Free Online Michigan City Directories

The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is October 2024)
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City and business directories are available online from all over the U.S. and are another important source of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.

This activity of presenting links is a collaborative effort between The Ancestor Hunt and Miriam Robbins. For years, Miriam has made available the Online Historical Directories website, which presents links to directories of all types that are available online, including free collections as well as those available only via subscription. I wish to thank Miriam for her help in launching this category of records at The Ancestor Hunt.

So, what kinds of directories are available to the researcher?  Naturally city and business directories, but also telephone directories, and alumni, farm, lodge, rural, and social directories.

What can you find in these records? How about:

  • Full names, including middle names
  • Spouse name
  • Occupation
  • Widows, working women, and adult children at home.
  • Maps
  • Businesses (and index to advertisers).
  • Addresses and maps of churches, schools, funeral homes, cemeteries, post offices, courts, hospitals, benevolent associations, and newspapers.
  • Whether a woman is a widow (including the name of husband).
  • List of marriages and deaths of the previous year.
  • Death date.
  • etc.

Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching historical city and other directories:​

And here are various places where you can find other city directories online: 

Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.

Michigan City Directories

Links to these free collections are presented initially with statewide collections, followed in alphabetical order by city or county. Generally, the publishing company is included in the reference to the collection, along with the collection title, and the date(s) of the directory:

Statewide

Adrian

Adrian and Hudson

Albion

Albion-Marshall

Allegan County

Ann Arbor

Antrim County

Baldwin

Bangor

Banks

Baraga County

Barry County

Battle Creek

Bay City

Bay County

Benton Harbor

Bergland

Berlin Township

Berrien County

Bessemer

Bessemer Township

Branch County

Calhoun County

Cass County

Cheboygan County

Clinton County

Coldwater

Detroit

Eaton County

Erwin Township

Essexville

Flint

Genesee County

Gogebic

Gogebic County

Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids and Kent County

Grand Traverse County

Gratiot County

Hersey

Hillsdale

Hillsdale County

Houghton County

Ingham County

Ionia

Ionia County

Irondale

Ironwood

Ironwood Township

Isabella County

Jackson

Jackson County

Jessieville

Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo County

Kent County

Lansing

Lapeer County

Lenawee County

Leroy

Luther

Macomb County

Marenisco

Marenisco Township

Marshall

Mecosta County

Midland County

Monroe County

Montcalm County

    Muskegon

    Muskegon County

    Newaygo County

    Ottawa County

    Pontiac

    Port Huron

    Portsmouth

    Purtian

    Reed City

    Saginaw

    Saginaw County

    Salzburg

    Sault Ste. Marie

    Shiawassee County

    Siemens

    St. Clair County

    St. Joseph

    St. Joseph County

    Three Rivers

    Traverse City

    Union City

    Van Buren County

    Wakefield

    Wakefield City

    Wakefield Township

    Washtenaw County

    Watersmeet

    Wenona


    For all Free Michigan Collection Links in 24 Genealogy Categories, go to the By Location Page, click on Michigan, and then click on the category of interest.

    Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

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