Quick Links to Online Indexes for Chicago and Cook County Research

If the indexes listed below don't cover the years you need, browse the Research Tutorial pages for ideas on how/where to search.

Births

Chicago Birth Registers, 1871-1915
(at FamilySearchLabs; includes index and free access to corresponding images; not yet complete—check the collection description for current coverage)

Chicago Birth Certificates, 1878-1922
(at FamilySearchLabs; includes index and free access to corresponding images; not yet complete—check the collection description for current coverage)

Historical Cook County Vital Records Index
(Births 75 years or older; not yet complete; certificates are $15 each when downloaded from the website; I have access to many of the certificates from 1916-1922 and I can either provide you with uncertified copies for a reduced fee or refer you to someone who can)

Marriages

Cook County Marriage Licenses, 1871-1920
(at FamilySearchLabs; includes index and free access to corresponding images)

Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900
(Many of the licenses listed in this index for outside Cook County can be obtained from Illinois Regional Archive Depositories (IRAD) for little or no cost)

Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1871-1915
(I can provide you with uncertified digital copies of Chicago certificates from 1879-1947 for $5.00 each. If you can't find a name in the index, ask me. I'm often successful searching in a fuzzy way.)

Historical Cook County Vital Records Index
(Marriages 50 years or older; not yet complete; licenses are $15 each when downloaded from the website))

Deaths

Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950
(I can provide you with uncertified digital copies of Chicago certificates from 1879-1947 for $5.00 each. If you can't find a name in the index, ask me. I'm often successful searching in a fuzzy way.)

Historical Cook County Vital Records Index
(Deaths 20 years or older; not yet complete; this collection overlaps the record collections available for public searching; I can obtain uncertified copies of the death certificates found here up through 1947)

Church

Marriage Index for Polish Parishes through 1915
This page includes both member and public indexes; I have access to the corresponding films, but if you'd like to support the work of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, you can request the lookups through them. ($6.00 for members; $10 for non-members).

Ss. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church Baptisms

St. John Cantius Catholic Church Baptisms, 1893-1915

St. Michael's Catholic Church Baptisms, 1870-1871 (Cleveland Avenue)

Obituaries

Irish in Chicago, 1875-1925
(subscription site; obituaries for Chicago's Irish; many include places of origin in Ireland)