Mackinac County Obituary Records

Mackinac County holds some of Michigan's oldest continuous death and burial records, with official records beginning in 1818 and Ste. Anne's Church records reaching back to 1695. Searching Mackinac County obituary and death records often means looking across multiple sources, from the county clerk in St. Ignace to historical church registers and the St. Ignace Public Library's genealogy collection. This guide covers every key resource for this historically significant Upper Peninsula county.

Mackinac County Clerk Office

The Mackinac County Clerk in St. Ignace maintains official death records and issues certified death certificates. The office operates standard business hours Monday through Friday. Fees for certified copies are approximately $10 to $13. Written requests by mail need a completed application, a copy of your ID, and a check made out to the Mackinac County Clerk. Because the county is small, calling ahead is a good idea before sending a mail request.

Under MCL 333.2882, Michigan death certificates are open public records and anyone can request a copy. Mackinac County's formal records date to 1818, predating Michigan statehood. The county was originally much larger and covered what is now multiple Upper Peninsula counties. This history means some early records attributed to Mackinac County cover a wider geographic area than the current county boundaries.

Ste. Anne's Church Records 1695-1868

Ste. Anne's Church in St. Ignace holds burial and baptism records going back to 1695, making these among the oldest surviving records in Michigan. These registers predate any formal civil death registration by more than 170 years. For researchers looking for French-Canadian or Native American ancestors in the Straits of Mackinac area, the Ste. Anne's records are an essential resource. Many families with roots in this region appear in these church registers long before any county or state death records exist.

The church records from 1695 to 1868 document deaths, marriages, and baptisms among the communities that lived at and near the Straits. These include French Canadian voyageurs, Odawa and Ojibwe community members, and missionary families. The records are in French and Latin in the earliest volumes. Copies and transcriptions of portions of these records are held at various archives, including the Archives of Michigan in Lansing.

The St. Ignace Public Library has an excellent genealogy collection that includes access to Ste. Anne's transcriptions, local history materials, and newspaper archives. Library staff are familiar with the county's unique historical record situation and can point researchers toward the right sources. This library is considered one of the better genealogy research libraries in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Note: Ste. Anne's is an active parish. Contact them directly for information on accessing their historical registers.

Mackinac County Death Records Online

The Mackinac County MiGenWeb project at mackinac.migenweb.org is the main free genealogy resource for the county. It includes death indexes, cemetery transcriptions, and links to county-specific historical documents. Given the county's long history, this site often points to sources not easily found elsewhere.

The MiGenWeb site connects to the free Michigan death index at michiganology.org, which covers 1897 to 1952. The GENDIS database at michiganology.org/gendis provides early death index access. FamilySearch has a Mackinac County guide at familysearch.org with links to available collections, including some French-Canadian heritage databases that are relevant for this county.

For recent certified copies, MDHHS charges $34 for the first and $16 for each additional copy. MDHHS can be reached at 517-335-8666, and orders go through vitalchek.com with a $12.95 service fee. Public Act 73 of 2006 limits online display of death record images for the past 75 years, but index data stays accessible.

French-Canadian and Native American Heritage Research

Mackinac County has one of the most distinct genealogy research profiles in Michigan. The Straits of Mackinac was a major meeting point for French traders, Native American nations, and later American settlers. Families with roots here often have records that cross multiple languages, cultures, and record systems. Church registers, fur trade records, and federal tribal enrollment documents may all be relevant depending on the family line being researched.

The Michigan Archives at michigan.gov/archivesofmi holds territorial-era records from before 1837 that include Mackinac County documents. For deaths before 1867, these territorial records and the church registers are often the only available sources. The Library of Michigan in Lansing also holds microfilm of early Mackinac County records.

Mackinac Island's historical significance adds another dimension. Deaths on the island in the 1800s and early 1900s are part of Mackinac County's record collection. If you are researching a family connected to Mackinac Island, the island's historical society may hold supplemental materials not found at the county level.

Communities in Mackinac County

Mackinac County communities include St. Ignace (the county seat), Mackinac Island, and smaller communities along the Straits. None of these meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All Mackinac County death records are filed through the county clerk in St. Ignace.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Mackinac County. Each has a separate clerk office and death record collection.