Records that survive
These are the record series from Boone County held by the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) system, with the earliest and latest years. A span can include gaps. They include county, township and city records. This county's are held at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Licenses1838–1925
- Marriage Record1838–1931
- Birth Record1877–1907
- Birth Record Index1877–1925
- Death Record1877–1915
- Death Record Index1877–1915
- Marriage Record Index1877–1974
- Birth Certificate Index1916–1974
- Death Certificates1916–1952
- Death Certificate Index1918–1974
Deeds and land
- Deed Index1837–1977
- Deed Record1837–1964
- Entry Books1838–1966
- Land Patent Record1841–1852
- Surveyor's Record1857–1972
Wills and estates
- Probate Case Files1840–1957
- Probate Case Files Index1840–1940
- Probate Record1855–1923
- Probate Dockets1859–1921
- Probate Judgment Docket Index1859–1946
- Probate Judgment Dockets1859–1946
- Probate Ledgers1859–1961
- Probate Fee Books1865–1911
- Probate Executor's, Administrator's and Guardian's Record1867–1878
- Probate Inventory, Appraisement and Sale Record1874–1894
- Probate Executor's Record1875–1894
- Probate Administrator's Record1878–1911
- Probate Inventory Record1878–1934
- Probate Report Record1884–1930
- and 3 more series in the full listing
Military and pensions
- Military Discharge Record1918–1967
- Military Discharge Record Index1918–1981
Tax records
- Tax Sale and Redemption Record1847–1859
Court records
- Circuit Court Record1838–1843
- Circuit Court Execution Dockets1842–1849
- Circuit Court Fee Books1843–1853
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1849–1979
- Circuit Court Dockets1850–1909
- County Order Registers1858–1914
- Circuit Court Execution Docket Index1859–1900
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Caledonia Twp.)1870–1899
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Belvidere)1874–1899
- Circuit Court Judgment Docket Index1877–1893
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Boone Twp.)1897–1906
- County Home Admission Orders1913–1942
Town and city records
- Fire Department Proceedings Files (Belvidere Twp.)1886–1887
Other records
- Tuberculosis Sanitarium Fund Warrant Registers1921–1968
- Highway Right-of-way Record1922–1969
- County Yearbooks1943–1989
Search the IRAD database for this county
Source: Illinois State Archives, Local Government Records Database (choose the county to see every series and its accession number). Contact the depository before you visit. Illinois began statewide registration of births and deaths in 1916.
Where to find the records
- Boone County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the county clerk, the recorder of deeds and the clerk of the circuit court, and any online record search the county offers.
- The county clerk
Births, deaths and marriages registered in the county.
- The recorder of deeds
Deeds, mortgages and other land records (in some counties the county clerk is also the recorder).
- The clerk of the circuit court
Probate (wills and estates), divorces and civil and criminal cases.
- The Illinois State Archives
In Springfield, with older county records at its regional depositories (IRAD) on university campuses.
- Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) systemfree
The State Archives' regional depositories, which hold older county, township and city records; search its Local Government Records Database by county.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Illinois, Boone" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Winnebago County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Winnebago County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1837, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Illinois began statewide registration of births and deaths in 1916; counties kept registers earlier, often from 1877 or 1878. The Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, from the State Archives, covers many marriages from 1763 to 1900.