Records that survive
These are the record series from Carroll 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 Record1839–1964
- Cemetery Deed Record1848
- Birth Record Index1872–1942
- Birth Certificates1877–1913
- Death Certificates1877–1913
- Death Record Index1877–1963
- Birth and Death Reporting Accounts1903–1920
- Death Certificate Record, Stillbirths1920–1928
- Birth Record1923–1927
Deeds and land
- Deed Record1839–1968
- Taxable Lands Lists1840–1853
- School Trustees' Annual Reports1883–1885
Wills and estates
- Probate Record1839–1962
- Probate Appraisement Record1860–1955
- Probate Inventory Record1865–1957
- Probate Will Record1865–1967
Naturalization
- Naturalization Papers, County Court1869–1906
Military and pensions
- Militia Roll Record1861–1866
Tax records
- Assessor's Books1840–1861
- School Tax Levy Certificates1849–1865
- Collector's Books1850–1858
- Tax Lists, Delinquent1853–1864
- Road Tax Lists1865
- Road and Bridge Tax Levy Files (Mount Carroll Twp.)1946–1966
Court records
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1849–1963
- County Court Miscellaneous Files1849–1861
- Insanity Dockets1867–1944
- Coroner's Inquest Record1872–1906
- Insanity and Conservator's Record1899–1932
Schools
- School Teachers' Institute Fund Reports1883–1919
- School District Annual Reports, High Schools1884–1885
Elections and voters
- Election Papers1909–1960
- Election Papers (Mount Carroll Twp.)1947–1965
Census
- Census Record1880
Town and city records
- Township Organization Record1862–1872
- Township Treasurer's Annual Reports (Mount Carroll Twp.)1940–1953
- Township Supervisor's Fiscal Reports (Mount Carroll Twp.)1941–1953
- Road Budget and Appropriation Ordinances (Mount Carroll Twp.)1945–1951
County government
- Board of Supervisors' Proceedings Files1839–1926
- Highway Commissioners' Annual Reports (Mount Carroll Twp.)1949–1953
Other records
- County Clerk's Miscellaneous Files1838–1873
- County Claims1843–1926
- Estray Record1865–1911
- Patent Record, Invention1869–1871
- County Warrant Registers1891–1902
- Architect Registers1898–1914
- Agricultural Statistic Schedules1910–1912
- Stallion Registration Record1910–1918
- Optometrist Registers1915–1917
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
- Carroll 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, Carroll" 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: Jo Daviess County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Jo Daviess County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1839, 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.