St. Joseph County, Indiana
county in Indiana, United States
St. Joseph County, colloquially called St. Joe County by residents, is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 272,912, making it the fifth-most populous county in Indiana. Formed in 1830, it was named for the St. Joseph River which flows through it to Lake Michigan. The county seat is South Bend. St. Joseph County is part of the "Michiana" region and the South Bend – Mishawaka metropolitan area.
Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 461.38 square miles (1,195.0 km2), of which 457.85 square miles (1,185.8 km2) (or 99.23%) is land and 3.54 square miles (9.2 km2) (or 0.77%) is water.
The public source identifies “St. Joseph County, Indiana” as county in Indiana, United States. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Joseph, County and Indiana.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “St. Joseph County, Indiana”, the useful work is to connect “county in Indiana, United States” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 17, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q507427. VIAF identifies the subject as 124340976. The Library of Congress control number is n81018684. Authority coordinates are 41.617, -86.290. 4 of 6 selected statements include explicit references; 2 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2020, 1830 and 2010.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “St. Joseph County, Indiana”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow St. Joseph County, Indiana primary sources, St. Joseph County, Indiana archive and Joseph research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “St. Joseph County, Indiana”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “St. Joseph County, Indiana” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.