Buffalo County, Nebraska Genealogy
Guide to Buffalo County, Nebraska ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
The county was named after the then-prevalent buffalo herds. Buffalo County was named for American bison. It is located in the south central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Buffalo County Courthouse
P.O. Box 520
1512 Central Ave.
Kearney, NE 68848
Phone: 308-236-1228
Buffalo County Website
County Clerk has marriage records from 1872.
County Judge has probate and court records from 1872.
Clerk District Court has divorce records.
Register of Deeds has land records. [1]
Buffalo County, Nebraska Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1904 | 1872 | 1904 | 1872 | 1870 | 1872 | 1854 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
The records are in the county record office.
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Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[4]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Additional Information
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 114 | — |
| 1870 | 193 | 69.3% |
| 1880 | 7,531 | 3802.1% |
| 1890 | 22,162 | 194.3% |
| 1900 | 20,254 | −8.6% |
| 1910 | 21,907 | 8.2% |
| 1920 | 23,787 | 8.6% |
| 1930 | 24,338 | 2.3% |
| 1940 | 23,655 | −2.8% |
| 1950 | 25,134 | 6.3% |
| 1960 | 26,236 | 4.4% |
| 1970 | 31,222 | 19.0% |
| 1980 | 34,797 | 11.5% |
| 1990 | 37,447 | 7.6% |
| 2000 | 42,259 | 12.9% |
| 2010 | 46,102 | 9.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Federal Censuses were taken for Nebraska starting in 1860. For links to Federal census indexes, see Nebraska Census.
For tips on accessing Buffalo County, Nebraska Genealogy census records online, see: Nebraska Census.
State Census Records
- 1854 - 1870 Nebraska, Compiled Census Index, 1854-1870 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
- 1860 - 1885 Nebraska State Census Collection 1860-1885 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
- 1885 Nebraska State Census 1885 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1885 Nebraska State Census 1885 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
Church Records
Church records vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Nebraska denominations, view the Nebraska Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- 1875-1899 Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Court Records
Buffalo County houses a District Court and a County Court. The District Court issues writs and orders, collects and disperses child support fees, keeps court records, and records court proceedings.The County Court handles probate, civil, criminal and traffic cases.
- Buffalo County District Court
P.O. Box 520
Kearney, NE 68848
Phone: 308-236-1246
Website - County Court of Buffalo County
1512 Central Ave,P.O. Box 520
Kearney, NE 68848
Telephone: 308-236-1228
Website
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney
- O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Elm Creek, Gibbon, and Kearney
- Rasmussen Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Ravenna
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Nebraska Land and Property for additional information about early Nebraska land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Buffalo County Register of Deeds
P.O. Box 1270
Kearney, NE 68848
In Nebraska counties with more than 20,000 inhabitants, there is a separate office for the Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds website has an alphabetical index to Buffalo County Land Patents compiled by the agency. - Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
- 1796 - 1907 U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
- 1863 - 1908 U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - - index & images ($)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
For more information see Nebraska Land and Property
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Buffalo County, Nebraska Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Nebraska Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Nebraska Gazetteer - database for all known places found in 1890 and 1911 Nebraska gazetteers
- Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nebraska - shows boundary changes for Nebraska Counties
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Early migration routes to and from Buffalo County for European and African American settlers included:
- Platte River
- Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon[5]
- California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California[6]
- Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah[7]
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Military Records
Revolutionary War
- 1775-1783 United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
- For more nationwide Revolutionary War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.
Civil War
- 1861 - 1865 Nebraska Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1861 - 1948 Nebraska, Grand Army of the Republic, Burial Records, 1861-1948 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1891 Nebraska Resident Military Roster on June 1, 1891 at Ancestry.com - ($), Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the War of 1812, the Mexico War, and the War of the Rebellion, residing in Nebraska June 1, 1891
- 1893 Roster of Nebraska Veterans - list of veterans in 1893
- For more nationwide Civil War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.
World War II
- 1940 - 1945 Nebraska, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Naturalization and Citizenship
- 1855-1989 Nebraska, Naturalization Records, 1855-1989 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Newspapers
For information on Nebraska newspapers, see Nebraska Newspapers.
Nebraska Newspapers Online
- Nebraska Newspapers - contains images of newspapers throughout Nebraska
- GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
- Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
- Chronicling America - contains images of some Nebraska newspapers; searching tips
- 1800s-Current Nebraska, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Nebraska Newspaper Catalogs
- Nebraska State Historical Society - catalog of known Nebraska newspapers; lists repositories that have the newspapers
- U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
Obituaries
Other Records
- 1870 - 1990 — Nebraska Prisoner Records 1870-1990 — index only
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Nebraska, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for Nebraska - Buffalo - Probate records.
Probate records are held and created by the Buffalo County Court listed in the County section on this page.
The FamilySearch Library has microfilm copies of Buffalo County probate records 1906-1956 housed by the North Platte Genealogical Society in North Platte, Nebraska. As of April 2010 the society has an internet address but no web content.
Online Probate Records
- 1806-1989 Nebraska Wills and Probate Records 1806-1989 at Ancestry.com — index & images ($)
- 1906-1956 Probate Records, 1906-1956(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Nebraska tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses before 1820 or to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records.
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.
The FamilySearch Library has microfilm copies of Buffalo County marriage records 1896-1993 housed in History Nebraska and the Buffalo County Courthouse.
Birth
- 1900-Onward Nebraska Births at MyHeritage — index ($)
Marriage
- 1855 - 1995 — Nebraska Marriages, 1855-1995 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index only
- 1856 - 1898 — Nebraska Marriages 1856-1898 at Ancestry.com ($), index only
- 1909-Onward Nebraska Marriages at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death
- 1900-1955 Nebraska Deaths, 1900-1955 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1904-1955 Reclaim the Records: Nebraska Death Index at Internet Archive - images of index
- 1904-1968 Nebraska, U.S., Index to Deaths, 1904-1968 at Ancestry — index ($)
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Buffalo County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Nebraska Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Grand Island Nebraska FamilySearch Center
- Hastings Nebraska FamilySearch Center
- Kearney Nebraska Ward FamilySearch Center
- Grand Island Public Library an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Buffalo County. For state-wide library facilities, see Nebraska Archives and Libraries.
Kearney Public Library
2020 1st Ave
Kearney, NE 68847-5306
Phone: 308-233-3282
Fax: 308-233-3291
Email: circulationservices@kearneygov.org
Facebook
Website
Museums
Trails and Rails Museum
710 W 11th St
PO Box 523
Kearney, NE 68848
Phone: 308-234-3041
Email bchs.us@hotmail.com
Facebook
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Buffalo County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Nebraska Societies.
Fort Kearney Genealogical Society
PO Box 22
Kearney, NE 68848
308-234-6708
Email: ftkrnygensoc@gmail.com
Website
Ravenna Genealogical and Historical Society
210 Grand Ave
PO Box 33
Ravenna, NE 68869
Phone: 308-293-9200
Email: mrussell@nctc.net
Websites
- Buffalo County NEGenWeb
- Buffalo County USGenWeb
- FamilySearch Catalog - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
Research Guides
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Nebraska. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_County,_Nebraska accessed 10/26/2016
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Buffalo County, Nebraska. Page 428-435 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 417-420.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Buffalo County, Nebraska," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_County,_Nebraska, accessed 17 January 2019.
- ↑ Jim Tompkins, "The Oregon Trail 1841-1848 Map II" in Oregon Trail Landmarks at http://www.oregonpioneers.com/OTMap2.jpg (accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ "Oregon California Trails Association" at http://octatrails.micromaps.com/ (accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ "The Pioneer Story: The Mormon Pioneer Trail" in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/pioneer-trek (accessed 18 July 2011).