Sanilac County Genealogy Records

Sanilac County genealogy records are kept at the County Clerk's office in Sandusky, with vital records going back to the county's organization in 1849. Researchers searching for birth, death, and marriage documents covering the Thumb region of Michigan will find a complete collection at the county level. This page details the clerk office, available records, and online tools to support your search.

Sanilac County Clerk - Vital Records

The Sanilac County Clerk in Sandusky handles all vital records for the county. This includes birth, death, and marriage certificates. You can visit the office in person, call ahead to check on records, or send a written request by mail. Staff can search by name and provide copies of records they hold.

Birth records date back to 1867. Under MCL 333.2882, births within the last 100 years are restricted to qualified requesters. Death records from 1867 forward are public. Marriage records date to 1849 and are also fully public. These early marriage records are among the most useful for tracing families who settled in Sanilac County in the mid-1800s.

The fee per record copy is $15 under MCL 333.2884. Certified copies carry the official seal and cost more. For genealogy research, plain copies are usually enough. Certified copies are needed when the record is used for legal or official purposes.

Records Available in Sanilac County

Sanilac County has a solid inventory of genealogy records. The table below shows what the clerk holds and the dates covered.

Death records are open to everyone. Marriage records are open to the public as well. Birth records less than 100 years old are restricted. Getting a certified copy of a restricted birth record requires valid ID and documentation of your relationship to the person named in the record, as set out under MCL 333.2885.

Sanilac County Historical Society

The Sanilac County Historical Society maintains a museum and archives with local genealogical resources. Their collection includes county histories, cemetery records, newspaper clippings, and family files. This type of material can fill in gaps that vital records alone do not cover.

The historical society's museum and archives are a good secondary stop for researchers who have already worked through the clerk's records. Old county plat maps and voter registration lists can help you pinpoint where an ancestor lived. Newspapers from the Sandusky and Lexington areas cover events going back well over a century.

Note: The Sanilac County Historical Society is a volunteer organization. Contact them in advance to confirm hours and to check whether the material you need is available for public research.

Online Genealogy Resources for Sanilac County

Several free online tools index Sanilac County records. They are a practical starting point before you reach out to the county office.

The Michiganology site, run by the state of Michigan, has death certificates from 1897 to 1952 for Sanilac County and other Michigan counties. It is free and searchable by name. The Archives of Michigan holds older records not kept at the local level and is accessible in Lansing or by mail. The Michiganology vital records page provides a direct index into these state holdings.

The FamilySearch Sanilac County Wiki is a comprehensive directory of every known digitized and microfilm record set for the county. FamilySearch has free access to census records, vital record indexes, and other documents. The Sanilac County MIGenWeb page has volunteer-contributed cemetery readings, local genealogy data, and surname queries from researchers with Sanilac County ties.

State-Level Records for Sanilac County

For records not held locally, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) can help. Reach them at P.O. Box 30721, Lansing, MI 48909, phone 517-335-8666. They hold statewide vital records and can issue certified copies of births and deaths.

The Archives of Michigan in Lansing at 702 W. Kalamazoo St. (phone 517-373-1408) holds naturalization papers, older county records, and census materials. The Library of Michigan also supports genealogy with newspaper archives and research databases.

Cities in Sanilac County

Sandusky is the county seat. Other communities in Sanilac County include Lexington, Marlette, Croswell, and Peck. None of these communities reach the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All vital records for Sanilac County residents are filed with the County Clerk in Sandusky.

Nearby Counties

Researchers often need to check records in neighboring counties when families moved across county lines.