Records that survive
These are the record series from Lake 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 Record1839–1915
- Marriage Record Index1839–1973
- Birth Certificates1866–1892
- Birth Record1877–1893
- Birth Record Index1877–1905
- Death Record1877–1901
- Marriage License Applications1893–1905
- Death Record Index1916–1938
- Birth Record, County Hospital1922–1941
- Death Record, County Hospital1922–1972
Deeds and land
- School Trustees' Minutes1841–1866
- Plats (West Deerfield Twp.)1926
- Township Trustees' Minutes (West Deerfield Twp.)1979–2006
Wills and estates
- County Court and Probate Index, County Court1837–1998
- Probate and County Court Index1837–1998
- Probate Case Files1840–1900
- Probate Case Files Index1840–1963
- Probate Record1849–1896
- Probate Will Record1887–1949
- Probate Heir Account Books, Unknown and Non-resident1894–1913
- Probate Administrator's Record With Will Annexed1933–1940
Naturalization
- Naturalization Record, County Court1864–1906
- Naturalization Index Card File, Circuit Court1865–1989
- Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1865–1902
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1872–1979
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, County Court1893–1906
- Naturalization Record of Minors, County Court1902–1903
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors, County Court1903–1906
- Naturalization Record, City Court (Zion)1903–1936
- Naturalization Petition Record, Circuit Court1906–1987
- Naturalization Certificate Stubs, Circuit Court1907–1926
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, City Court (Zion)1907–1936
- Naturalization Order Books, Circuit Court1929–1989
- Naturalization Petition Record, City Court (Zion)1929–1934
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers, Circuit Court1954–1956
- and 3 more series in the full listing
Tax records
- Collector's Books1851–1900
- Tax Sale Record1865–1874
- Tax Judgment Record1868–1873
- Tax Lists, Delinquent1873–1879
- Tax Sale and Redemption Record1879
- Tax Judgment, Sale, Redemption and Forfeiture Record1886–1898
Court records
- Circuit Court Case Files1840–1898
- County Court Case Files Index1857–1963
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes Index1891–1925
- County Court Record1892–1953
- Coroner's Inquest Files1923–1967
- Jail Registers1930–1941
- Repatriation Record, Circuit Court1937–1958
- Board of Health Minutes (Libertyville Twp.)1938–1950
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1939–1949
- Board of Review Minutes1949–1971
- Coroner's Inquest Record1957–1960
- Jail Registers (North Chicago)1965–1971
Elections and voters
- Voter Registers (West Deerfield Twp.)1867–1914
- Election Papers (West Deerfield Twp.)1868–1923
- Election Papers (Shields Twp.)1953–1973
- Election Papers (Vernon Twp.)1957
Town and city records
- Road Record (Libertyville Twp.)1850–1917
- Township Clerk's Miscellaneous Files (West Deerfield Twp.)1850–1934
- Township Record (Libertyville Twp.)1850–1975
- Township Record (West Deerfield Twp.)1850–1985
- Estray Record (Libertyville Twp.)1861–1897
- Township Auditors' Record (Libertyville Twp.)1881–1931
- Road Record (West Deerfield Twp.)1889–1898
- Township Auditors' Record (West Deerfield Twp.)1889–1979
- Township Officials' Registers1893–1969
- Road and Bridge Account Books (West Deerfield Twp.)1914–1940
- Public Library Warrant Registers (Libertyville Twp.)1924–1933
- Road and Bridge Fund Record (Libertyville Twp.)1929–1939
- Park Project Files, Wpa (Libertyville)1934–1961
- Thistle Cutting Record (Libertyville Twp.)1943–1953
- and 2 more series in the full listing
County government
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Libertyville Twp.)1850–1972
- Highway Commissioners' Record (West Deerfield Twp.)1889–1975
- County Annual Audit Reports1933–1971
- Board of Supervisors' Proceedings Files1969–1978
Other records
- Physician Certificate Record1918–1953
- County Yearbooks1935–1970
- County Hospital Time Book and Payroll Record1962–1964
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
- Lake 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, Lake" 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: McHenry County
Check the parent county for earlier records: McHenry 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.