Brown County, Wisconsin Genealogy Records

Selected record inventories for Brown County, their listed years, and where to ask for access.

Selected inventory review: 2026-11-02. Selected collection metadata checked against repository catalog descriptions. This is not a complete holdings audit, examination of original records, or certification of current access. See the access note for limitations. Repository catalog or holdings guide

Formed
1818
County seat
Green Bay
Calumet CountyDoor CountyFond du Lac CountyKewaunee CountyManitowoc CountyMarinette CountyMenominee CountyOconto CountyOutagamie CountyShawano CountyWaupaca CountyWinnebago CountyBrown CountyCalumetKewauneeManitowocOutagamieShawanoWaupacaWinnebagoBrown
Brown CountyToday's boundaries · U.S. Census Bureau

Listed record inventories

Selected holdings and indexes for Brown County, checked against the repository descriptions linked below. Date spans may contain gaps; an index is not a complete set of original records.

County government

Other records

Wills and estates

See the repository's descriptions and search options

Repository access note: Selected Archival Resources in Wisconsin catalog descriptions and University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee genealogy holdings. The statewide search returned repeated pages during this review, so only distinct verified results and the UWM guide were used. Coverage is limited to the listed counties. Historic catalog titles may use outdated terminology. Consult the holding repository for restrictions and current availability.

Sources: the catalogs and repository descriptions linked on the entries above. Selected inventories do not establish complete coverage of every record type or online access to original documents. Read the repository access note for source dates and limitations.

Where to find the records

  • Brown County official website

    Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the register of deeds, the register in probate, the clerk of the circuit court and the Wisconsin Historical Society, and any online record search the county offers.

  • The register of deeds

    Deeds and other land records, and births, marriages and deaths registered in the county.

  • The register in probate

    Wills and estates.

  • The clerk of the circuit court

    Divorces, naturalizations and court cases.

  • The Wisconsin Historical Society

    In Madison and its Area Research Centers: older county records, state censuses and newspapers.

  • Wisconsin Historical Society Library & Archivesfree

    The state's historical society in Madison, with county records at its Area Research Centers, newspapers and genealogy indexes.

  • FamilySearch Catalogfree

    Search by place for "Wisconsin, Brown" 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: Land not yet in any county

Later formed partly from Brown County: Calumet County, Dodge County, Door County, Fond du Lac County, Manitowoc County, Marquette County, Milwaukee County, Oconto County, Portage County, Sheboygan County, Washington County, Waupaca County, Winnebago County

Disputed AreaUnorganized Federal TerritoryMonroeMadison (Ill.)MacombWayneNon-County Area 1Crawford (Ill.)Bond (Ill.)Brown (Wis.)Brown (Wis.)Crawford (Ill.)MacombWayne
Brown (Wis.) as created in 1818Where its land was the day beforeToday's boundaryBoundaries: Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1818, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.

Research tip

Wisconsin's county registers of deeds recorded births, marriages and deaths well before statewide registration began in 1907. Older county records are held at the Wisconsin Historical Society's Area Research Centers.