Search Wayne County Genealogy Records

Wayne County is Michigan's most populous county and one of the state's richest sources for genealogy records. The county clerk holds vital records going back to 1833, and the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library is one of the most comprehensive genealogy archives in the Midwest. This page covers the clerk's office, the Detroit Health Department, the Burton Collection, ethnic genealogical societies, and the online tools that support Wayne County family history research.

Wayne County Clerk - Records Division

The Wayne County Clerk's Records Division handles vital records for the county. The office is at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in downtown Detroit. Birth, death, and marriage records are held here, along with probate records and land records through the Register of Deeds. The office is open weekdays during regular business hours. You can visit in person or request records by mail.

Marriage records in Wayne County go back to 1833. Birth and death records are held from 1867 forward. Under MCL 333.2882, births within the last 100 years are restricted to qualified individuals. Death records from 1867 are fully public. Note that some Wayne County death records exclude Detroit city records for certain periods, since Detroit maintained its own separate vital records system through the Detroit Health Department.

The fee per copy is $15 under MCL 333.2884. Certified copies are available for legal use and require more documentation. Plain copies work for most genealogy research. Certified copies of restricted birth records require ID and proof of relationship under MCL 333.2885.

Detroit Health Department - City Vital Records

Detroit maintained its own separate vital records system for much of its history. If you are looking for a Detroit birth or death record, you may need to contact the Detroit Health Department in addition to or instead of the Wayne County Clerk. Detroit birth records start in 1893. Detroit death records start in 1897. The Detroit Health Department is located at 1151 Taylor Street, Room 104B, Detroit, MI 48202.

Phone numbers for the Detroit Health Department vital records office are 313-876-4927 and 313-876-4133. This separation of Detroit city records from county records is one of the key things to understand when researching Wayne County families. If your ancestor lived in Detroit proper, start with the Detroit Health Department. If they lived outside Detroit but within Wayne County, the county clerk is the right office.

The Wayne County Probate Court holds probate records for all of Wayne County and the City of Detroit going back to 1797. That makes it one of the oldest continuous record collections in Michigan. The Probate Court is at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, phone 313-224-5454. Estate case files from 1797 to 1901 are also available at the Archives of Michigan in Lansing.

Records Available in Wayne County

Wayne County has an exceptionally broad range of genealogy records. Here is an overview of what is available and where to find it.

One important research note: Detroit street renumbering occurred on January 1, 1921. The same house had different address numbers before and after that date. If you are trying to locate where an ancestor lived in Detroit, check both the pre-1921 and post-1921 numbering systems. The Burton Historical Collection has extensive city directories going back to 1837 that can help track addresses across this change.

Burton Historical Collection - Detroit Public Library

The Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library is the single most important genealogy archive in Wayne County and one of the best in Michigan. The collection covers Detroit and Wayne County from the earliest French settlement period to the present. It is free to use and open by appointment. Contact the collection at bhc@detroitpubliclibrary.org or by phone at 313-481-1401. The address is 5201 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202.

The Burton Historical Collection holds a remarkable set of resources for Wayne County genealogy research.

The Burton's vital records holdings are exceptional. Wayne County birth records from 1867 to 1870 are held in 4 volumes. Wayne County marriage records from 1832 to 1869 span 11 volumes. Wayne County marriage returns on microfilm cover 1803 to 1893. Detroit Board of Health death records from 1835 to 1870 are also held here. The Detroit death index on microfiche covers 1920 to the present. Wayne County death record indexes cover 1934 through 1953. Burial transit permits from 1941 to 1953 round out the death record holdings.

The Burton also holds a substantial collection of genealogical resources specific to Wayne County and Michigan.

The genealogical resources page at the Burton includes a guide to Michigan and Detroit records and is a useful overview before you visit. Cemetery records held at the Burton include Elmwood Cemetery (1853-1992), Mt. Elliott Cemetery (1845-1997), Woodmere Cemetery (1868-1888), and Detroit City Cemetery records. Church records go back to 1704, with the Ste. Anne Church register covering 1704 to 1848 in 7 volumes. That is the oldest continuous parish record in Michigan and reaches back to the French colonial period.

Immigration and Ethnic Genealogy Resources

Wayne County and Detroit were major immigrant destinations. Dozens of ethnic communities settled here from the 1800s onward, and several genealogical societies now serve those communities. Card manifests of entries through the Port of Detroit from 1906 to 1954 are held at the Burton Historical Collection. Naturalization records from Detroit Recorders Court cover 1854 to 1906. Declarations of intent from the same court run from 1860 to 1906.

The Detroit Society for Genealogical Research (DSGR) is located at the Burton Historical Collection. They have published a marriage index covering Michigan marriages from 1872 to 1921, a death index covering Michigan deaths from 1867 to 1914, and a Detroit and Michigan biography index. These indexes are useful finding aids that can point you toward original records.

Ethnic genealogical societies in the Detroit area include the Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society for African American research, the French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan, the Irish Genealogical Society of Michigan, the Michigan Italian Genealogy Society (miitaliangs@gmail.com), the Jewish Genealogical Society of Michigan, and the Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan. Several of these societies are based at or maintain collections at the Burton Historical Collection.

Note: The Ste. Anne Church (1701) is the oldest parish in Michigan. Its records from 1704 to 1848, held at the Burton, are essential for tracing early French-Canadian families in the Detroit area.

Online Resources for Wayne County Genealogy

Wayne County is well represented in online genealogy databases. Several free platforms index county records and let you search before visiting in person.

The Michiganology site holds Wayne County death certificates from 1897 to 1952 and is free to search. The Archives of Michigan in Lansing holds Wayne County estate case files from 1797 to 1901 along with other older records. The FamilySearch Wayne County Wiki lists all known digitized and microfilm record sets for the county. FamilySearch has indexed Wayne County census records, vital records, and other documents going back to the 1840 federal census. The Wayne County MIGenWeb page has volunteer-contributed data, cemetery transcriptions, and surname queries.

Wayne State University Archives at 5401 Cass Ave., Detroit (phone 313-577-4024) holds labor history, urban affairs, and ethnic community collections that can support genealogy research. The Detroit Historical Society at 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit holds photographs, manuscripts, and Detroit history materials. Detroit city directories at the Burton run from 1837 to 1941 with scattered years to 1974. Detroit telephone directories start from 1878.

Cities in Wayne County

Wayne County includes several of Michigan's largest cities. The following cities have dedicated genealogy pages on this site.

Other communities in Wayne County include Dearborn Heights, Taylor, Inkster, Romulus, and Wyandotte. Genealogy records for all Wayne County residents, including those in smaller communities, are accessible through the Wayne County Clerk and the Detroit Health Department for Detroit-city residents.

Nearby Counties

Families in southeast Michigan often moved between counties. Check these neighboring jurisdictions when your research leads outside Wayne County.