Tracing a family line in Illinois means knowing which records exist, where they live, and where the gaps are. This guide walks you through the free path first — then how to get the whole history researched and written.
Look up your surname among the deceased residents of Illinois in our public-record database.
Search Illinois records →Where Illinois records live
The single most useful repository is the Illinois State Archives in Springfield — the state's central archive for historical, vital, and county records. For official vital records, statewide death registration in Illinois began around 1916 (counties recorded deaths earlier). Before that, the earliest births, marriages, and deaths were kept at the county level, so an early ancestor may only appear in county courthouse records.
A Illinois standout worth knowing: the Illinois Statewide Death Index and Statewide Marriage Index, both free on the State Archives site.
The free records, step by step
- Start with the census. Every U.S. federal census through 1950 is public and free — it places your family in a Illinois county every ten years with ages, birthplaces, and relationships.
- Find the death record. Search our Illinois database and the state death index; a death record usually names parents and birthplace, jumping you back a generation.
- Add the obituary. The Library of Congress's Chronicling America has free Illinois newspapers; obituaries list surviving relatives and maiden names.
- Confirm with the grave. Cemetery and tombstone transcriptions — many public domain and in our database — give dates when a certificate doesn't exist.
Where Illinois research gets hard
The two usual walls are the pre-registration gap (deaths before 1916 may have no certificate) and the 1890 census, most of which burned. Bridging them takes county records, church registers, land and probate files, and state censuses — the kind of documentary digging that takes time and know-how.
We trace both sides back to the documented wall and deliver it as a written book and an interactive family site — flat rate, no DNA test required.
See how it works →Frequently asked questions
How do I find my ancestors in Illinois for free?
Start with the free U.S. census (public through 1950) and our free Illinois ancestor database, then add the state death index, newspaper obituaries on Chronicling America, and cemetery transcriptions.
When did Illinois start keeping death records?
Statewide death registration in Illinois began around 1916 (counties recorded deaths earlier). Earlier deaths, if recorded, are usually found at the county courthouse.
Where are Illinois vital records kept?
The Illinois State Archives in Springfield is the central archive, and county recorders or clerks hold the earliest local vital records.