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Denver County, Colorado Genealogy

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Guide to Denver County, Colorado ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Denver
Organized: March 18, 1901
Parent County(s): Arapahoe [1]
Neighboring Counties
Adams • Arapahoe • Jefferson
See County Maps
Courthouse
ColoradoDenverCourthouse.jpg
Location Map
Colorado Denver County.png

County Information

Description

Denver County was created 15 Nov 1902[2] and was named after James W. Denver, a governor of the Kansas Territory. Its county seat is Denver. It is located in the west-central area of the state.[3]

County Courthouse

Denver County Courthouse
1437 Bannock Street Ste 200
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-630-3012
Denver County Website

The county clerk has marriage records from 1902 and land records from 1859.
The clerk of the district court has divorce records from 1967, probate and court records from 1858.[4]

Clerk and Recorder's Office
City and County Building
1437 Bannock Street, Rm 391
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 720-865-8400

City of Denver Vital Records
605 Bannock Street, Rm 302
Denver, CO 80204
Phone: 303-436-7351

Denver County, Colorado 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.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[5]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1872 1902 1887 1858 1859 1858 1860
*Statewide registration for births in 1910 and deaths in 1910. General compliance by 1920.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

  • Parent County: Denver County was created 18 March 1901 from Arapahoe County.
  • Denver County has annexed territory from Arapahoe, Adams and Jefferson Counties on several occasions.
  • County seat: Denver[6]
  • Colorado Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county
  • Colorado Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Colorado county boundary changes

Populated Places

Denver is the state capital of Colorado, as well as a consolidated city-county. This means that the City of Denver and the County of Denver have the same government and jurisdictions. The only city in Denver County is Denver. There are, however, several neighborhoods within the City of Denver.

Cities


History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Denver, Colorado online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Colorado Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

In 1860, present-day Colorado was enumerated in the Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Utah Territories. Colorado Territory was created in 1861 and was enumerated as such in the 1870 Census. A state census was taken in 1885 for Colorado.[7] See links listed below.

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 4,749 —
1870 4,759 0.2%
1880 35,629 648.7%
1890 106,713 199.5%
1900 133,859 25.4%
1910 213,381 59.4%
1920 256,491 20.2%
1930 287,861 12.2%
1940 322,412 12.0%
1950 415,765 29.0%
1960 493,887 18.8%
1970 514,678 4.2%
1980 492,686 −4.3%
1990 467,610 −5.1%
2000 554,636 18.6%
2010 600,158 8.2%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

State and Territory Census Records

Federal Census Records

The 1880 Census was the first Federal Census for Colorado after it became a state in 1876.[8] For links to Federal Census indexes, see Colorado Census.

  • 1860-1940 Colorado Census Records from 1860 to 1940 at FamilySearch.org — 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 Colorado denominations, view the Colorado Church Records wiki page.

Online Church Records

Presbyterian Church

'Dutch Reformed Church
 1955-1974 U.S., Selected States Dutch Reformed Church Membership Records, 1701-1995 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Montclair Reformed Church in Denver, 1955-1974
Lutheran Church


List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Numerous records are available at Colorado Archives. To use this link scroll down the page to where it asks for Record Type. Click there and scroll down the list to the records you want and select. The next field asks for county. Select the county you want and then click on Search. You can narrow the search by adding the additional information it asks for.

1933-1936 Numerous records are available at Colorado Archives. Denver County Old Age Pension Records 1933-1936. An Index compiled from the offical record of the applications granted by the Denver County Commissioners during these years. Record may show the following:

  • Name of Applicant
  • Date and Amount of pension payment
  • Any adjustments to the pension
  • Person's age
  • Town nearest to where they lived
  • Other Actions done by the County

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

Funeral Homes

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 Colorado Land and Property for additional information about early Colorado land grants.

After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where current records are also housed.


Online Land Indexes and Records

For more information see Colorado Land and Property

Local Histories

Online County Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Error: No valid link was found at the end of line 8.

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Military Records

Online Collections

These collections are unique to Colorado. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Colorado Military Records.

All Veterans

Civil War

Spanish-American War (1898)

World War I

World War II

Vietnam War

For further information see Colorado Military Records.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Records

Newspapers

For more information, see Colorado Newspapers.

Colorado Newspapers Online


Colorado Newspaper Catalogs

  • 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

Pension Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

Probate records have been kept by the county courts. Colorado probate records include bonds, affidavits, letters, claims, appraisals, fee accounts, minutes, judgments, dockets, calendars, case files, and wills. The FamilySearch Library does not have copies of probate records from Colorado.

You may obtain copies of documents from the clerk's office in the county courthouse.


Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

Colorado tax records complement land records and can be used as supplements to censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records. To find tax records in the FamilySearch Catalog, do a Place Search for the county.


1909-1912 Colorado State Archives has put the Denver County Inheritance Tax Records Index for the years 1909-1912 on-line.

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 Vital Records Section Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.

For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Colorado.

Birth

Birth records may become public records when 100 years have elapsed after the date of birth. EXCEPTION: The birth record of any individual who is known to be currently alive will remain confidential even if they are 100 years of age or greater. [9]

Marriage

1858-1939 The Colorado Genealogical Society and the Denver Library have compiled a free Marriage Index in a scanned PDF format listing 456,000+ marriages conducted between 1858 and 1939, cross listing the names of both bride and groom, with the date and place of marriage and the license number. Accessible free online at: Colorado Marriages

Online Records

Death

Death records may become public records when 75 years have elapsed after the date of death. [9]

Divorce

All divorces and divorce records are handled by the Denver County Courts, Colorado Judicial District 2. Please contact their office directly at 720-865-8301.

Online Records

Research Facilities

Archives

Colorado State Archives
1313 Sherman St., Room 1B-20
Denver, CO 80203
Request a Record
Telephone: 303-866-2358
Website

Contains online database Archives Search. See Colorado State Archives for a full list of online holdings
1880-1939 Divorce Index
1883-1900 Mine Accidents, Non - fatal
1897-1920 Horseshoers
1936-1942 Civilian Conservation Corps Enrollments
1966-1968 Vietnam Deaths
1862-1917 Denver Lot and Block Index
1870-1909 Denver Death Index
1875-1909 Denver Birth Index
1909-1912 Denver Inheritance Tax
1914-1917 Denver War Risk Insurance Applications
1933-1936 Denver Old Age Pension

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

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Denver County. For state-wide library facilities, see Colorado Archives and Libraries.

Denver Public Library
10 W Fourteenth Ave Prkwy
Parkway Denver, CO 80204
720-865-1111
Email: info@denverlibrary.org
Website
Facebook

Stephen H. Hart Research Center
History Colorado Center
1200 North Broadway
Denver, CO 80203
303-866-2305
Website

Museums

Black American West Museum
3091 California St
Denver, CO 80205
720-242-7428
Email: bawmhc@gmail.com
Website
Facebook

History Colorado Center
1200 North Broadway
Denver, CO
303-447-8679
Website

Lakewood Heritage Center
801 S Yarrow St
Lakewood, CO 80226
303-987-7850
Email: hca@lakewood.org
Website
Facebook

Societies

Listed below are societies in {{{1}}} County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Colorado Societies.

Denver, South Park & Pacific Historical Society
PO Box 371373
Denver, CO 80237-5373
Email:dspphs@gmail.com
Website

W.I.S.E. Family History Society
(Wales, Ireland, Scotland, England)
PO Box 40658
Denver, CO 80204-0658
Email: info@wise-fhs.org
Website
Facebook

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
  2. ↑ https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/CO_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Denver," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Denver&oldid=1226953859 (accessed June 2, 2024).
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Denver County, Colorado. Page 98 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Denver County, Colorado. Page 98 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), 92.
  6. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
  7. ↑ William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses (Bountiful, UT: American Genealogical Lending Library, 1985), page 51-54; Alice Eichholz, ‘’Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources,’’ 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 2004), 86. Free online version; FS Library Book 973 D27rb 2004; WorldCat entry.
  8. ↑ William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses (Bountiful, UT: American Genealogical Lending Library, 1985), page 54.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Letter from Colorado State Registrar, Dated September 1, 2011. Policy Number 2011- 08. http://www.colorado.gov
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Links to Colorado-related articles
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