearch at familysearch.org are free online resources with digitized records and indexes for Madison County research.
The Indiana State Library genealogy portal is shown below:
The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division provides county research guides and a large family history collection that supports Madison County genealogy searches.
The state library's county research guide for Madison County can help you understand what record types exist and which offices hold them before you visit Anderson.
Cities in Madison County
Anderson is the county seat and largest city in Madison County, and it has its own city genealogy page for additional local details. Genealogy records for all Madison County communities are filed at the county health department and clerk's offices in Anderson.
Nearby Counties
Madison County is in east-central Indiana. If an ancestor lived near a county border, records may appear at a neighboring county's offices as well.